Quick answer
Movers won't move hazardous materials (propane, gasoline, paint, fireworks, ammunition, and household chemicals), perishable food, or pets, and most will not take live plants on a long-distance move. You should also carry cash, jewelry, medications, and important documents yourself.
In this guide
Why movers refuse certain items
It is not pickiness. A moving truck is a closed metal box that gets hot, shifts, and bounces for hours. Anything that can burn, leak, explode, or spoil puts your whole shipment, the crew, and everyone else on the road at risk. Federal hazardous materials rules also limit what a household goods carrier can legally haul, and state agricultural rules limit what can cross state lines.
Movers call the items they cannot take non-allowables. Every reputable mover has a list, and the lists look much the same from company to company.
Packing a banned item anyway can also affect your coverage if it damages the rest of the shipment, so ask your mover how that is handled. Request the non-allowables list when you ask for your quote, and read it before you start packing, not the night before the truck arrives.
Hazardous materials movers won't move
If the label says flammable, corrosive, or explosive, plan on it staying behind.
| Item | What to do with it |
|---|---|
| Propane tanks | Return or exchange the tank. The empty grill itself can usually go |
| Gasoline, kerosene, lighter fluid | Use it up or give it to a neighbor. Drain mowers and trimmers |
| Paint, stain, paint thinner | Give away usable cans or take them to a household hazardous waste site |
| Bleach, ammonia, pool chemicals | Use up, give away, or drop off at a hazardous waste site |
| Aerosol cans | Use up or dispose of them. They can burst in a hot truck |
| Fireworks and ammunition | Never pack these. Ask your local police or fire department about disposal |
| Car batteries, motor oil, antifreeze | Many auto supply stores and service stations accept these for recycling, so call ahead |
| Fertilizer, pesticides, weed killer | Give to a neighbor or take to a hazardous waste site |
| Nail polish remover, matches, charcoal | Use up or leave behind |
A rule of thumb for the hazardous materials movers cannot take: if you would not leave it in a parked car in July, do not put it in a box. That covers things people forget are flammable, such as nail polish, rubbing alcohol, lamp oil, and half-used cans of spray paint.
Most cities and counties run a household hazardous waste drop-off site or hold collection days. Call your local solid waste or public works department to find the nearest one, and go a few weeks before the move, because some sites are open only on certain days. Never pour fuel, paint, or chemicals down a drain or set them out with the regular trash.
Perishable food
Refrigerated and frozen food, open pantry items, and produce do not go on the truck. On a local move you can carry a cooler in your own car. On a long-distance move, start eating down the freezer and pantry about a month ahead, then donate unopened, shelf-stable food to a local food bank.
Empty, defrost, and dry the refrigerator at least 24 hours before the crew arrives so it does not leak or grow mold in transit.
Sealed, shelf-stable food is a judgment call. Unopened cans and boxes can usually ride along on a local move, but ask before you pack them for a long-distance one. Canned goods are heavy, and a long-distance price reflects how much you ship, so it often makes more sense to donate the pantry and restock when you arrive.
Plants
On a short local move, many movers will carry houseplants if you ask first. On a long-distance move, most will not. Plants rarely survive days in a dark truck with no climate control, and some states restrict which plants may be brought in to keep pests out.
Your options: move plants in your own car, give them to friends, or take cuttings of the ones you cannot part with.
If the plants are riding with you, water them two or three days before the move rather than that morning, so the pots are not dripping. Set them in open boxes so they cannot tip, and do not leave them in a closed car in summer heat or freezing cold. If you are crossing state lines, check the plant rules with the destination state's department of agriculture before you go.
Not sure whether something can go on the truck? Ask us when you request your quote.
Pets
No mover will transport a pet in the truck, including fish, reptiles, and birds. Pets travel with you. For a long drive or a flight, talk to your vet about what your animal needs, and keep food, water, a leash, and records in your own car.
Plan for moving day itself too. Doors stay propped open for hours while the crew loads, and a nervous dog or cat can slip out without anyone noticing. Keep pets in a closed room with a sign on the door, or have a friend or a boarding kennel take them for the day.
Valuables and irreplaceable items
Movers can physically carry these, but you should not hand them over. Keep them with you:
- Cash, checkbooks, and credit cards
- Jewelry and collectibles
- Passports, birth certificates, deeds, titles, and tax records
- Medications and medical devices
- Laptops, phones, hard drives, and chargers
- Family photos and keepsakes that cannot be replaced
- House keys and car keys
Pack these first, not last. Put them in one bag or box, mark it do not load, and lock it in your car or leave it with a neighbor before the crew arrives. On a busy loading day, anything left sitting in a room tends to end up on the truck.
This short list is the heart of what not to pack when moving. If losing it would cost you money you cannot recover, time you do not have, or something that cannot be replaced, it rides with you.
Items to ask your mover about first
Some things are movable but need notice so the crew brings the right people and equipment:
- Pianos, safes, and pool tables. Heavy and awkward. Tell your mover when you request the quote
- Grills. Fine without the propane tank, and cleaned of grease
- Lawn mowers and power tools. Drain the fuel and oil first
- Large appliances. Disconnect, drain, and dry them the day before
- Hot tubs and playsets. Often need disassembly and a separate plan
None of these is a problem when the mover knows ahead of time. They become a problem when the crew finds out at the door, without the extra hands, equipment, or time the job needs. Mention them when you request your quote so the price and the plan both account for them.
What to do with the items movers won't move
Work through the list in stages so nothing is left for the last night.
- Four weeks out: stop buying food, fuel, and cleaning supplies you will not finish. Start cooking from the freezer and pantry
- Two weeks out: take paint, chemicals, and old batteries to the hazardous waste site. Return the propane tank. Offer usable supplies to neighbors
- The last few days: drain the mower and trimmer, donate unopened food, and defrost the refrigerator
- The day before: put your do-not-load box, medications, and documents in your own car, and set up the room where pets will stay
If a crew is packing for you, point out anything that should stay behind before they start, so it does not get boxed with everything else. Our packing services include the boxes, paper, bubble wrap, and tape, and the crew can pack the whole house or only the fragile rooms.
Allpoints Moving Services is a family-owned, licensed and insured mover based in Metro Atlanta, in business since 1999. If you are not sure whether something can go on the truck, ask us. It is easier to sort out a month ahead than on the driveway.
Key takeaways
- If it can burn, leak, explode, or spoil, it stays off the truck
- Start using up food, fuel, and chemicals about a month before the move
- Plants and pets travel with you, especially on long-distance moves
- Carry cash, documents, medications, and keepsakes yourself
- Tell your mover early about pianos, safes, and anything unusually heavy
