At The Move Makers, we pride ourselves on having a solution for nearly every packing problem. As I mentioned in my post a couple of months ago, we have tried-and-tested techniques for just about everything: choosing the right box size, wrapping items properly, and making sure boxes don’t sag when they’re stacked.

Recently, we packed up a beach house and even figured out how to safely pack the couple of dozen Japanese glass fishing floats decorating the mantelpiece. I may have cried uncle when I tackled the movable flagpole—complete with American flag—and my homemade box was three boxes tall. But I knew I could count on our movers to wrap and secure it properly.

Basically, we’re pretty good at finding a way to pack things.

Then came the gas can.

The can was in the client’s “to be packed” corner of the basement. I hesitated. Even an “empty” gas can can contain residual gasoline vapors, and the client’s belongings were headed for a storage unit before making their way to their new home. The last thing I wanted was to discover that our carefully packed flagpole, Japanese fishing floats and everything else had gone up in flames because of one little gas can.

So I did what any good Move Maker does: I checked.

Sure enough, my nagging little worry was justified. Gas cans, even empty ones, are not something you want on a moving truck or in storage.

And that got me thinking: there are some things we simply don’t pack, things responsible moving companies won’t put on their trucks at all.

To prevent any last-minute confusion, here’s our list of things that should stay off the moving truck—and, just as importantly, what you can do with them instead. I’ll cover disposal options toward the end of the post.

What movers generally will NOT put on the truck

Category	Common examples	What the client should do
Gasoline & fuels	Gasoline, kerosene, diesel, lighter fluid, lamp oil	Use up if possible or take to hazardous-waste disposal
Propane & compressed gases	Propane tanks, butane, oxygen tanks, scuba tanks, fire extinguishers	Hazardous-waste facility or appropriate specialty recycler
Paint & solvents	Paint, stain, varnish, paint thinner, turpentine, mineral spirits	PaintCare or household hazardous-waste facility
Cleaning chemicals	Bleach, ammonia, drain cleaner, solvents, some disinfectants	Household hazardous-waste facility
Lawn & garden chemicals	Fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, weed killer	Household hazardous-waste facility
Aerosols	Spray paint, hairspray, insect spray, some cleaners	Hazardous-waste facility if not completely empty
Pool chemicals	Chlorine, pool shock, other pool chemicals	Household hazardous-waste facility
Fireworks & explosives	Fireworks, ammunition, explosives	Specialized disposal; do not put in garbage

There are also things which are better carried by the client during the move. These include houseplants (easily damaged if they fall over); candles (they could easily melt and cause a huge mess in a hot moving truck); and everything that would be difficult or impossible to replace: important documents, medications, jewelry, and sentimental items. (If you don’t have room in your own vehicle, The Move Makers can come up with a solution.)

In Portland, we are fortunate to have a particularly good resource to point clients toward: Metro’s Find a Recycler database. It tells people where to donate, recycle or safely dispose of a specific item and provides drop-off locations. Metro’s two facilities accept many of the things movers won’t take, including paint, solvents, cleaners, pesticides, batteries, compressed gas cylinders, automotive products, pool chemicals and aerosols. Household hazardous-waste disposal is currently free.

So here’s a little mantra for our clients and for everyone else: If it can leak, explode, catch fire, or poison someone, it definitely doesn’t belong on the moving truck.

Thinking about your next chapter? If you’re planning a move, contact The Move Makers today. We’re happy to help you with making a fresh start somewhere new.