Packing Supply Waste and the Guilt of a "Green" Move: What Every Mover Should Know
If you've ever stood in your kitchen after a move surrounded by a mountain of flattened cardboard, crumpled paper, and a trash bag full of packing peanuts, you already know the feeling: the move is done, but now there's a new problem staring back at you. What do you do with all of it? That moment of hesitation — half guilt, half genuine confusion — is more common than most people admit. Moving is one of the most wasteful events in a household's year, and it's rarely talked about. Let's break down where that waste actually comes from, why the guilt is justified (but manageable), and what you can do differently on your next move. Why Moving Generates So Much Waste A single household move can produce dozens of pounds of packaging waste. The usual suspects: Cardboard boxes — often used once and either broken down for recycling or, worse, tossed straight into the trash if they're wet, taped up, or contaminated with food residue. Bubble wrap and plastic...