Items Movers Won't Move | Cross Country Movers Group

What are the Items Movers Won’t Move

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Around 15 million households in America move each year, and approximately 650,000 people opt for professional companies. And even though professionals can handle every task you put before them, there are items movers won’t move. So if you plan to relocate a gun with the help of cross country movers, we must disappoint you and tell you this is impossible.

If you wonder why there are prohibited belongings, the simple answer is safety. But don’t worry, most thighs that are not allowed you can easily get rid of or bring with you. So you don’t have to worry whether your grandfather clock will be transported because it will undoubtedly end up on a truck. But to avoid conundrums about what won’t movers move, we have created a detailed list you can easily check on during your packing. And you will avoid a common relocation mistake, namely to pack something that is not allowed.

Why Is It Important to Know What Not to Pack When Moving?

Moving across the country is considered to be among the top five most stressful events in a person’s life. And it’s no small wonder, either. There are tons of things you must do before and after the relocation. From deciding where to live and finding a job to home-hunting, and on top of all that, you have to think about packing pots and pans. Luckily, you can outsource most of the hard work to a cross-country moving company. But even if you hire movers for all cross-country moving services (which include packing service,) you will have to pack some things alone. So if you know on time what those belongings are you will have a more efficient move. On the other hand, if you decide to pack everything alone, this list will come even handier.

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Live Plants Are Forbidden on a Truck

It’s the law. Most states don’t allow plant importation because of the risk of insects and other pests infection. So if you plan to bring plants with you, you will have to do it on your own. Just check on the National Plant Board website if you are allowed to do so – in most cases, it is illegal to transport plants more than 150 miles without a license.

Other Garden Accessories

When we say garden accessories, we don’t mean little gnome dolls or grass trimmers. We’re talking about chemicals people use to prevent weeds and pests from appearing. So pesticides, poisons, fertilizers, and weed killers are out of the question. And if you had a pool or bathtub in your backyard, pool chemicals are also banned.

Believe It Or Not, We Have a Lot of Hazardous and Flammable  Materials in Our Homes

Only when we start packing for a move, we start to realize how much stuff we have. And once we start packing our cleaning supplies, we learn how many of those supplies contain chemicals that are flammable or hazardous in some other way. So before you begin packing bathroom items, go through the ingredients section on the bottles and look for chemical compositions. If any of those is on the back of the bottle, it is considered dangerous. Here is what to look for:

  • Acids,
  • Aerosol cans,
  • Ammonia,
  • Bleach.

Some Unusual Items From Our Households That Are Not Allowed

Packing and preparing for movers is not an easy task, and you can easily overlook some items and place them in your boxes. For example, nail polish and nail polish remover are not allowed on the truck. Wax candles too. The same thing is with your kids’ chemistry sets as well as household batteries. In fact, anything that can easily burst into flames is forbidden, and this includes the following stuff:

  • Lamp oil,
  • Paints,
  • Paint thinner,
  • Motor oil,
  • Gasoline,
  • Kerosene,
  • Fireworks,
  • Charcoal,
  • Car batteries,
  • Charcoal lighter fluid,
  • Fire extinguisher.

Also, if you are a scuba diving enthusiast, you should know that SCUBA tanks are forbidden too.

Important Documents Are Among Items Movers Won’t Move

So we covered the stuff that can explode. Now it’s time to cover things that can not be replaced or be accounted for if anything wrong happens. For example, if something is missing. With so many people coming in and out of your home, you will be surprised how often something small ends up missing or misplaced. And workers are first to blame in this kind of situation. And yes, we are talking about important documents and valuables. Most companies don’t allow this to be loaded on a truck. So your personal documents will have to be among your moving essentials.

Moving Services

Our professionals work with you to come up with a long distance moving solution that best fits your needs. Whether the move is residential or commercial, we are here to make your relocation hassle free. You can choose to use as few or as many moving services as you want. It is completely up to you.

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Packing

Cross Country Movers have professionally trained personnel that will be happy to assist you with packing even the most fragile dishes or antiques. You can choose to oversee as we do the packing for you. We’ll carefully pack it all into moving boxes, regardless of the size.

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Storage

When it comes to our moving services, our storage service is just as important as the rest. Whether you need longtime or short-term arrangements, our team of professional movers is more than qualified to handle your items. When storing your belongings, we store them in a secure facility with guards and video surveillance.

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Bonus Tip: Arrange Your Documents Like a Pro

But as we promised, we will give you some relocation tips on how to pack items you are not allowed to put on a truck. All you need is one new binder, and you will get your important documents in order for a lifetime. And even if you are last-minute moving, this is something you will be forced to do. You will need papers ready, not only for the car shipping service but for other stuff as well. Such as change of car insurance, health insurance, and transferring utilities once you relocate. And with paperwork arranged, you will see a true benefit of relocation because you will most likely never do this unless you have to. Here is a list of paperwork you can not bring with you, and you can divide it all into the following categories:

  • Personal documents,
  • Home papers,
  • Car papers,
  • Funds and testaments,
  • Bank documentation,
  • Medical records,
  • School records and other certificates,
  • Contracts.

Check this video for more useful tips on how to arrange your documents.

Forget About Perishable Food

If you are relocating for the first time, your biggest worry is probably how to pack a TV or how to move furniture. But even if you don’t hire professionals to help you, this part will probably be the easiest. One of the things people usually forget to do when relocating, especially if this is the first move, is to get rid of all perishable food before relocation day arrives. So make a plan and start eating food from your freezer, as well as from your refrigerator. Also, take a good look at your pantry and start eating that food as well. No matter if it’s canned and perishable, it is still not allowed to be transported.

Donate Food and Things You Can Not Bring With You

It doesn’t matter if you are not relocating during holidays – you can still make some donations and do a good deed before you relocate. Go online and search for charity organizations in your neighborhood. You can donate food you think you will never manage to eat and other belongings too. So before you pack clothing, do a bit of purging. Not only will you have lesser belongings to pack, but you will start fresh in your new home. So put aside all the things you haven’t used in a long time and donate or sell them. Either way, you will downsize for a move and maybe even save some money for relocation.

What About Your Medication?

Relocating to another city and state means you will have to change your doctor and transfer your medical records. So if you have any chronic disease make sure you have prescriptions sent out to the nearest pharmacy in your new neighborhood, but you will have to bring a stash of pills with you. Unfortunately, medicine that is on prescription is not allowed in the truck. Some vitamins and flu medicine are probably allowed, but it all depends on company rules. So make sure you ask your company of choice about the rules regarding medicine. But if you need this medicine daily, it’s better to put them in your essentials.

Valuable Items Will Go With You

As we mentioned before, when it comes to valuables, it is better if you transport them by yourself. Some belongings are just too priceless to be put into a professionals’ hands. Even if they are rare, accidents can occur during the move, and the company will give you money for your laptop or something else that is misplaced, but it can never bring back all the memories or files you had there. So photo albums and other memorabilia is something you should move with you. And if you don’t know what item is valuable, ask yourself these questions: Can you live without it? Can it be replaced? Here are the things you should consider transporting on your own:

  • Jewelry,
  • Laptops,
  • Tablets and phones,
  • Keys from home or car,
  • Money,
  • Art,
  • Children’s school art.

So Will Your Pets

If you are relocating with a dog, we hope you didn’t think of putting it on a truck because it would be illegal. No pet is allowed to be transported this way. And yes, we are even talking about your ant colony. Especially about your ant colony. You will have to move this alone. The best way to relocate a cat or a dog is by car. It is the least traumatic for them, but transportation by plane is not a bad option as well. Also, if you have some exotic animal like a snake or some lizards, check if this animal is allowed in the state where you are heading. For example, Hawaii is a snake-free state, and nobody can import any, while Florida has a ban for some pythons and other non-native species.

Moving Cross Country Will Be Easy With the Help of Professionals

As you can see, relocating to another state is not an easy job, and you have to think about many other things besides what you can put on a truck. But with the help of professionals, you will not have to worry about how to use bubble wrap or how to pack your glassware. And even if you do have to pack certain belongings, these rules are here for your safety, and to your benefit, so you don’t end up losing something nobody can replace, like the photo of your grandma. Also, if you decide to do DIY relocation and rent a truck, you will still not be allowed to transport most of the belongings we listed because it is prohibited by law. So why don’t you reduce your relocation stress and hire professionals to do everything for you?

Steven Rogers

Apart from sharing Captain America's name, our freelance writer Steven is also a big fan of moving, history, and geography.

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