Moving Companies’ Restricted Items

You’ve done your due diligence with planning and scheduling your upcoming move, and now you’re ready to begin packing. But before you start wrapping and boxing your belongings, you should make sure you understand what items are allowed or restricted.

Moving companies that are dedicated to ensuring a seamless move experience — like Mayflower — will provide you with an important checklist of items movers will not move. Keep in mind that moving companies’ restricted items may vary from mover to mover, so it’s a good idea to strategize about what to do with those items before you begin to pack.

These items are likely to be found in your garage or with your household cleaning supplies, while others may be scattered throughout your house. Some items may seem obvious like gasoline and loaded guns, but others are not so blatant, such as wax candles and indoor plants.

Many people are surprised to find out that a smart move experience begins with the packing phase — and oftentimes, that’s with you — the customer. That’s why we’ve put together this list of Mayflower’s restricted items to ensure your packing process is efficient and hassle-free.

Mayflower encourages you to read the information below prior to packing so that you can separate these prohibited items from the rest of your belongings. If you have questions about a particular item, please reach out to your Mayflower move coordinator for clarification.

Prohibited Items

Mayflower will not transport hazardous items, including explosives, flammable gases and toxic substances. Keep in mind that these hazardous items must be disposed of properly to comply with federal, state and local laws and to protect the environment. Contact your city or county for where to dispose of these items.

The following items cannot be included in your shipment(*).

• Batteries,  alkaline and lead-acid  (automobile)
• Household cleaning products
• Corrosive chemicals or poisons
• Lawn and garden chemicals
• Flammables and explosives
• Live animals or plants
• Gas and oil products
• Compressed gas cylinders
• Wax candles
• Illegal items or substances
• Ammunition including gunpowder
• Other items may be prohibited at Mayflower’s discretion.

Moving Tip: You may find you no longer need these materials or consider replacing these items once you’ve moved into your new house.

(*) See Mayflower’s tariff for additional information

Restricted Items

These following items may be included in your shipment after thorough preparation and prior written notice to your move coordinator. Please be aware that you include these items at your own risk. Claims for loss or damage resulting from shipping these items, even if prepared properly, may be denied.

• Batteries powering personal mobility devices
• Cordless power tools
• Scuba tanks
• Firearms (unloaded)
• Clean gasoline cans and other fuel storage
• Alcoholic  beverages

Moving Tip: Research the average high and low temperatures during the season your possessions will be transported. You may wish to exclude any items that could be adversely affected by humidity, heat or cold.

Moving Personal or Sentimental Items

Lastly, Mayflower recommends that you keep sentimental or personally important items with you
at all times during the move. These are things that you’ll either need with you or that can’t be replaced because of their intense emotional connection or level of personal importance. Valuables in this category may include, but are not limited to:

• Wedding and other photo albums
• Jewelry and precious metals
• Heirlooms
• Children’s artwork
• Passports and official IDs
• Medications including prescriptions
• House and car keys
• Mobile phones
• Title documents
• Professional files
• Checkbooks, credit cards, and financial records
• Insurance policies
• School records
• Eyeglasses or contacts
• Personal records
• Small electronics and chargers
• Bed linens and towels
• Toothbrushes, shampoo and toilet paper
• Household cleaning products
• Paper towels and trash bags
• Small hand tools

Moving Tip: To save yourself the trouble of digging through boxes to find items you will want immediately, we recommend putting together a few boxes of essentials that should travel with you. Learn more about the First Night Box.

For more helpful articles, videos, our blog and checklists, visit our moving tips page.