Garages and storage areas are always packed last because most people are not sure how…
Most people assume that a professional moving company will transport anything that the consumers ask them to. However, what many people don’t know is that most moving companies have a list of non-allowable items that they cannot transport.
Today we are going to give you a list of non-allowable items, as well as let you know why movers can’t transport them. Use this list to help you pack and prepare for moving day.
Why Do Companies Have Non-Allowable Items They Don’t Move?
There are a host of reasons why items might be put on the non-allowable items list. To help you understand why, here are the four main reasons movers cannot transport certain items.
Safety
Oftentimes, items that make the non-allowable list are considered hazardous to transport long distances. These could be items like chemicals, gasoline, or flammables like fireworks and matches. For the safety of everyone else on the road, as well as all of the other goods being transported in the moving vehicle, items like these are non-allowable.
Legal Reasons
Laws can change state by state or regionally concerning the transportation of certain items (i.e. liquor or firearms). For this reason, moving companies cannot transport these items as they could lead to legal liabilities for the company.
Speaking of liabilities, documents of great legal importance also cannot be transported by movers. These are things like birth certificates, social security cards, marriage certificates, bank statements, etc. Documents of legal importance should always be transported by you, especially if they are going long distances. Mistakes can happen while moving, so with items of such importance, you can never be too careful.
Perishables
Anything that is perishable is also something that movers will be unable to transport for you. Because moving is often a long process and most moving trucks lack air conditioning, food and other perishables are absolutely off limits for movers to transport and should be disposed of before moving day.
List Of Non-Allowable Items
Now that we’ve gone over the reasons why movers can’t move certain items, let’s get into what items are on the non-allowable list.
1. Potentially Hazardous Materials
While this may sound obvious, you might be surprised at all the different items that are considered hazardous. Let’s go over some of them.
Hazardous materials include:
- Fireworks
- Lighter fluid, matches, cigarette lighters, candles, fire extinguishers
- Gasoline, kerosene, or other petroleum products
- Yard equipment containing fuel
- Car batteries, motor oil, antifreeze
- Paint, primer
- Acids, ammonia
Many of these items are dangerous or have legal complications when transported, so make sure to check your moving company’s non-allowable items list on their website and call them with any questions you may have before moving day arrives.
2. Firearms and Ammunition
It probably comes as no surprise that movers cannot transport your firearms or ammunition. Because of the hosts of legal complications and regionally changing laws, you must find other means of transporting your firearms and accessories to your new home.
3. Liquor, Cleaning Supplies, and Other Chemicals
As mentioned earlier, liquor falls under the non-allowable items list due to changing laws state by state. Some other non-allowable liquids include things like bleach, household cleaners, paint thinners, primers, pesticides, aerosol cans, weed killers, or rodent poisons.
4. Foods and Other Perishables
This is a more obvious non-allowable item. Who wants to drive a moving truck for two days cross country to finally arrive at the destination and open the truck to the smell of rotten cheese?
Perishable foods should be eaten, disposed of, or given away before moving day. There’s no way that your perishable food items will survive the long, hot drive to your new home. So make sure you are prepared and your fridge is thoroughly cleaned and emptied before moving day rolls round.
5. Livestock and Pets
It will probably come as no surprise that another item on the non-allowed moving list is pets. Moving companies cannot transport pets for many reasons. For one, the journey moving a pet cross country in the back of a moving truck would be a terrible experience for your companion. It can be hot, claustrophobic, and very confusing or stressing to an animal to be moved this way. It will be much easier and healthier if you arrange other moving plans for your furry or feathered friend, that way you won’t need to worry and you’ll spare your pet a lot of anxiety.
6. Plants
Another live thing that movers cannot transport for you is plants. Plants are often very delicate and could be damaged during the long commute, not to mention they might not receive the proper care and watering they need during the journey. If you can’t arrange other transportation for your plants it might be time to rehome them with a friend or family member in your area before your move.
7. Heat-Sensitive Items
A heat-sensitive item is anything that can be modified by long exposure to high temperatures. As the back of a moving truck can get quite hot, make sure to pack any heat-sensitive items in your own vehicle. A few examples of heat-sensitive items include:
- External hard drives
- Record albums
- Cassette tapes
- Videotapes
- Musical instruments
Conclusion
This concludes our list of what you shouldn’t pack when you are moving! We hope this list has been informative and that you feel more prepared knowing what items are on the non-allowable list.
If you are getting ready for a move in the near future, or have any questions about the moving process, be sure to contact On The Go Moving today.
