Finding moving boxes doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. We found out where to get moving boxes without busting your whole moving budget!
Looking for even more tips for your move? Check this out!
Wondering where to get moving boxes? We found options!
Many people who are moving find that moving boxes are one of the most expensive parts of their move. This is madness! For many people, it’s a cost they didn’t expect. Moving boxes either end up in the trash or at your local recycling center (or getting repurposed as forts). You don’t have to spend a fortune on moving boxes, though. If you’re wondering where to get moving boxes for free or cheap, read on!
1. Check online for free moving boxes.
Places like Facebook Marketplace, FreeCycle and Craigslist might all have listings with free moving boxes. Marketplace is a great place to start when you’re looking for moving boxes because you can actually see someone’s profile to find out exactly where they are! If you’re using Craigslist, you might want to check your local area or even a nearby metropolitan area for a bigger selection of people giving away their boxes. Use these tips from CNN to make your online meet ups as safe as possible!
2. Talk with a local office supply store.
Each week, office supply stores get in tons of boxes with different shipments. Most of these boxes ship dry goods so you won’t have to worry about whether the boxes will have sticky or greasy food residue in them. Most office supply stores recycle their boxes behind their building, but always ask before you take boxes! The easiest way to figure out where to get moving boxes is just by asking!
Runners up: shoe stores, pet supply stores, dollar stores.
3. Can’t figure out where to get moving boxes? Visit a local hospital.
Surprisingly, hospitals are a great place to get boxes. Many of the medical supplies come in boxes. These boxes never touch a sick person or medicine. In fact, many of them are cleaner than boxes you’d find at a typical store because hospitals have high standards for what comes into their doors. The easiest way to find out where to get moving boxes from a hospital is contact their environmental services (janitorial) department or their supply chain department!
4. Try the liquor store for free moving boxes.
This tried and true trick is great if you live in an area that has a liquor store or a lot of liquor stores. The boxes are small enough that most people can carry them and they’re heavy because they have to hold multiple bottles of liquor or wine. You can fill them up with heavy items and many of them are around the same size so they’re easy to fit into a trailer or truck. The best day to get these boxes is on the day after the store gets in a shipment. Call them up to find out when they have boxes available. In some very busy areas, you might have to wait in line for boxes.
5. Fast food boxes make great packing boxes (seriously).
Places like McDonald’s and Starbucks receive shipments everyday. While many of these shipments include food items that can be somewhat gross, there are also other supplies they receive. Straw, napkin and even frozen food boxes all make great packing materials. They are strong, fold up easily and are free. Next time you’re at your favorite fast food place, just talk to one of the managers about putting back some supply boxes for you or frozen food boxes. They might even have some already broken down just waiting to be recycled.
6. U Haul’s box exchange message boards are great for finding free boxes.
When you’re thinking about where to get moving boxes for free, the last place you’re probably going to think is a moving supply store. But, places like Uhaul might have what you’re looking for. In fact, U Haul offers an exchange message board for their customers. There, you can connect with other people in your area to see if they’re giving away their U Haul boxes after a move. It’s a great way to get high-quality boxes that are actually intended for moving. This is also a great tip to make your move a little more green. The biggest downside to this tip is it can be tricky to find boxes if you live in a small town or rural area.
Can’t find where to get moving boxes free? Try amazon for cheap boxes!
If you cannot figure out where to get moving boxes for free, there are still ways you can get them for cheap! As long as you have a few days to get them shipped to you, Amazon is one of the best choices for cheap boxes. These boxes might even be the same quality as what you’d pay for at a moving supply store or a hardware store!
