Moving can be a significant expense, and, while donating unwanted items to lighten your load can help reduce costs, the many essentials you need for a successful move can add up.
An average household move requires approximately 100 boxes. One way to cut costs is to supplement your box supply will free ones.
Wondering where to get free boxes before the move? Check out these seven places where you’ll find them!
1. Supermarkets
On your hunt for where to get free boxes, supermarkets should be your first stop. They receive daily shipments that come in boxes of all different shapes and sizes so you’ll be spoiled for choice.
Call ahead and ask one of the managers to put some aside for you. Washing detergent boxes are among the sturdiest they’ll have. And potato chips come in huge boxes that are perfect for large but light items like pillows and cushions.
2. Nextdoor
An ideal place to secure moving boxes is through Nextdoor, an online app that allows neighborhoods to create private social networks. This community platform is a free network for your area and surrounding community.
Nextdoor includes a “classifieds” section, which is often used for posting giveaway items – including moving boxes. The chances are that people in your neighborhood have extra boxes they want to pass along.
3. Craigslist
With one of the biggest free sections online, Craigslist is a great choice when it comes to finding moving boxes.
But, since most people move on the weekend, you’ll have less competition if you search their free section for moving and storage boxes on Mondays and Tuesdays.
4. Liquor Stores
The boxes at liquor stores are great for moving since they are durable enough to carry glass bottles. As such, they’re great for transporting collections of DVDs, books, and CDs. Find out when your local liquor store gets their shipments and ask them to hold some for you.
5. Homeware Stores
Homeware stores are an ideal choice for moving boxes since they receive regular shipments of the same kinds of items you’ll be transporting.
Lamps, wall art, and kitchen supplies all come in large boxes that also have to be sturdy enough for their heavy contents. And, you might even get lucky and score some boxes from a shipment of plates, making the challenge of packing dishes a lot easier.
6. Freecycle
This online forum is a great place to find extra boxes from people who’ve recently moved.
All you need to do is create a post requesting ‘free moving boxes near me’ and specify how many you need. The Freecycle community cares about making use of unwanted items, so you’re sure to get lots of responses from people more than willing to pass on their boxes to you.
7. Bookstores
Books are heavy so the boxes that they’re shipped in need to be strong, making them ideal for fragile items, as well as your own collection of books.
But bear in mind that the bookstores in smaller towns may only receive shipments once or twice a week. As such, it’s best to call ahead a week or two before the move, so they have enough time to some aside for you.
Where to Find Free Moving Boxes
As this list shows, there are plenty of different places to find free moving boxes.
And, since you’ll be saving people from having to recycle the boxes themselves, they’re often more than happy to pass them onto you. For more information about making your move as smooth as possible, contact us today!