What Not to Pack When You Move: 13 Items to Avoid

Knowing what items to pack for move is part art and part science, but what about what not to pack when moving? It’s essential to research your moving company’s guidelines for what they will and won’t move and state laws. Use these tips to figure out what not to pack when moving.

1. Garage Chemicals

The garage is one of the most common spots to store more dangerous chemicals that are not travel friendly. Consult your local movers about which chemicals are allowed to travel in a moving truck. Some supplies are corrosive and can damage other materials if they spill in a moving truck. Other chemicals can permanently stain or disfigure surfaces, and some react poorly to sudden environmental changes that happen during a longer move, potentially bursting open, catching fire, or releasing hazardous fumes.

So, while you pack up your garage, set aside these supplies for proper disposal instead of throwing them in a box:

• Fuel, especially gasoline and kerosene

• Lighter fluid and other grilling accelerants 

• Motor oil

• Lubricants and oils

• Paints, stains, varnishes, and similar canned coatings 

• Paint thinners and all similar solvents

• Canned heating sources and similar heating supplies 

2. Compressed Gases

Any tank with compressed gas in a pressurized state can be dangerous to move. While these tanks are sturdy, they can react poorly to extreme temperatures, impacts from accidents, and other hazards they may face when moving. Set aside the following items:

• Propane tanks

• Oxygen tanks

• Fire extinguishers

• Aerosol cans of spray paint or coating

• Aerosol sprays like WD-40

3. Pool Supplies

Pools and spas require powerful chemical cocktails to keep them clean and safe for people to use. Unfortunately, essential pool chemicals can be highly toxic and can easily contaminate their surroundings during an accident. That can include:

• Chlorine

• Bromine

• Biguanide

• “Pool shock” formulas

If you have any chemicals (liquid or dry) that you use for cleaning, sanitizing, and maintaining pH balances for your pool, spa, hot tub, or pond, dispose of them properly before you move.

4. Home-Cleaning Supplies

Some common home cleaners can present dangers when moving, especially if they spill, heat up, or combine accidentally. Be wary of any “all-natural” cleaners, as they often contain strong chemicals, so it’s best to pour them out or regift them before moving. It’s better to toss your harsh cleaners rather than packing them, especially if they contain:

• Bleach

• Ammonia

• Alcohol

• Solvent formulas

• Detergents

• Stain removers

• Floor cleaners

• Bathroom cleaners

5. Beauty Products

Remember, you should not pack certain beauty items that contain high concentrations of alcohol because they can be flammable. Exposure to prolonged heat can cause these products to explode and/or catch fire. Here is what not to pack when moving when it comes to beauty products:

• Hairsprays

• Nail polish

• Nail polish remover

• Aerosol deodorants  

• Perfume and cologne

• Makeup setting spray

6. Gardening Chemicals 

Always check the labels of gardening chemicals and products to see if it’s something you should not pack when moving. Here are some items you need to dispose of or donate to a fellow gardener before you move cross country:

• Gardening chemicals 

• Fertilizer

• Insecticides and pesticides

• Herbicides such as weed killers

• Spare bags of pebbles, soil, or gravel (not toxic, but very heavy and not usually worth moving)

7. Perishables

Hey, we’re all for saving money (it's expensive to re-buy a complete collection of spices and herbs) and reusing what you can, but transporting perishables is tricky. For quick local moves across town, a cooler with cold packing and insulation gets frozen foods, meats, eggs, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables safely to your new house. 

But before a long-distance move, it is best to set up a day for friends and family to come over and take what they can use. Or, if you’re a creative cook, host a super casual leftover dinner for anyone you’d like to say goodbye to one last time.

Don’t try to pack anything fresh in your moving truck, even if it's only for a day or two and sealed in containers. You’d be surprised how fast pests like bugs and mice can find your favorite cereal and quinoa.

8. Pets and Plants

It should go without saying, but for their safety, pets of any kind cannot ride in a moving truck. Instead, they should ride in the car in a crate or using an animal seatbelt. Or, for long distance and overseas moves, check out pet transportation companies endorsed by the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association. 

For some plant parents, caring for indoor plants carries the same emotional weight as caring for pets. If they’re packed securely, and possibly removed from breakable pots, indoor and outdoor plants are easily moved across town. But, if you have a cross-country move, it all depends on your car space. Depending on the plants’ size, you might have to rehome your beloveds.

9. Personal and Irreplaceable Items

If you have visions of your family’s heirloom wedding dress heading down the aisle one more time, leave it off the moving truck. Even with the best care, accidents can happen, which can leave you without your most precious items or the ones that are hardest to replace. Plus, no one wants to go to the DMV for a new ID. It’s best to find somewhere to pack these items with you:

• Moving paperwork, especially the bill of lading

• Car titles

• Checks and cash

• Financial documents: tax, insurance, housing 

• Passports, birth certificates, marriage license

• Wills

• Medical records

• School records

• Jewelry

• Laptops

• Cellphones

• Collectibles, antiques

• Family photos, home movies

• Copies of keys for cars, safe deposit boxes

• Medication

If you have a specialty item such as a piano, consider hiring a moving company near you to assist with relocating it.

10. Broken or Unused Items

Although exciting and possibly life-changing, moving is time-consuming and expensive. One of the best ways to ease your burden is to rid yourself of anything that isn’t move-worthy. If it's time to donate your sofa, let it go. 

If you’re holding onto clutter from years ago, don’t pack it. If you bought a serveware set for entertaining and it never made it out of the box, sell it and recoup some of your moving expenses. The lighter the move, the better you’ll feel at the end of your relocation.

11. Combustible Items

Your home may have materials that are too combustible to be pack into a moving truck (where conditions can get very hot and accidents may happen).  It’s best to safely dispose of these supplies and replace them in your new home. In some cases, you may want to safely transport these items along with personal, by-your-side goods instead. These combustible goods should never go in the back of a moving truck, including common household supplies such as:

• Matches

• Fireworks

• Coal

• Live ammunition

• Lamp oil

• Batteries

• Flares

• Chemical heating pads

• Space heaters with fuel

12. Dangerous Bulbs

There are also miscellaneous fragile items in your home that you shouldn’t transport in your moving vehicle. These dangerous bulbs could break in transport and cause serious issues. That includes:

• Fluorescent tubes, which use mercury vapor

• Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)

13. Household Supplies 

This category covers supplies used in your previous home that your new home doesn’t need. You should find safe ways to dispose of them or give them to others who could use them. Avoid packing:

• Replaceable AC filters that only fit your old home’s system

• Light bulbs that won’t fit your new fixtures

• Bedding that’s a poor fit for new bedrooms

• Window treatments made for old home window shapes

• Rugs that won’t fit in new spaces

Dawn M. Smith and Emily Benda Gaylord contributed to this piece.