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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!

Over 10% of all Americans move every year. That’s over 35 million people thinking, “Should I hire movers or handle the move myself?”

There are pros and cons to both choices, but it primarily boils down to three things — time, money, and the amount of work.

Let’s look at what you should consider when debating whether to move your household yourself.

What to Consider When Moving

There are several things to think about when deciding which route to take for a move. The amount of stuff being moved is a big one. There’s a big difference between moving a couple of pieces of furniture and a few boxes versus a house full of possessions.

Time is another critical factor. Do you have time to pack and move everything yourself or are you on a tight timeline?

The distance of your move is also a consideration. Moving from coast-to-coast is a much more significant undertaking than moving a few blocks across town.

When You Should Move Yourself

Moving your household yourself has several advantages over hiring movers:

• Lower cost
• Pack how you want
• Move as fast or slow as you want

It has its share of disadvantages too:

• You have to do the heavy lifting
• It’s up to you to do all the planning
• Problems are your responsibility

When you move yourself, you have total control over the process. If you’re not under any time pressure, you can move at your own pace. You can pack however you like; there’s nobody giving you any direction about what goes where or how to pack your boxes.

The lower cost is what convinces most people to choose this option. Yes, you can probably save some money by moving yourself, but there can be hidden costs that you should consider as well.

When It’s Best to Hire Movers

While you might pay more for hired movers than doing it yourself, the difference might not be as much as you think. When you handle the move yourself, you need to supply all your own packing materials, which likely cost money. And you’ll need a vehicle to transport your belongings.

If you’re only moving a few things over a short distance, your friend’s pickup truck might work. But if you’ve got a house full of furniture, you’re going to need a bigger vehicle, which you’ll likely end up renting. Assuming you’re even able to drive a larger truck, that’s going to eat up a fair bit of your budget by doing it yourself.

Several other advantages of hiring a moving company include:

• They do all the heavy lifting
• They’re experts, so it’s efficient
• Their experience helps when unexpected problems arise
• It’s less stressful for you
• They’ll carry insurance

DIY or Not – The Bottom Line

So, what is the best way to move? If you’ve got a few things to move over a short distance, consider handling the move yourself. But if you’ve got many things or you’re moving a significant distance, it’s worth hiring a mover.

Choosing a good moving company is the key. Do a bit of research before making your choice. Check with the local Better Business Bureau for complaints. Find some reviews online. Spend a little time checking them out before deciding.

Browning Moving & Storage will provide a customized, cost-effective move. Check out what our customers have to say about us.

Moving is a time of excitement, but it can also be a time of apprehension.

Deciding to move is difficult, but once you’ve decided, you will want to do everything possible to make the transition smooth.

There are a few ways you can make your family’s move seamless. Eliminate the stress with these tips so that you can focus on enjoying a positive new experience with your family.

1. Share the News Gently

It is essential to tell the family about the move as early on as possible so that they have time to adjust to the idea of moving.

Although this might be a hard discussion to have with kids of any age, putting it off will only make it more difficult.

Tell them in a comfortable home setting and not a public place. This will allow them to express their true feelings about the news.

2. Spark Excitement

Get the family excited about the move. Generating excitement is especially important if the kids did not take the news about moving well when you told them.

Share positive information about your new location, so that the family will start feeling excited about relocating.

Provide books, stories, or movies to your kids about moving. Children process their emotions better with a narrative that helps them understand and gives them something to relate to.

If possible, let them share in the house hunt. Visit your new home before the move, and acquaint your kids to the new neighborhood and their new school. Stop at local parks and let them get out and experience their new area.

3. Start Planning the New Home

Once you know where you will be living, let the kids plan out their new space.

They’ll feel excited and take ownership if they know what their room will look like and if they can start to imagine how they will set it up.

Discuss paint colors, decorations, new furniture, or other unique ways to personalize their new room. Your new house will feel like home for the whole family much faster.

4. Make Packing Fun

Get the children involved in the packing process, so they’ll feel included in the big family move and feel like they have a bit of control.

Turn the packing process into a creative activity instead of a chore, and it will be more fun for all. Let your kids decorate some of their moving boxes with stickers, markers, or crayons.

If you have young children, pack up their rooms as close to moving day as possible. Perhaps even provide a couple of boxes for them to just play with will help keep them entertained.

5. Dedicate a Box of Essentials for Everyone

Make sure to pack a small essentials box for each family member, so there is not a frantic search through boxes for important items upon arrival.

The essentials boxes contain the things each person needs for the trip and the first few days in the new home. Essential items include things like a change of clothes, medicines, toiletries, and chargers.

Boxes for young children might include toys, games, and books as well as comfort and entertainment items.

6. Maintain Routine

Moving creates disruptions in routines. Try to re-establish your family’s routine as soon as possible in the new home. The sooner you can resume your regular schedules, the better.

Resume your regular mealtimes, bedtimes, and activity times that the family had at your old home. Provide both necessary routines as well as fun ones. For instance, if your family had popcorn and movie night once a week, continue that tradition as soon as you are settled.

Getting back into the swing of the old routine will provide comfort and security for everyone.

Getting Settled With Less Stress

These steps will help make your family move less stressful. Try to make it a team effort and find ways to make it a fun process.

Make your move even easier – give us a call. Browning Moving & Storage can help you handle your move so you can focus on your family.