Moving can be a frustrating, even heartbreaking chore. You are leaving a familiar area, friends and maybe even parts of your family. Sometimes there will be a number of your belongings that will not be able to make a move with you. Whether or not you take your houseplants with you on a cross-country move can be one of the most difficult of these decisions especially if you have nurtured and loved them for a long time.
Assessing the Plants Themselves
There are several things that you should consider before you pack up a plant:
- Its general health
- The overall size and weight of the plant
- They type of plant that you have and the location that you are heading
- How much room you will have in the new place
Use a clinical eye here trying to keep raw emotion out of it. Sure, you like that ficus tree but can’t you get a new one later after you are more settled?
Struggling Plants Will Not Make it
A struggling plant is not going to make a cross-country journey. Just as you wouldn’t want to try to bring a sick pet for an uncomfortable trip, your plants would probably prefer not being jostled in the back of a cramped car or a dark van. Signs of an ill, struggling plant:
- Parasites of any kind
- Drooping, discolored leaves or leaves that are falling off
- Bent or weak stems
It makes no sense to try to bring a dying plant to a new home. Either give it to a friend that can maybe nurse it back to health or just let it go.
Giant Plants can Mean Giant Moving Bills
If you have hired a professional mover you may need to pare down some of the items that are being moved especially if you are paying by the pound. The bigger a plant is, the heavier it gets especially if it is in a heavy pot. Once you have to put a plant on wheels to move it from place to place inside of your home, consider it a “giant.”
Never Take a Cactus to Alaska
Considering the location you are moving versus where you are coming from can also help. Will you sun-loving houseplants enjoy moving to Seattle? Can you imagine your moisture lover being okay in Arizona?
The more extreme the temperature and environment change the more likely the move will shock and possibly kill your plant.
Downsizing Means Not Everything Can Come
Many people move across country to be nearer to loved ones or to change jobs. If your new home is going to be considerably smaller than where you currently live, it is important that you don’t take too much and overwhelm yourself right off the bat. Houseplants can be replaced once you are settled, and you decide that you have the room to do so.
