Moving can be a wave of emotions. No matter why you are moving it is almost always overwhelming. There is a lot to do and typically it is within a tight schedule. I have moved quite a bit in the past and have lived all over the country. Once I started seeing each move as a fresh start and opportunity to cleanse what was not serving me or my lifestyle each move became an exciting opportunity to really tune into my wants and desires. Naturally, being more sustainable, living minimally, and removing toxins emerged as most important on my list. Here are some helpful tips for moving.
1. Sustainable Cleaners for a Greener Home
The first thing I do when I get to a new place is clean. Even a brand new home has construction dust and windows that need to be cleaned. Here are our favorite cleaning supplies:
Branch Basics – we use the concentrate and oxygen boost regularly.
Aspen Clean – their glass and floor cleaners are the best I have found. Pair both with the matching microfiber cloth. Both are made of synthetic materials, not ideal, but they work very well and are more sustainable than paper towels.
2. Non-Toxic & Sustainable Paper Products
Pack toilet paper or paper towels in an easy to get to location for a move, they are always needed right away. We use washable, reusable "paper towels" as often as we can, but sometimes in a move a more sustainable version of paper towels is best. For this purpose, Caboo has been our favorite. We have a subscription to PlantPaper for toilet paper and tissues. They are by far the softest and cleanest we have found.
3. Packing materials
Depending on if your move is across town or across the country you might be able to conserve and save on boxes and materials. I always purge before a move and donate what I can. Old clothes that are not in condition to be donated can be used to wrap any glass, ceramic, or breakable items. Canvas storage bins are helpful for hauling your goods across town and can be reused as laundry hampers, toy baskets, or seasonal gear.
4. Cook and bakeware
Moving can be a great time to upgrade your cookware. Donate old items and start fresh with nontoxic cook and bakeware. Our favorite pans are from Xtrema. Their one-piece ceramic construction eliminates the peeling or flaking that you usually see with ceramic cookware. We have the 11-inch Signature Skillet, Frying Pan, and Mini Skillet. It has been a great set for frying and cooking almost everything that we need. They have pots as well or you can find a good stainless steel set. As a small family of 3, our pots are mostly used to boil pasta. For cast iron options we love Smithey.
We love to bake and Xtrema has you covered there too with muffin tins and baking dishes. For baking sheets, we are currently using Great Jones and sustainable parchment paper. I need to dive into their claims and see just how non-toxic the products are but the Little Sheet gets a lot of use in our house.
5. Pillows and Bedding
There is nothing like fresh pillows and bedding to really make a home feel like home. Our favorite organic pillows are from Avocado. We have the Green and Molded Latex versions. I prefer the Green (mostly side sleeper) and Cody prefers the Molded Latex (back and side sleeper). Weslie has the toddler pillow and it is the perfect size for her and for travel. Their organic bedding range goes from affordable to luxury and even the cheapest option feels divine. I love the Clay color of their Sateen Organic Sheets. Any organic, natural fiber bedding is going to be your best bet, look for 100% cotton, 100% linen, or 100% hemp.
