Items Your Movers Can’t Pack Into Their Moving Truck

As a homeowner, you acquire a lot of things over the years, including many that have the potential to be dangerous. This is especially true of home improvement and cleaning supplies, many of which are plastered with warnings regarding their potential hazards and the safe use of the substance.

If something in your garage has the potential to hurt someone if used improperly, chances are it’s not appropriate for movers to handle. That means everything from cleaning supplies, such as chlorine bleach and aerosol cans, to fuels and solvents, such as gasoline and paint thinners. If it has the potential to explode in excessive heat or damage surrounding surfaces or possessions if spilled, it probably shouldn’t be packed into a moving truck.

People moving frequently don’t realize something they’re packing may be on the list of prohibited items due to its perception as an innocuous item not normally associated with danger. For example, your kids’ chemistry set may contain caustic chemicals or other substances that shouldn’t be exposed to the sometimes excessive heat of a moving truck. Fire extinguishers, an item you’d normally associate with safety, can contain hazardous chemicals that shouldn’t be excessively jostled or overheated.

You may not consider batteries to be a highly volatile item but these too can react negatively to the process of moving and shouldn’t be packed into a moving truck.

You may want to take this opportunity to toss those cleaning and home improvement supplies you haven’t used in years. If you’re like most homeowners, you likely have an old can of paint thinner or something similar you bought for one project several years ago and never used or thought of again. Now’s the perfect time to get rid of it!

There are the more obviously hazardous things that definitely shouldn’t be left in the care of movers. Firearms, ammunition, fireworks and poisons you may use to eliminate pests in your home are all items you should move in your own vehicle.
These guidelines aren’t just in place to protect our movers. They also protect you from liability and prevent your other belongings from being damaged.

Not everything on the list of prohibited items are categorized as such because of the hazard they could potentially pose to movers or your other possessions. Some shouldn’t be moved by movers due to their fragility, value or perishable nature.
Any frozen foods or perishable food items should be packed in a cooler with ice and moved by you to your new location, although it’s generally advised to use these items up or throw them away prior to the move. Moving is actually a good excuse to clear out your freezer and get rid of the food items that may have been sitting in there too long.

One of the positive benefits of moving, in general, is being able to start fresh in a new, clean home. Cleaning out your fridge and cupboards and minimizing the amount of stuff you have to pack and move can help you get the most out of this fresh start.

Even nonperishable or unopened cans or boxes of food should probably be used or donated prior to your move so you can cut down on the volume of stuff you’ll have to pack, transport and unpack.

Don’t forget about your houseplants, which can be fragile and may not survive the ride in a moving truck with all your furniture and boxes of other possessions.

If you have questions about what can and can’t be moved by movers in the San Diego area, you can check our helpful, comprehensive list. You can also schedule a fast, convenient moving estimate by calling Move Central at (858) 230-8281.