Every mover has a list of items that stay off the truck, and the reasons fall into three groups: safety, spoilage and sentiment. A can of paint thinner can leak and ruin a box of linens, a cooler of food spoils in a day, and a jewelry box is simply too precious to ride in a trailer. Sorting these before the crew arrives keeps the day calm.
Group 1: hazardous items
The FMCSA booklet says federal law forbids you to ship hazardous materials in your household goods boxes or luggage without informing your mover, and the liability rules say a mover need not assume liability for perishable, dangerous or hazardous articles included without its knowledge. Common household examples include:
- Fuels and flammables: gasoline, propane cylinders, lighter fluid, kerosene, charcoal starter and matches.
- Paints, stains, thinners, solvents, adhesives and varnish.
- Pesticides, pool chemicals, bleach, ammonia and drain cleaners.
- Aerosol cans and fire extinguishers.
- Fireworks and ammunition.
- Car batteries and loose lithium batteries.
Drain fuel from lawn equipment and generators, and empty propane from grills, before moving day. If you are unsure about a product, ask your estimator to review it during the survey.
Group 2: perishables and living things
Frozen and refrigerated food, open containers of food and anything that will spoil or attract pests should be eaten, donated or carried in a cooler. Houseplants often travel poorly in a closed truck, and some states restrict plants and fresh produce at their borders, so check the destination state's agriculture department when moving between states. Pets and people ride with you, never in the truck.
Group 3: irreplaceable and essential items
- Jewelry, cash, checkbooks and credit cards.
- Passports, birth certificates, titles, deeds, wills and tax records.
- Prescriptions and daily medicines.
- Laptops, phones, chargers and external drives.
- Family photos and keepsakes you cannot replace.
- Keys to the new home and a first-night box (see the first-night box guide).
Items worth more than 100 dollars per pound should be declared in writing if they do travel, as explained in the valuation guide.
How to dispose of what stays behind
The EPA classes leftover products that can catch fire, react, explode, corrode or poison as household hazardous waste, and notes that many communities run collection programs. Contact your local solid waste or environmental agency for drop-off sites rather than pouring products down a drain or leaving them in the trash. Start early, since some programs hold collection events only at certain times of year.
Special items that need planning, not exclusion
Some heavy or delicate belongings can travel when the right crew prepares them. Pianos, pool tables, hot tubs and appliances are moved with care and the right equipment. Mention each one at the survey so the estimate and the crew plan for it.