• REDUCE

The first favourable action towards waste management aims to REDUCE the amount of waste generated by choosing the items you most frequently use with care. We’re positive you’ve already considered ECO-friendly, biodegradable and non-toxic household cleaning products to reduce environmental impacts when it comes to cleaning your new house before you move in. However, if you are not familiar with GREEN household products, look for the EcoLogo certification on the cleaning products you choose to make sure they are environment-friendly.

You can also find great natural alternatives like using a mixture of white distilled vinegar and salt to remove soap buildups in your kitchen or in your bathroom; or using diluted vinegar to get your living room windows crystal-clear! Likewise, there are many household products that you probably already own that are extremely beneficial ingredients to use in DIY cleaning products. For example, you can do a mixture of baking soda and your favourite essential oils to make the perfect air-freshener in the living room, before you move in… or you can opt for a mix of hot water and hydrogen peroxide to brighten up your bathroom tiles!

• REUSE

The second most favourable action to prevent waste is self-explanatory: the goal is to REUSE items or parts which still have usable aspects. For example, you can definitely get repeated use out of the plastic bottles, containers, glass jars or cans you already have in your house. Depending on their size, you can use those items to make your natural household cleaning products. You can also decorate your jars and containers and reuse them for packing purposes of small items and long-lost hidden treasures you might discover while getting ready to pack your house. Instead of throwing away your old furniture, disassemble it and reuse the wood to create a cool coffee table or shelves for your books! In order to cut down on waste, REPURPOSING items is definitely something you should look into when you are moving. And if you can’t seem to find a new purpose for your items then…RECYCLE.

• RECYCLE

Typically, recycling is using waste as a resource, and it is the last action that can be taken in terms of waste management. In the moving context, RECYCLE looks a lot like REUSE – the goal being to transform waste into reusable material. So, donate old clothes, books and electrical equipment to the community center near you so others can REUSE them. Making a selection of things you would like to throw away (clothes, equipment, furniture…), before you start packing, can help you determine the next steps for each item, either REUSE or RECYCLE. Also, when it’s time to move, making a waste diary surely will help you consider what you need to cut down on in the future! Ultimately, if you feel like certain items cannot be reused, make sure to dispose of them in their respective recycling bin.

As you are making a great effort to be GREEN while moving, you can also associate with other local businesses and brands that are sharing the same concerns for our environment in order to maximize your positive contribution. Most boxes company offer new recycled boxes.

Furthermore, apart from recycling those moving boxes after you settle at your new location – or reusing them to help a friend move – you could RE-PURPOSE them: they could serve as excellent storage boxes for seasonal clothing, old books you want to keep cherishing and special souvenirs from your old house!