28 Items You Cannot Put on the Moving Truck

Did you know there are items you legally cannot put on a moving truck? So, what should you avoid packing? What will the movers refuse to pack?
Moving companies ban some things from being packaged and shipped due to safety concerns. Suppose an item poses a risk to an employee or belongings. In that case, it is on the list of prohibited items. Side note: In the past, some moving companies have packed everything from our home, even things on the banned list. I don’t know if they were worried about potential risk or if those items were accidentally overlooked when packing. But I recommend getting rid of these items so you are not stuck trying to dispose of them on moving day.
Nothing is more stressful than finding a way to dispose of chemical items when you should be focusing on your move. In the past, rather than throwing away things, I have given them to close friends to use.
One perk of packing and transferring your items without a moving company is having control over what gets packed and what doesn’t. With an independent move, there is no regulation of prohibited items. But, it is still essential to safely transfer things that could cause you injury or damage to your goods. The way I see it, I would instead donate my cleaning supplies to a friend than risk those products spilling on my valuables.
What can you do with items that are prohibited?
- Give products to close friends, family, or neighbors
- Donate items to a church, local charity, or your BuyNothing Group
- Use them up before the move
- Return to the store if unused, and you still have a receipt

Prohibited Items- Items you cannot put on a moving truck:
- Aerosol cans
- Ammonia
- Ammunition
- Car batteries
- Charcoal/lighter fluid
- Charged scuba tanks
- Chemistry sets
- Cleaning solvents
- Darkroom chemicals
- Fertilizer
- Fire extinguishers
- Fireworks
- Fuels/oils
- Household batteries
- Kerosene
- Liquid bleach
- Loaded guns
- Matches
- Nail polish/remover
- Paint thinners
- Paints/varnishes
- Pesticides
- Poisons
- Pool chemicals
- Propane tanks
- Rubbing alcohol
- Sterno fuel
- Weed killer

Remember, you don’t want to deal with trying to get rid of dangerous chemicals at the last minute on moving day. So, plan to get rid of these items before moving day. I recommend donating them to local friends, family, or other donation groups in your local community. Do not dump them illegally or pour them down the drain, as this can contaminate the water in your area. Please dispose of them properly.

