naked notes

‘Tis moving season, my friends. If you’re a renter and you haven’t successfully renegotiated your lease, odds are you’re gearing up to haul all your earthly possessions into the next in a long string of rental apartments. I loathe packing, and though I don’t know many people who hate it as much as I do, I don’t know anyone who likes it either. Perhaps it’s because I’m rather pleased that I won’t be moving this year that I’m able to offer a few thoughts on ways to lessen the environmental impact of this year’s intra-city migration.

The more I think about it, the more this post boils down to one concept: use less throw-away crap.

Think about it. You’re moving EVERYTHING you own. That means you’re moving your sweaters and your breakables. Why do you feel compelled to pack them separately, when packing them together means you can spare yourself the expense of bubble wrap or avoid covering yourself and all that you own with newsprint? I’m obviously not going to wrap my dusty picture frames in my cashmere Vince cardigan (though if my husband were in charge, he would probably do just that) but I will wrap them in sweatshirts, t-shirts, and gym clothes. When I unpack, I drag a laundry bag around the apartment and deposit my “packing clothes” for a trip to the wash-and-fold.

Blankets, comforters, and towels are great for wrapping larger picture frames. If you have more nice stuff that you want to avoid scuffing than you have large soft things to throw over it, rent a couple of blankets from U-Haul. You can pick them up for a few bucks when you pick up your truck. Or if you’re hiring movers, ask if they’ll provide blankets when you make your booking. Some use blankets to protect furniture, whereas others use shrink-wrap or bubble wrap. Opt for the blankets.

Use your suitcases. I have actually watched very smart people pack their suitcases in boxes. Let’s not go any further on this point.

As you finish up your packing, you’ll surely find yourself with a bunch of decent stuff that you don’t really want anymore. Don’t do what my husband’s ex-roommate used to do, which is leave it behind or throw it in the trash on the way out. Either way, it’ll end up in a landfill. It doesn’t take that much time to go to your local Salvation Army or Housing Works drop-off location. You can find them throughout the city, and you can pick up tax deduction forms when you leave your clothing and working household items at the shop. This economy sucks. Take the tax deductions. Who says no to free money?

Once you’re in your new place, you’re surely wondering whether your closet shelves or cupboards are clean enough for the sweaters you put on your back or the glasses you put to your lips. It may burn you to know this, but your thrifty grandmother had it right: You don’t really need the fancy and expensive cleaning sprays that line the shelves at the grocery store. I used to think my grandmother was cheap. I can still picture the re-used spray bottles under the sink, labels removed, with wobbly, hand-printed lettering that read “glass” or “ammonia”. Now I know I was simply a sucker—a child of the ‘80s who blindly bought into the hype of new branding and marketing. Truth is, ammonia is a perfectly fine window cleaner. Soapy water and an old t-shirt make an excellent dust-busting, shelf-cleaning team. Baking soda is great for scrubbing sinks and tubs. At the end of the day, don’t you feel much better knowing that your lips and your backside will be touching basic soap residue rather than the lingering chemicals from those cleaning sprays? So instead of throwing away that freebie shower gel that’s been lingering in the back of your bathroom cabinet, save a few bucks and use it to soap up your new place.

There are surely other tips to offer here, so if you’ve got ‘em, post a comment. And when in doubt, refer to my first point, which was “use less throw-away crap.”

Happy moving!

Laura Wright is the senior editor at OnEarth magazine, a publication of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Category: NY Green

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