Sustainable Moving Tips

Large amounts of waste are generated during move-in and move-out. To reduce your waste, impact on the environment, and money spent on dorm and apartment necessities, check out these tips.

Furnish Your Space Sustainably

  • Coordinate with your roommates to avoid unnecessary purchases  
  • Don’t bring everything with you on your first day—only bring the essentials and see what else you need once you arrive

  • Reusable water bottles, coffee cups, straws, utensils, and bags—preferably made of materials other than plastic  
  • Non-plastic dishes and containers that can be washed and reused  
  • A laundry drying rack to avoid using the clothes dryer  
  • Shampoo and soap bars, rather than toiletries packaged in plastic  
  • Plant-based laundry detergent and cleaning supplies 
  • Power strips to turn off electronics when not in use  
  • LED lightbulbs for desk and table lamps 
  • Plants for decoration 
  • Bike and bike lock 

DIY cleaning ideas are often more sustainable and just as easy-to-use and effective as store-bought options. You can reduce your waste even more by purchasing the ingredients in bulk or at a package-free store. Try out some of the ideas below:

  • DIY laundry detergent
  • Many household cleaners can be replaced with DIY solutions – get some advice on making your own cleaning products here
  •  But make sure you use the right product for the right purpose! (E.g. there are some items and surfaces that you definitely shouldn’t clean with baking soda.)

  • Bottled water 
  • Extra paper products, notebooks, and office supplies – use your laptop to take notes when possible, and reuse notebooks and other supplies you already have! 
  • Bins for recycling, trash, and compost are all provided to all on-campus residents 
  • Air fresheners, as they are usually made with toxic chemicals  
  • A personal printer – residence halls and libraries have printers  
  • Items with open flames, including candles or incense 

Thrift What You Can!

Purchase second-hand whenever possible. Pay less for something that works like new! Browse our curated thrifting guide, and subscribe to the sustainability listserv to hear about any on-campus used-item and thrifting events. 

Near Homewood campus (Abell, Charles Village, Guilford, Hampden, Remington, Tuscany-Canterbury, Wyman Park)  

Further from Homewood (Inner Harbor, Kresson, Mt Vernon, South Baltimore, Towson, etc.) 

  • The Loading Dock (Kresson – 2 North Kresson St) – Building materials reuse warehouse.   
  • SCRAP Creative Reuse (Washington Village/Pigtown – 913 W Barre St) – Second-hand art, craft, and office supplies. 
  • Second Chance (South Baltimore – 1700 Ridgely St) – Large resale warehouse of furniture, decor, and building supplies. 
  • The Zone (Mt Vernon – 813 N Charles St) 

  • JHU Free and For Sale – A Facebook group for Hopkins students, faculty, and staff looking to list items either for free or for sale.  
  • Johns Hopkins Textbook Exchange – A Facebook group for students, alumni, and other Hopkins affiliates to buy, sell, or trade used textbooks (and sometimes other items). 

Giveaway groups, e.g.:  

  • Buy Nothing Hampden – A Facebook group for those living by the north side of the Homewood campus to give items away or find free items.  
  • Buy nothing Baltimore – A Facebook community for Baltimore residents looking to list goods for free.  
  • Freecycle – A network of local sharing groups aimed at reducing waste and building community.   

General neighborhood groups, e.g.:  

  • Local neighborhood groups on Facebook    

Online vintage and secondhand sites: 

Prevent Waste by Donating, Selling, or Recycling What You Don’t Need

Do you have items you no longer need or are unable to bring home with you at move-out? Find a way to donate, sell, or recycle those items instead of sending them to the landfill.

Move-out is also a great time to be on the lookout for secondhand goods from others!  

In addition to the previously listed thrift stores and marketplaces, below are some additional donation and recycling resources: 

Keep an eye out for pop-up thrift shops and donation drives organized by campus groups like: 

Furniture and specialty recycling and donation sites:

  • SOURCE – Depending on what you want to donate, SOURCE can help you locate a donation partner for items in good, lightly used condition.    
  • Furniture Bank – Connects good quality furniture to families and partners in need. 
  • Second Chance (South Baltimore – 1700 Ridgely St) – Accepts furniture, decor, and building supplies that are in good condition via drop-off or pick-up. 
  • The Loading Dock (Kresson – 2 North Kresson St) – Accepts building materials in usable condition.  
  • SCRAP Creative Reuse (Washington Village/Pigtown – 913 W Barre St) – Collects clean and reusable art, craft, and office supplies.   

See list of physical thrift, second-hand, & vintage stores above for locations which may take in-person donations, including: 

Online marketplaces to sell or give away items: 

Pack Sustainably

  • Use suitcases, duffle bags, and reusable containers when possible. 
  • Protect your items using clothing, soft personal items, or recycled paper instead of bubble wrap and packing peanuts.  
  • Reuse boxes and packing supplies.
    • In the lead-up to your move, start saving boxes to use for packing (e.g if you get online groceries or meal kits delivered, consider saving the boxes and packing materials from your last few orders so you can have them on hand). 
    • Buy Nothing or neighborhood groups can also be a great place to find free cardboard boxes and moving supplies in your area.  
  • If you do need to purchase packing materials, consider more sustainable options like packing paper or honeycomb wrap, which can be recycled after use. 
  • Take your empty and broken-down cardboard boxes to the designated recycling area on your floor, list them on your Buy Nothing or neighborhood group, or keep them in storage for move-out. 

Looking to Make Sustainable Purchases?

Visit our Purchase Responsibly page for ideas on where and how to make more sustainable purchases. Avoid greenwashing with our credible suggestions and explore resources to further guide and green your move-in choices.

TIP: always remember that the most sustainable purchase is a purchase that isn't made!

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