Home moving services by bicycle: an eco-friendly solution!

Increasingly popular and environmentally sound, home moving services by bicycle are an eco-friendly solution for your local moving needs. Here's why.

Biking is healthy, quiet and very cost-effective. It's a safe and easy way to get around town. Bicycling is also eco-friendly and easy on the air we breathe. Equipped with a trailer, moving by bike is the simplest and most efficient means of transport possible: every turn of the pedals is an investment rather than an expense.

Foresee about $40 per hour to book a mover and a trailer; $60 for two hours, and $80 for three hours. Depending on the company, if you only have a few pieces to move, you can benefit from a discount.

Because this type of moving is more hands-on than if you hired traditional movers, there are some things to consider to ensure your belongings arrive in one piece.

• Your physical capacity to carry your own appliances.
• Hydraulic disc brakes are critical to controlling the speed when coasting down an incline with a fully-loaded trailer. Make sure the brakes on the bike doing the towing are in prime condition.
• Have tarps on hand in case of rain. Any electronics or wooden furniture can easily get ruined in a downpour.
• Know the maximum load a bike trailer can transport. It's about three cubic meters (100 cubic feet) at a time. In terms of weight, bike trailers have a capacity of about 300 kg (or 600 pounds). Don't overload the trailer. It could break, tip, or be potentially dangerous if overburdened past its limit.
• Bike moving services are usually available from March to December, depending on the province you live in.

• Price: medium range
• Wrapped furniture: must be meticulously packed
• Volume capacity: small to medium
• Territory: local only
• Mileage: 10 kilometres or more
• Problems with parking: never an issue
• Greenhouse gas emissions: none

• Get rid of all the items and belongings you don’t need before the big move, not after.
• Do not overstuff boxes. Fill the bottom half with heavy objects, like books, and then top it off with light objects.
• Use towels and sweaters to pad and protect fragile items, like dishes. You'll save even more money and space.
• Dismantle all fragile furniture, beds, mirrors and modular furniture.
• Carry your most fragile belongings yourself, such as mirrors, glassware, tables, lamps and plants.
• Empty out your drawers, unless their contents are lightweight and durable (not fragile).
• Empty out the drawers of the stove, refrigerator and freezer. Unplug the washer and dryer.
• Make sure stairways and hallways are cleared and safe.
• Take your front door off its hinges if it hinders the passage of your largest items.
• If applicable, you can ask the building manager to reserve and lock the elevator for you.

While home moving services by bicycle aren't for everyone, the advantages this eco-friendly solution offers are exceptional, especially if you're environmentally conscious. Plus, after the move is done, you'll have an interesting and exciting story to share with friends about the day you moved by bike!