If you are paying a moving company to assist you in moving your items to your new home, you may be surprised to find out that there are certain items that moving companies simply refuse to move, mostly due to legal and safety regulations. Before you get surprised on moving day with this information, read this guide to find out what items you will need to move yourself (or at least find an alternative specialty moving service).
Dangerous, Hazardous, or Waste Materials
It is important to know that movers cannot transport any substance that is corrosive, flammable, or explosive. This should make sense, as these items are not only dangerous to move, but may even be illegal to move. Here are just some examples of items you cannot have a moving company transport for you:
- Weapons and ammunition
- Aerosol cans (hair spray, deodorant, etc.)
- Ammonia
- Antifreeze
- Motor oil or gasoline
- Turpentine
- Weed killer, pest killer, fertilizer, pesticide
- Propane tanks
- Liquor
- Fireworks
- Paint and paint thinner
- Bleach
- Charcoal
Be sure to either give these items away to friends or family members before you move or else find out how to properly dispose of these items. Contact your local Environmental Protection Agency office or your local fire department to learn more about proper disposal methods and techniques.
As for any item, you must bring with you such as a lawn mower or car, be sure to empty out the fuel tanks before the moving company arrives to move the item. They will not empty the tanks for you, and they will not move it if they see the tank has fuel in it.
If you are able to drive to your new home, you can always place the items listed above in your car, if you have the room and you feel safe doing so.
Perishable Food
Perishable food can be such a hassle for movers because it can easily spoil and attract flies, or otherwise leak or spill and ruin the rest of your items. For these unsanitary reasons, most moving companies will not place perishable food in their trucks. You can either dispose of these items or you can pack them in a cooler in your car, if you are able to drive to your destination.
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Personal Items
Even if some of the following items are not necessarily forbidden from being placed in moving trucks, it’s just not a good idea to be separated from important documents and valuable items. These items may include:
- Money in the form of cash, checks, or credit cards
- Property deeds
- Keys (if they are out of your hands for longer than an hour or so, they can be copied by someone with ill intentions)
- Rare and valuable collections (coins, baseball cards, etc.)
- Driver’s and marriage licenses
- Passports and social security cards
- Medicine and specific medications
The main reason why most movers will strictly forbid moving any of the above items is that they are so valuable, and therefore create a large liability for the movers if they were to lose or damage such items.
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