Moving companies have become quite popular in our times because they make relocation a seamless affair. From packing to transporting your belongings and reorganizing them in your new residence, you don’t have to worry about a thing with these movers. If you are relocating from your own home to somewhere else, you’ll have enough time to take care of more important duties like selling your home or getting the new residence ready for the move.
However, you must do thorough research before you hire a moving company. You need to know their rates, how reputable they are, and their terms of service. For instance, most movers list things they will not move. It could be as a result of the company’s values or because certain states prohibit them from transporting such items. The last thing you want to happen on moving day is to be stranded with stuff that the movers cannot or will not move. Therefore, you must conduct some preliminary research before hiring anyone. Find out ahead of time what the movers will and will not move. Doing this will help you decide if you should dispose of certain items or take them along with you by yourself.
Hence, we created this article to help you know the typical items most moving agencies will not transport.
Things That Are Not Subject to Transportation
There’s a lot to accomplish before the big day arrives. To prepare for your move, you must think about everything from packing materials to creating an inventory and a to-do list to decide on the final moving date.
Whether you’re going across town or to another country, you can always rely on professional movers. If the task appears too daunting and will take up too much of your precious energy and time, hire a moving company. As for packing, which is often regarded as the most time-consuming and tedious part of moving, you must adequately handle chemicals and other hazardous materials to avoid any accidents during the move. Now, let’s find out what a professional crew will not move to help you plan your relocation better.
Hazardous Household Items
This may appear to be a simple restriction, but it’s not as simple as it seems! Other than visibly hazardous things like fireworks and other explosives, charcoal, poison, ammunition, and guns, many everyday home objects are also classified as hazardous materials and cannot be moved by movers. Some of them include propane tanks, household batteries, fertilizer, dark room, alcohol, car batteries, fire extinguishers, cleaning solvents, charged scuba tanks, etc.
When it comes to loading a hauling truck, hazardous materials are entirely out of the question. Before the relocation, many of these goods could be readily disposed of. Chemicals like fertilizer, pesticides, rubbing alcohol, ammonia, chemical sets paints varnishes, paint thinners, are examples of hazardous materials. Other examples include motor oil and pool chemicals.
Flammables & Explosives
Moving companies will not transport anything that is combustible or can explode. Examples of flammable materials include Sterno fuel, matches, rubbing alcohol, aerosol cans, etc.
You can dispose of these dangerous items at The county’s hazardous waste facility drop-off before the d-day. To ensure that you can easily dispose of hazardous chemical-containing waste, most counties around the country have multiple drop-off locations. Just find one and dispose of your waste appropriately. Don’t put dangerous materials in your trash can at any time. This could be unsafe to the general public, the environment, and the people responsible for trash collection.
Living plants
Getting rid of your cherished living room plants is an easy solution if you’re stumped on what to do with them. Most movers would not agree to relocate your plants, either.
Relocating plants over a distance of 150 miles is prohibited if you do not have specific permission from suitable bodies to do so. Plants are excellent vectors for transmitting parasites and pests, and they can do so over state lines or city limits. For this reason, you need a special permit to transport them.
Besides, due to the extraordinarily high temperatures at the backs of trucks, your living plants will almost certainly perish if kept there for too long.
If you’re relocating far away, consider donating your plants. But if you are moving within the state, make sure to find out if your movers will transport them for you.
Thus, your best option is to carry your plants along with you in your car.
Perishable Food
The delicate nature of perishable food makes it difficult for movers to accept. Most perishable foods can’t be moved in a moving truck—especially if you’re traveling large distances—because they’re too delicate to handle. Traveling companies are careful about incurring debt due to the destruction of any of your properties. Since perishable food items degrade quickly in the heat of moving vehicles, they may not be accepted as part of the move.
Not only that, condensation, mold, and fungus from the decaying food can damage other items in the vehicle if it gets on them. It’s a good idea to get rid of or use up any perishable items prior to the moving day. Want to know how you can get rid of your perishables quickly without throwing them out? Host pre-moving dinner parties! That way, you get to use them up and leave a good memory in the hearts of your guests.
Pets
Animals aren’t just objects; they’re living creatures. Some are uncomfortable traveling long distances, especially not in a stuffy box. For example, you can’t put your pet in a moving truck like you would your living room couch. Most states do not permit hauling trucks to transport pets, no matter how much you want them to.
Many homeowners either give up their pets or ride with them in their car to their new destination.
Your pet will feel a bit more secure and at ease if you drive them than dropping them off in an unfamiliar moving van. They might experience some stress if you are going on a very long journey, far from home, particularly if they are not good travelers. That’s normal and way easier for them than a moving truck.
Before traveling, take your pet to the vet for a complete checkup and familiarize it with the carrier. Also, be sure that you have all the necessary documents and permits that allow you to move with your pet.
Personal Items & Valuables
Moving companies work hard to protect your possessions, but you should carry priceless goods along with you if you can. Irreplaceable material such as family photos, your social security, and bank documents cannot be moved with the rest of your household possessions. Instead, keep these items in a folder, briefcase, or carry-on bag and carry them everywhere with you.
The liability associated with carrying some items is so high that many moving companies refuse to do so. A move is a great time to get rid of stuff you don’t need, such as jewelry and currencies. Also, secure your laptop or find other means to transport them as most movers don’t like to transport laptops. Secure your belongings in a small safe or lockable box before you finally relocate to your new home.
Medicine cabinets
You should get rid of everything in your medicine cabinet at once before moving. We do not recommend that you pack some items, such as medications and heat-sensitive products, with a mover. Moving companies may find it difficult to replace some prescriptions promptly if the box is broken or misplaced during the move. Hence, they may not agree to move them. As an alternative, keep these items in a first aid box which you may carry about with you at all times.
Check the expiration dates on all medications in your medicine cabinet before you leave. Discard any expired over-the-counter drugs and bring any outdated prescriptions to your local pharmacy that you are no longer using. After that, choose a pharmacy close to your new home and transfer all your prescriptions there.
Nail Polish and Remover
Movers will not move your nail polish remover and ruby red nail polish. Both products are exceedingly combustible under some circumstances.
When moving into a new house, it is essential to be aware of the dangers posed by these products and all such chemicals. We highly recommend that you get rid of them if you plan on traveling a long distance.
For the sake of saving space, you should avoid bringing any unnecessary stuff into your new home.
Why Movers Will Not Transport The Above Items
We believe you should understand why movers cannot move these goods. Mostly, movers don’t move the above items due to concerns regarding their safety.
When it comes to hauling people’s belongings, safety is the most crucial consideration.
The list of non-allowable items differs from company to company, but most of them include things we have listed above as a consensus.
It’s not only about moving businesses being overly cautious; it’s also about professional movers adhering to government laws regarding certain items they can’t move.
Liability follows safety and the law. Moving companies don’t want to be held liable if a small item goes missing while transporting your belongings. It’s more common than you might imagine. With so many individuals coming and going before the move (prospective buyers, home inspectors, repair agencies, etc.), movers often take the blame when valuables go missing. Before the movers arrive, make sure you pack and transport anything personal or high-value yourself.
Long-distance relocation is more expensive than moving within a short distance. The weight of your items determines the cost of long-distance moving and the distance traveled. The less money you spend, the more goods you can get rid of. Long-distance moves necessitate consideration of the expense of transporting an item compared to purchasing a replacement at the destination.
Conclusion
It’s vital to protect your belongings throughout a move, especially a long-distance one. You must know what to take with you and what to leave with the movers if something is damaged or misplaced. Be sure to follow the moving company’s policies on what they will and will not move, as well as any local regulations on how you should discard hazardous waste.