Guide to Items Your Movers Won’t Pack

Knowing what movers will not pack is quite important in preparing for a move. Such understanding will help avoid potential delays and problems on moving day with packing and the move itself. There’s a risk involved, along with some legal issues, when moving restricted items. Knowing what movers won’t move can save time, prevent damage, and ensure a smoother move.

Hazardous Materials

List of Items:

1. Fire extinguishers
2. Spray paint
3. Nail polish remover
4. Paint thinners
5. Cleaning products
6. Propane Tanks
7. Lighter fluid

Reasons:

Dangerous goods are extremely unsafe to be transported. For an example, aerosol cans could explode under high temperature. Propane tanks and lighter fluid are highly flammable. Moving these things increases the risk of accidents and injuries.

Practical Tips:

• Dispose Properly: Take hazardous materials to a local hazardous-waste facility. They have the capability and resources to dispose of these items properly.
• Donate Unopened Items: If you have any cleaning products that are unopened, or any other goods that would be safe for donation, consider donating all of them to a local shelter or donation center.
• Alternative Use: Try to get through as many items as possible before your move. Examples would include using cleaning products when you clean your old home for the last time.

💡 Remember: You should obtain the list of restricted and prohibited items ahead of time from a moving company so that you know what not to pack and move, thus keeping yourself and others safe.

Dangerous goods are extremely unsafe to be transported. For an example, aerosol cans could explode under high temperature. Propane tanks and lighter fluid are highly flammable. Moving these things increases the risk of accidents and injuries.

Perishable Foods

List of Items:

1. Dairy Products
2. Meats
3. Frozen foods
4. Opened food containers
5. Fresh produce

Reasons:

Perishable foods can spoil while being transported; this can be a problem especially with long-distance moves. Milk products and meats must be refrigerated, something that moving trucks are not designed to provide. Frozen foods defrost and begin to spoil, becoming a health hazard. Open food spills out and damages other belongings.

Practical Tips:

• Eat Before You Move: Plan meals that use up perishable foods in the days before you move to minimize food waste while ensuring there’s fresh food for NSStringFromClass until the last possible minute.
• Donate Non-Perishables: Closed non-perishable items, especially canned goods, are always in need at local food banks. This will not only help other unfortunate people but also lighten your load.
• Travel with a Cooler: If you must take some perishable foods with you, pack them in a cooler with ice packs when traveling for short journeys. Make sure you have a method to maintain the correct temperature.

💡 Quick Tip: Take stock of your perishables before the move and formulate a plan for addressing each one so that none gets left behind.

Plants

List of Items:

1. Live plants
2. Tools for gardening with fuel
3. Pesticides

Reasons:

Transporting live plants potentially allows for pests to damage the ecosystem of those environments. Fuelled gardening tools and pesticides are other potential hazards involving gardeners. Fuel can spill and potentially ignite; pesticides contain chemicals that are dangerous if leaked or mishandled.

Practical Tips:

• Self-transport plants: If you need to transplant, drive them in your vehicle. Make sure they are securely held and will not t ip over.
• Gift to Friends and Neighbors: Consider giving your plants to friends, neighbors, or local community gardens. This is a great way to share your green thumb and ensure your plants have a new home.
• Check State Regulations: With long-distance moving, residence is often found in a different state. So check on state regulations in this respect of the transportation of plants. Some states can be pretty strict to avoid pest infestations.

💡 Remember: Empty and clean all gardening equipment before transportation. Remove any fuel to avoid spills occurring during transit.

Valuables and Important Documents

List of Items:

1. Jewelry
2. Cash
3. Family heirlooms
4. Personal documents, such as passports, medical records, deeds

Reasons:

It does pose quite a risk to really lose or be damaged by moving valuables and important documents. Movers would usually maintain very limited liability on these items, which actually means that full compensation could not be given in exchange should something go wrong. Pieces of jewelry and cash could easily get lost or stolen if obviously not locked in a safe or vault. Family heirlooms are irreplaceable, so are important documents such as a passport and medical records, necessary for identification, as well as one’s medical history data.

Practical Tips:

• Keep With You: Always keep valuables and important documents with you during the move in a personal bag or a secure box that you carry yourself.
• Use Secure Containers: Store items in secure, lockable containers to prevent loss or damage. It will be better if such containers are fire-proof and water-proof, especially for important documents. Make digital copies of important documents and back them up safely online. This way, you will be safe even in case of the loss or impairment of these documents.

💡 Quick Tip: List all your valuables, and important documents, check them off as you pack them, so you will not spill one out.

Other Prohibited Items

List of Items:

1. Firearms
2. Fireworks
3. high value items
4. Liquor
5. Ammunition
6. Scuba tanks

Reasons:

Many movers have policies exclude legal and/or safety risks in the move. Firearms and ammunition are strictly regulated and potentially dangerous if not handled properly. Fireworks are highly flammable and create a serious fire risk. Some militate against liquor due to the varied state laws about it, but also its flammability. Items of high value, such as collectibles or expensive electronics, could either be stolen or damaged; a mover’s liability is limited in these instances.

Practical Tips:

• Specialized Services: Use a licenced firearms dealer who is certified and follows the law to move firearms and ammunition. Dispose of fireworks at any local hazardous waste facility. Do not transport them personally.
• Secure High-Value Items: In case you are moving high-value items or goods, consider hiring a professional relocation service that is properly insured.
• Transport Liquor Yourself: In case you have an expensive collection of liquors, you can transport those yourself or hire a special transporter to keep such items safe and within the bounds of the law.

💡 Important: Always confirm with your moving company for its exact list of prohibited items and specific guidelines. This will ensure that you're complying with their policies and avoiding a lot of hassle on your moving day.

FAQ

Conclusion

We have outlined a sample list of things that movers transport and pack, but each company may differ. Some have the necessary tools and licenses to move things that others may not. We recommend always getting a list of prohibited items to pack from the moving company you choose.

Want more tips? Find a moving checklist and packing guide on our website. This will help you prepare quickly and keep your move simple.

If you are looking for a packing service in the DMV area, AT Movers can help you with that!