Moving Tips: Non-Transportable Items

You must know which items are non-transportable during a move. Non-transportable items can include anything from hazardous chemicals to jewelry and important documents. Irreplaceable items such as family photos are also non-transportable. Before packing your belongings, be sure to set aside the non-transportable items so that they are not included with the shipment.

To assist you with this process, we have comprised a list of non-transportable items that you should not pack with the rest of your belongings. As you go through the list, you can decide how to handle these non-transportable items, whether you want to discard them or transport them yourself.

By federal law or internal policy, the following items are those deemed non-transportable by professional moving companies:

1. Hazardous materials are non-transportable items. Hazardous materials can include, but are not limited to, explosives, compressed gases, flammable liquids and solids, oxidizers, poisons, corrosives and radioactive materials.
   Common examples of hazardous materials include:
   • Gasoline
   • Propane Cylinders
   • Paints and Paint Thinners
   • Lighter fluid
   • Nail Polish Remover
   • Fireworks
   • Oxygen Bottles
   • Automotive Repair and Maintenance Chemicals and Solvents
   • Radio-Pharmaceuticals
   • Matches
2. Miscellaneous items that are non-transportable include:
   • Firearms
   • Perishable Food and Food Stored in Glass Jars and Containers
   • Prescription Drugs (specifically, those that may be needed immediately and should be within reach)
3. Personal or Irreplaceable Belongings. Bring these items with you in your car or carry them on your persons during the move.
   • Cash
   • Collections (stamp collections, coin collections, cards, etc.)
   • Family Photos
   • Important Personal Papers (i.e., deeds, wills, passport, birth certificates, etc.)
   • Negotiable Papers (i.e., bonds, stocks, certificates)
   • Jewelry
   • Moving Documents (bill of lading, rights and responsibilities, etc.)

Before packing up your home, separate these non-transportable items from the rest of your household goods to be packed. Not only are these items dangerous to your movers and their safety, but they are also items that are easily purchased at your new location. For those high-value or personal items, these often cannot be replaced at all, so it's important to keep these items with you. Use Allied's tips on non-transportable items and benefit from a safe, more organized move.