8 Items You Shouldn’t Pack When Moving

When you move, not only are there many things that you have to remember to pack, there are also a lot of things that you have to remember NOT to pack. If you’re responsible for packing your belongings during your relocation, you need to keep your safety and the safety of the moving truck and personnel in mind. Take your prom dresses to your own car, believe me - this kind of things you'll never see the again!

Here are 8 items that you shouldn’t pack when moving. Although some of these tips might sound obvious, plenty of people have had to learn what not to pack the hard way. This advice will prevent you from making the same mistakes.

1. Household cleaners (Safety Tips)

When mixed with other chemicals in the back of the moving truck, household cleaners such as bleach can give off dangerous fumes and even cause fires. Keep in mind that temperatures in the back of a moving truck can get very high in a short period of time. Such high temperatures can lead chemicals to turn into harmful or even fatal gasses.

2. Lighter fluid

You should avoid packing lighter fluid because it is highly flammable. In the back of a hot moving truck, it could combust and burn.

3. Fertilizer and Weed Killer

Got a green thumb? If you’re planning on packing away your gardening tools to have them loaded into the back of the moving truck, don’t include the fertilizer or weed killer. Just like the substances listed above, fertilizers and weed killers are highly flammable and cannot be kept in hot conditions, particularly over the course of a long trip.

4. Perishables (moving the kitchen)

Food, plants, and living things should not be packed away and transported in a moving truck because they can die or get spoiled. Foods that you shouldn’t pack include frozen foods, produce, opened packages of food, and refrigerated food. Sealed packages of dry foods are probably fine. Keep your contemporary kitchen cabinets safe by asking the movers to cover them before start carrying.

5. Ammunition

This might sound obvious but you shouldn’t have ammunition transported in the back of a moving truck. A deadly situation will arise if the ammunition gets hot. If you need to pack and transport ammunition, only do so in a cool, air-conditioned vehicle. Also be sure to keep the ammunition separate from your firearms.

6. Car Batteries

Car batteries are not suitable to transport in the back of a moving truck because they can leak and become a fire hazard. Furthermore, car batteries can cause injuries and burns to moving personnel if they leak.

7. Moving Documents

You may need to refer to your moving documents at some point during your move, but there is no way you will find them if they are packed away among dozens of boxes. In case a problem arises or you have a disagreement with your mover, it will be convenient for you to have your moving documents on hand.

8. Cash, Wills, Deeds, Cars, and Other Valuables

Don’t pack any of your valuables away in boxes that the moving truck will be transporting. There’s simply no guarantee that they won’t get lost or stolen so to be on the safe side, carry them with you.

*Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucianvenutian/880467001/