What items should not be packed and transported in the moving truck?

MovingPacking
Written By James Burgess

Some items that we own or use like aerosols or lithium batteries can explode in high temperatures. Moving trucks are not usually temperature controlled, so any items packed in boxes or in drawers or cabinets within furniture with toxic materials should not be packed. We wanted to walk through some items to make sure they are NOT included in boxes that you pack and also some reminders for places to check if you are packing on your own. If Omega Movers packs for you, we will leave the items for our customer to transport.

 

What Items Should be Packed Separately and NOT Packed in the Moving Truck:

Anything liquid, flammable, or poisonous should not be transported in a moving truck. Flammable items such as aerosols, lithium batteries, paints, stains, motor oil, fuel, fire extinguishers, chlorine for pools, bleach, ammonia, and others can explode at certain temperatures. You may not think about those items for daily use, but when moving – those items can cause damage and harm, so we want to make sure that any flammable or poisonous items are packed in a cooled vehicle for transportation to your new home. These items are flammable at certain temperatures so as long as the temperature is avoided – the items are much less flammable. As for 

Here is a list of common items that we see our customers pack that for safety reasons should not be put on a moving truck for transport:

  • Liquids

  • Hairspray and Aerosol Hair Products

  • Cleaning Products

  • Lawn Mower and Weed Eater Batteries

  • Drill Batteries

  • WD-40

  • Fire Extinguishers

  • Spray Paint and Paints

  • Paint Thinners

  • Stains

  • Stain Removers

  • Detergents

  • Bleach

  • Chlorine and Bromine for pools

  • Ammonia

  • Motor Oil and Fuel

  • Lighter Fluid for Grilling

  • Charcoal

  • Firearms and Ammo

  • Matches

  • Polishes (liquid or shoe)

  • Petroleum Products

  • Varnishes

  • Kerosene

  • Antifreeze

  • Disinfectants

  • Nail Polish and Nail Polish Remover

  • Makeup Setting Spray

  • Garden Chemicals and Weed Killer

  • Fertilizer

  • Laptop Computers and Electronics with Lithium Batteries

  • House Plants

  • Perishable Foods

  • Fireworks

  • Propane Tanks

  • Liquor, Wine, and Beer

  • Scuba Diving Tanks

  • Lawnmowers

 

Items to Pack and Keep with You:

There are other items that we recommend be packed separately and taken by our customer such as paperwork, titles, financial documents, jewelry, cash, passports, medication, daily care items, antiques, collectibles, artwork, contraband, photos and albums, pets, and house plants + pack a few outfits so you have clothes easily accessible while you get unpacked in your new home.

Reminders for Packing:

Small items can fall in between drawers and cabinets within furniture such as jewelry cabinets, armoires, hutches, chest of drawers, and other large furniture items during transit in the moving truck. If you are doing your own packing, make sure to remove items from drawers and check for small items such as jewelry that may fall in crevices or small spaces within larger items. When a piece of furniture is moved it is lifted, hauled, and placed in your new home, so there is a lot of movement, and a lot of things can happen in between locations.  We will double check those areas if we are packing, but if you are packing on your own – take a flashlight and shine it into the furniture item to see if there is anything hidden.

James Burgess