When you’re moving to or from Guam, protecting your belongings in transit is key. Your items will travel thousands of miles on their way to their destination. It’s critical that they’re wrapped and packed carefully so they arrive in perfect condition.

As you choose packing materials for your Guam move, you’ll see a range of options—some of which are environmentally friendly and some of which are less so. If sustainability is a value that matters to you, we’ve got a list of strategies to help you protect your items and the planet at the same time.

As residents of Guam, our team is keenly aware of the importance of protecting our island habitat and ecosystem. Below, we’ll show you the most sustainable solutions for your Guam move so you can make the moving choices that feel right to you.

Sustainable Moving Strategy #1: Prep for Your Guam Relocation by Decluttering & Donating

One of the first sustainable choices you can make for your upcoming Guam move is decluttering your home. After all, if you have less to move, that’s simply less packaging you’ll need to consume during your relocation.

Guam Moving Tip

Decluttering also saves you money on your Guam move. If you hire a professional moving company, your final moving charges will be based on weight. Moving fewer items means a less expensive move. And, if you’re doing a DIY move, paring down your possessions might mean you can choose a smaller method to transport your items.

Finally, donating your gently used items is another eco-friendly move. Those possessions you no longer want can find new life with a new owner, ultimately reducing consumption.

Sustainable Moving Strategy #2: Digitize, Shred & Recycle

Along similar lines, it might be time to go through your papers before you move. Paper is heavy, and it will add to the cost of your move.

Rather than dragging all of your documents to your new home, consider digitizing anything you don’t need in hard copy. Then shred all those documents, and recycle them. (If you live in a location that recycles paper!)

Document Management Tip

Did you know we have a records management team here at DeWitt Guam? Here’s a quick tip from our digitization experts:

If you digitize your papers before your move, make sure you follow the 3-2-1 rule to protect your digital files before, during, and after your move. Having at least three copies of your data—two with you and one off-site—will ensure you always have access to your files, even if a hard drive fails.

As for those hard-copy files you need to hang on to—like birth certificates, Social Security cards, wedding certificates, etc.—make sure you carry them with you during your move. (The same goes for the hard drive where you put all your digital files!) Those are items are important enough that you shouldn’t pack them in your shipping container. Instead, carry them on your flight to or from Guam.

Sustainable Moving Strategy #3: Skip the Bubble Wrap

Bubble wrap has made some strides toward sustainability in recent years. Today, you’ll see options that include up to 40% recycled content, which is certainly an improvement.

However, when it comes to your Guam move, we’d suggest you skip the bubble wrap entirely. Our crews tend to avoid it as much as they can, especially since plastic doesn’t breathe. As a result, it tends to trap in moisture and condensation. Combine that with the humidity on Guam—and the moist ocean air circulating on a container ship—and you’ve got the potential for mold and mildew.

The other disadvantage to bubble wrap is that it takes up a ton of room in your boxes. As a result, you won’t be able to pack as many items in each box.

Using a lot of bubble wrap can ultimately mean more boxes, which can artificially inflate the size of your move. That, in turn, might mean paying for a larger container than you really need.

For all these reasons, that’s why you’ll rarely see our crews using bubble wrap—in addition to the fact that it’s not recyclable in all areas and it’s definitely not biodegradable.

Sustainable Moving Strategy #4: Eco-Friendly Packaging That Protects

So, if bubble wrap isn’t the best option, what’s left for protecting your items during your Guam move? Check out these eco-friendly alternatives.

Packing Paper

Packing paper is the go-to choice for international movers. This paper comes in multiple weights, and it’s an excellent alternative to bubble wrap, since it’s recyclable in many locations. It’s also not as bulky as bubble wrap, and yet it provides excellent protection for most of your items.

You can find packing paper at your local hardware store, or you can order it online from companies like U-Line.

New, Heavy-Duty Cardboard Boxes

If you’re serious about sustainability, you might think about doing a little recycling of your own and reusing cardboard boxes for your Guam move.

If you’re doing a local relocation, you’ll probably be fine. However, if you’re doing a long-distance Guam move, we wouldn’t recommend it.

Here’s the deal: Cardboard boxes are generally designed for a single use. Each time they bear weight, their structure weakens. Additionally, when cardboard is exposed to humidity, its integrity only weakens further.

For a long-distance move, we wouldn’t trust a used cardboard box. Instead, we’d recommend new, heavy-duty boxes that will be up to the long journey via truck and boat.

Additionally, cardboard boxes are generally recyclable in most locations. So even though you’re consuming new boxes, you can at least feel secure that they’ll meet a sustainable end, rather than ending up in a landfill.

Starch Packing Peanuts and Foam Sheets

Bubble wrap isn’t the only packing material that’s made a leap forward in terms of sustainability. There’s a new generation of foam packing peanuts and foam sheets available, all made out of starch instead of plastic.

Many of these items are completely biodegradable. In fact, if you tossed them in your shower and turned on the water, you could watch them dissolve before your very eyes.

For extra-fragile items, starch packing peanuts or foam sheets can be a good option. They’ll keep things like vases and glass lamps safe for the long journey. (And they won’t spend years taking up room in a landfill!)

Ultimately, yes, you may see professional movers use some bubble wrap or stretch wrap to secure your items. However, as much as we can, our DeWitt Guam team aims to use environmentally friendly, recyclable materials that will keep your items safe in transit.

Sustainable Moving Strategy #5: Recycle Everything You Can

Finally, there’s one more step to complete before your complete your eco-friendly Guam move—recycling all the materials you can at your final destination.

If you choose our crews for your move, we’ll take care of this step for you. Once your moving day is done, we’ll take the moving debris with us and recycle everything we can.

On Guam, we run an EPA-certified plant that processes cardboard and white paper, which we export for conversion to post-consumer, recycled-content cardboard. We’re committed to doing our part to minimize the waste in our landfill, maintain Guam’s natural beauty, and protect it for generations to come.

If you’re doing a DIY move, you’re on the hook for doing your part to keep everything recyclable out of the landfill. You might have to do some research on how recyclables are processed in your new home, but this is good information to know as you settle in to your new locale.

Making Your Guam Move a Sustainable One

A long-distance move to Guam involves a lot of moving parts. If researching ways to reduce your environmental footprint is on your to-do list, consider it done! You’ve now got a huge leg up on making your Guam move as environmentally friendly as possible, while ensuring your belongings are protected during your relocation.

If you’d like to knock even more items off your to-do list by hiring professional Guam movers, we’d be happy to assist! Just reach out to our team for a complimentary quote for your Guam relocation. We’re also happy to talk more about our sustainability practices to reduce the environmental impact of your move.

Tell us about your move!