Items to NOT Take with You on a Move

Moving gives you the unique opportunity to sort through needed and unneeded items. It is a great chance to

A Garage Sale is a Great Way to Get Rid of Excess Stuff

throw away, give away or sell items that you don't need. We recommend at least throwing away one trash bag full of stuff as an exercise to clear your stuff of clutter.

The following are items that you should not take with you for various reasons. If you have anything to add to this list, please let us know!

1) Dangerous Goods: Acid, Paint, Fertilizer, Car Batteries, Aerosols, Kerosene, Liquid Bleach are a couple of examples of items that you should not take with you. It is illegal to pack anything substance that is corrosive, explosive or flammable. Moving companies will not even pack these items. Contact your local recycling system or the EPA to find out the proper way to dispose of any of these types of goods.

2) Junk you never use anyways: That box of papers holding all your school work, old tools, unused dishes, books you will never return and clothes are all great candidates to be gotten rid of. We form sentimental attachments to JUNK, but that doesn't mean it isn't junk. Now is the honest time to assess the stuff you have around your house.

3) Furniture: Consider what furniture you will need for your new home, and what you currently have. Different homes require different furnishing, and the chances are you will not need all of the same furniture for a new home. Give some of the old furniture to charity or try to sell it on Craigslist.

4) Old aquariums, pet cages, etc. : If your goldfish or guinea pig kicked the bucket, and you still have the container for the critter just in case, get rid of it! These items can be sold easily on Craigslist or given away to charity.

5) Perishable food: Eat all the food in your house that you can before a move. Make yourself not buy anything a week or two before the move, so that you can even begin to start finishing off non-perishable items. Once you move to your new home you can start a new with your new pantry/food-storing area.

6) Old toys: We love to give our kids everything, and there rooms often reflect the clutter of our generosity. Get rid of some of the toys before the move, especially older ones they don't use much or at all. Do not ask the kids, because even if they do use it chances is they will says no. Give the toys to charities for kids who don't have every toy in the world!

7) Broken appliances. Some people have the nasty habit of saving old electronics, exercise equipment, tools, appliances and other stuff in the hopes they will fix it some day. My grandmother had a collection of broken toasters in her addict. We have a box of electronics we hope to use again one day in our house. If you aren't going to get around to it, now would be a good time to consider recycling or otherwise disposing of it. There is nothing more annoying than moving around stuff that doesn't even work properly.

Happy moving!