Sports are America’s favorite pastime.  We watch them; cheer on our favorite teams and trash talk our rival ones, and love to play them.  When kids play sports, they’re active and away from time-sucking electronics.  They’re taught lifelong lessons about success, failure, and working with others.  To feed this love, parents purchase basketball hoops, trampolines, and all kinds of playground equipment.  However, when it comes to moving large sports equipment to your next home, unexpected challenges could appear.  How do you move these gargantuan items that seemed like suitable investments when bought? Should you bother taking them with you?

Decisions, Decisions – Should You Move Sports Equipment?

Before deciding what to take to your next place, decide if moving your sports equipment is worth the hassle.  Does your daughter shoot hoops when her homework is done? Are your kids too old for the jumbo swing set you installed before they were born? Although you may have spent top dollar on the rebounder net to make your son a baseball star, what if he no longer practices or participates in the sport anymore? Same with any other sports items including the exercise bicycle you pedaled to fit into your skinny jeans.  If your kids rarely jump on the trampoline which now collects leaves, maybe it’s time to give it away, sell it, or trash it.

One Person’s Trash… Where To Donate or Sell Sports Equipment

If you’re waving goodbye to your sports equipment, several options are available.  Post an ad on Craigslist or your local Facebook swap or online garage sale group.  Ask friends, neighbors, and family if they want the item before you move.  Offer Goodwill or another charity like Purple Heart your gently used equipment.  Also, take advantage of consignment stores like Play It Again Sports which accept sports equipment in decent condition for sale or trade.  If your soccer net has endured too many elements and too many kicks, place it in the trash.  Find out if your township, though, has special collection days and/or rules for what garbage is allowed out.

How To Take It to Storage

What if you do have a burgeoning soccer star or swear by your elliptical to burn calories? You’re in luck.  Storage options abound now even if you’re nowhere close to moving or need extra space to temporarily house your fleet of bicycles.  Renting a storage space, available through FlatRate, has never been easier in the short- or long-term.  Store your sports equipment until you’re settled or if your new place doesn’t provide enough space.  Just contact FlatRate’s storage specialists who can guide you in selecting the best storage option for your stuff.

Nothing But Net

Even though moving large sports equipment appears daunting, it can be done.  With any sports gear, clean the items before they’re packed.  Anything with netting like soccer goals should be removed prior to packing.  If you’re bringing your playground set, you can disassemble and re-erect it in your new backyard, or playground relocation services exist for hire.  When moving bicycles remove the front wheels and pack them separately from the frame.  Local bike shops can pack your bike for a fee.  Remember to clean out sandboxes before moving them.  Do not forget to remove weights from weight machines to ensure minimal damage. How did you transport your sports equipment when you moved?

Talk to FlatRate Moving today, to ensure your sports equipment remains intact and safe during your move.