Besides the attractiveness of house plants, there are many health benefits to having plants around your home. Studies have shown indoor plants boost mood, productivity, creativity, and they can clean indoor air by absorbing toxins and producing oxygen. When the time comes to make a move, there are steps to ensure your houseplants arrive at the new destination safely. Here are five steps to help you before, during, and after a move.
- Check regulations – If you’re moving out of state, you may need to do a little more prep work to be in compliance with the law, as each state has its own set of regulations and certification requirements for moving with plants. Before packing up your plants, check the laws and regulations in the state you’re moving to make the best decision. If you choose not to take a plant due to regulations or for any other reason, consider gifting it to a friend or a nearby nursing home.
- Make arrangements – Your delicate, leafy friends will almost certainly not survive the trip in your trunk, a portable storage container, or the back of a dark moving truck. Make arrangements to transport your house plants in a car that is making the trip. Keep them near a window if possible so the plants have sunlight and fresh air to keep them healthy. If you stop overnight along the way, bring them inside so they are not affected by extreme temperatures. You can also contact your local shipping office to see if sending your house plants through the mail is an option. They can also advise on the best way to pack your plants to ensure they arrive in the best shape possible.
- Prepare your plants – About a week before moving, transfer plants from decorative pots into plastic holders. This will give you the opportunity to wrap breakable decorative pots in paper, bubble wrap, or cloth and pack tightly away for the move. Inspect and treat any plants with pests. You don’t want to transfer insects to your next destination. Keep your plants healthy and make them easier to transport by trimming back any dead or protruding limbs. Water plants two or three days before moving. The soil should be moist, but not too wet on moving day. It’s important to make sure the roots stay damp while moving.
- Pack with care – To help avoid plants from falling over, place them snugly in appropriately sized boxes. Place newspaper or bubble wrap around the base of the plant so it won’t shift during the move. For large plants, use packing paper or sheets to gently cover them. Your goal is to protect the leaves and limbs from bending or breaking during the move.
- Ease the transition – Packing your plants last and unpacking them first will minimize any distress from the move. Unpack carefully to avoid any breakage, establish a new location for your plant, and water it on a regular basis. With time it will adjust to its new environment and hopefully continue to thrive.
While we don’t recommend moving or storing live plants in a Zippy Shell container, we will keep your other belongings safe and secure until they are needed. Our storage centers are equipped with climate control and added security. When you are ready, we will redeliver your storage container or move it to your next destination.