Green moving tips can save cash and the environment

If moving is on the horizon for you, there are lots of great options for green-minded moving that can help save money and keep waste from littering the transition.

• Ban the Boxes - While cardboard varieties can take a few rounds of use, the better, cheaper option is actually a fleet of reusable plastic bins that you either rent directly or select as part of a green moving package (available from such regional services as Rentagreenbox). They're easy to pack and do a better job of protecting your stuff in the process. Plus, they last far longer than cardboard -- helping many movers before and after you -- and the built-in box return deadline ensures a speedy unpacking period in your new home.
• Choose an Earth Friendly Mover – Many reputable green moving companies make earth-friendliness a priority. This can include everything from biofueled rigs to the use of 100% cotton moving pads. Experienced, professional moving personnel will know how to carefully pack your belongings in the fewest boxes possible for a minimum of trips from Point A to Point B.
• Less is More – A big factor in your green moving experience is the amount of stuff you have in the first place -- remember, less to haul means less human and automotive energy used, and more room to enjoy in your new abode. Go through your belongings and edit down to what you truly want to take into your new home life, and recycle the rest via yard sales and charitable donations.

Tom Kraeutler is the Home Improvement Editor for AOL and co-author of My Home, My Money Pit: Your Guide to Every Home Improvement Adventure. He delivers home improvement tips each week as host of The Money Pit, a nationally syndicated home improvement radio program.