Moving is never a breeze, but there are some things that can make it less of a hassle and help to lessen the environmental impact of the transition. Taking steps to reduce waste can result in a more efficient and easier move, a blessing amidst the upheaval of relocation.

Getting ready for your move

Being well-prepared is the best way to ensure a stress-free process; waiting until the final minute is the last thing you want to do, among other common moving mistakes that cost you time, money and energy. Time spent planning your move will allow you to make choices that benefit you and the environment. To avoid those moving don'ts, get the move started off right with the following seven steps.

1. Get rid of stuff

Now is the perfect time to let go of the old and let in the new. Holding a moving sale or just donating a lot of things to Goodwill is a lot easier than packing and unpacking all that stuff. Recycling unwanted items helps to reduce the amount of household items that end up in a landfill, and saves you the cost of a trip to the dump. Plus, if you sell things, you'll have extra money for the move and to buy essentials for the new place.

2. Organize

How you pack everything is going to determine how easy unpacking will be. By packing the things you know you'll need first in clear bins so they're easy to find, and labeling everything, you make it a lot easier to get things to the right rooms and unpack them into the right places. Reusable bins are a good choice as they can be used each time you move. There are also services out there that deliver reusable bins to your home and pick them up after you’ve unpacked them, thus allowing you to avoid wasteful cardboard boxes altogether.

3. Get creative

Packing usually means towers of cardboard boxes and a mess of bubble wrap and packing peanuts that eventually end up in the trash. Rather than buy a bunch of packing supplies, use clothes to pack breakable items, like dishes, and use small articles of clothing to fill in the spaces in boxes to keep things from shifting around and breaking. Not only will you save money on bubble wrap, but you'll pack fewer boxes as well.

4. Make sure the new place is ready for you

If you can, it's a good idea to take a day to go to the new place and clean anything that needs cleaning or install any fixtures or appliances while the space is still empty. Use this time to install energy efficient lightbulbs and shower heads so you’ll have a lower utility bill from the onset.

5. Use secure, portable storage

After you’ve finished packing, actually transporting your items can be the most difficult step, especially if you are planning a long-distance move, or have a special circumstance like a gap between your leases. Portable storage units can be helpful in a lot of ways. Fill them with items you won't need right away, so you don't have to worry about unpacking everything at once -- or use them to move everything to avoid the hassle of getting and operating a moving truck yourself.

Just fill up the storage units and the service will transport it all to your new home or to their secure storage center. Either way, your stuff will stay safe and you’ll have complete control every step of the way. Portable storage units tend to reduce the carbon footprint of moving, as they facilitate more than one move at a time.

6. Get help

Having a professional mover to help you is a huge load off, if it's at all possible -- especially if you're left doing a lot of the work by yourself. Rather than throw out your back and completely wear yourself out, hire some extra help, even if it's just for a short time to do the heavy lifting. Professional movers also tend to be more efficient at packing and can help you to reduce your number of overall trips. If hiring help is not possible, entice friends and family with the promise of free stuff, another tactic for recycling unnecessary items.

7. Celebrate!

Host a housewarming party once you've moved in completely. It will give you something to look forward to, and when it comes time for the party, it will be a great marker to get friends together and make the new place actually feel like home.