Knowing what movers will not move, will help you prepare properly and avoid any last-minute surprises. We know that planning a move is exciting, but the packing process can be full of questions. To ensure a safe, efficient, and smooth moving day, it’s crucial to understand what professional movers can and cannot transport. While our objective is to move you from one chapter to another, safety regulations and liability issues place certain items off-limits.
Personal Documents and Valuables
As professional movers, we cannot assume liability for highly personal or irreplaceable items. These are things you should always keep with you during the move. Think of it this way: if it’s essential for your identity, finances, or has significant sentimental value, it belongs with you, not in the back of our clean and well maintained moving truck (see what we did there).
- Jewellery and Beauty Products: High-value jewellery, watches, and expensive cosmetics should be transported personally.
- Family Heirlooms: Irreplaceable items like photo albums, antiques, and inherited keepsakes are best moved by you.
- Crucial Documents: Keep passports, medical records, title deeds, birth certificates, and financial records in a secure folder that travels with you or someone you trust.
- Personal Electronics and Gadgets: Laptops, tablets, chargers, headphones and storage drives are fragile and contain sensitive information. It’s safest to carry them with you.
- High-Value Items: This includes cash, credit cards, chequebooks, and any other items of significant monetary value.
Live Animals or Pets
For the safety and well-being of your beloved pets, no reputable mover will transport live animals in a moving truck. The cargo area is not climate-controlled and is unsafe for any living creature. Some moving options to consider include:
- Your Personal Vehicle: The best option is to transport your pets in your own car where they can be comfortable and safe. They will even be happier and enjoy the ride by sticking their heads out the window.
- Specialized Transportation: If you cannot transport your pet yourself, we can help you make arrangements with a specialised pet relocation service that is equipped for the job.
Hazardous Materials
For clear safety and regulatory reasons, we avoid transporting hazardous materials. These items can be flammable, corrosive, or explosive, posing a significant risk to the moving crew, your belongings, and the public.
- Flammable Items: This includes, petrol, diesel, lighter fluid, LPG gas tanks, and others.
- Pressurised Gas Tanks: Aerosol cans, oxygen tanks, and scuba tanks are not allowed.
- Corrosive Materials: Items such as car batteries, household cleaners with acid or ammonia, and pool chemicals are forbidden.
- Paints and Solvents: Paint, paint thinners, varnish, and other related solvents cannot be loaded onto the truck.
Firearms and Ammunition
Movers are not licensed to transport weaponry. Due to strict regulations, all firearms, ammunition, and other weapons must be moved by the owner. Please ensure you follow all applicable laws for legally and safely transporting these items yourself.
Food and Perishable Items
Most movers will not transport food items, especially those requiring refrigeration. Perishables can spoil, create unpleasant odours, leak, or attract pests, potentially damaging your other belongings.
Restricted perishable goods generally include:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Meat and dairy products
- Frozen foods
- Any open food containers
- Liquor and other alcoholic beverages.
- Medically prescribed drugs (these should always be kept with you or the patient incase they are needed)
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Other Items We Do Not Move With Household Items
Beyond the main categories, a few other items are universally prohibited:
- Fireworks: Highly explosive and a clear fire hazard.
- Chemical and Lab Equipment: Unidentified or dangerous chemicals are not permitted.
- Illegal Substances: Movers will not transport any items that are counterfeit, stolen, or otherwise illegal.
The Importance of These Restrictions
These restrictions are not in place to make your move more difficult; they are essential for safety and compliance. Hazardous materials can cause fires, accidents, or health emergencies, endangering everyone involved. Furthermore, movers want to ensure that no item on the truck poses a risk to your other belongings. A leaking bottle of bleach or a pest infestation from spoiled food could ruin your furniture and valuables, especially on long moves such as intercounty, across the border or international.
When you build a moving plan with our moving and relocation specialist, they will discuss the items they can and can’t assist with, as well as offer alternative options to move them. These restrictions may vary slightly, especially if you are not moving with us, so for a complete list of what not to pack when moving, it’s always best to ask the moving company you’re working with for their specific guidelines.
How to Handle “Non-Allowable” Items
If you own any of the items listed above, here are a few smart options to consider in the weeks leading up to your move:
- Use Them Up: Plan your meals to finish any fresh or opened food in your pantry and fridge that could spoil during the move.
- Give Away, Donate, or Sell: Give plants or partially used chemicals to relatives, friends or neighbours who can use them. You can also sell some items online.
- Move the Items Yourself: For items that are safe but simply not allowed on the truck (like plants or a bottle of wine), you can transport them in your personal vehicle.
- Arrange for Specialised Moving Expertise: For high-value collections, pets, or other unique items, professional third-party services are available.
- Recycle or Dispose of Properly: Contact your local municipality to find out how to safely and legally dispose of old paints, chemicals, and batteries
Conclusion
Moving is a major task, but understanding what your movers won’t move ahead of time can relieve a lot of stress. At Centric Movers, we aim to be transparent and helpful by ensuring that you are at the center of the move. We’ll give you the non-allowables list early, guide you through what to do with those items, and help you plan so you have peace of mind during your moving day.