Moving and taking care of the environment – 6 easy tips

1. Prepare for your move early
Start planning and preparing for your move well in advance. This will save both your nerves and the environment. If you don't start planning early, you could end up throwing away things that could have been sold, donated or recycled. Moving is also a good opportunity to go through what you need in your new home and which items can be donated or packed away for later use.

2. Go through your belongings room by room
Items that are still usable but that you have no use for can be donated or recycled. A surprising number of things find a new home through Facebook donation groups, for example. Furniture that needs refurbishing can also be donated or exchanged on similar Facebook pages - there are often people interested in quality furniture who can refurbish it themselves. You can also offer your furniture to the Recycling Centre. Smaller items can be taken to your local waste station, but remember to sort glass, metal and cardboard separately. If your items are in good condition but you don't need them, you can also sell them online. If you want to get rid of things quickly, consider this in your pricing.

3. Minimise plastic use and make use of materials you already own
Don't throw away clothes and other textiles you no longer use - store them and use them for packing when you move. Towels and kitchen towels are good for packing dishes, and glassware can be wrapped in socks. Cutlery and buckets can be packed in towels, and bedding can be used to protect furniture. Newspapers can be used to wrap delicate items, so don't throw away old newspapers - they're likely to come in handy. If you can't get newspapers in the post, see if your local recycling centre has suitable materials. Plates can be wrapped in kitchen paper without tearing the paper - this way you can reuse the kitchen paper when you've unpacked in your new home. As well as moving boxes, use suitcases and other bags. Remember that you can buy moving boxes from Pelican.

4. Think before you throw away
Throwing something away and then buying a similar item is not very environmentally conscious. Even if you don't need the item now, the situation may change later. Instead of throwing things away, it's a good idea to keep useful items for the future. There is often room for the most important things when you pack sensibly.

5. Remember to recycle when you buy new
Appliances are often delivered in bulk, leaving a lot of waste. Remember to sort plastic, polystyrene and cardboard separately. Plastic and polystyrene belong in their own section. Cardboard should be sorted for cardboard collection.

6. Donate your moving boxes after the move!
After moving out, you can donate used moving boxes to friends or relatives instead of throwing them away. You can also donate them in dedicated Facebook groups.