Planning a move takes a lot of your time and energy. Luckily, with a reliable moving company, part of that pressure can become much easier to handle. You are assured of safety and reliability as well as the convenience of a moving company packing your household items.
However, you’ll need to know what things your movers can or can’t move for you. A bit of prior research could go a long way in avoiding unexpected last-minute surprises.
Although some prohibited items are much more obvious, others are pretty surprising. But if you know what your moving company doesn’t allow in transit, you have the opportunity to arrange for other transport alternatives. You could also get rid of the prohibited item if you can afford to. Here is a list of items that your mover might not let you pack for your next move.
1. Hazardous items
A competent moving company will always prioritize safety above all else. Therefore, they could list some items as potential hazards, usually for a good reason. Hazardous items may include:
- Acids
- Paint
- Car batteries
- Pesticides
- Propane gas tanks
- Fertilizers
- Gasoline
Your moving company might restrict such items because they pose a danger to their employees, vehicles, and other cargo. Most of the items in the list above are either corrosive, explosive, or highly flammable.
Items like fertilizers might appear harmless, but they can explode and trigger fires under the right circumstances. Before your move, you could consult with your moving company if you suspect that some of your items could be potential hazards.
2. Perishable Foods
Although movers allow certain types of food in their trucks such as spices and canned foods, foods you had initially stored in your freezer before moving may be prohibited. Since there won’t be any refrigeration arrangements en route, food might thaw and go bad. Such foods include frozen meats, yogurt, butter, milk, and ice creams.
Your moving company might also restrict you from packing open food containers or foods packaged with broken seals. If you want to carry your perishables with you, you could use a cooler for a reasonable short distance move. Alternatively, you could donate the extra food to your local food shelter instead of throwing it away.
3. Live Plants
Transporting a live plant can be risky since the plant won’t still be in good condition once you arrive at your destination. A living plant is susceptible to air and humidity changes. For that reason, a reputable moving company might not risk ruining your plant during transit, especially for long-distance moves.
Plants could transfer pests and diseases to your new neighborhood, so you may need a state certification to prove otherwise. If you have to carry your live plant with you, you could arrange for alternative transportation. Be sure to package them carefully using plastic wrap to protect the plant against unwanted damage.
4. Pets
Moving trucks don’t have favorable air or temperature conditions for your dog or cat to stay healthy during the move. As such, your moving company will consider your pet to be too big a risk for transportation.
You could use a dedicated pet transportation service to get your pet to your new home safely instead. But if that’s not an option for you, you could still transport your pet in your car after placing them in a safe carrying case.
A seamless long-distance move requires good planning – from when you first decide to move to when you’re all settled in your new house. At Dixie Moving & Storage, Inc., we pride ourselves on giving you reliable and professional service throughout your move. Feel free to contact us today for further information about your most pressing moving concerns.