topic Re: Moving Boxes in Home

Moving Boxes

queendiva — Mon, 07 May 2018 13:54:10 GMT

Just decided yesterday that I am going to list my house for sale later this month. It has been almost 12 years since I last moved.

Any suggestions on where to score free or low-cost moving boxes would be greatly appreciated!

I do not know anyone locally who will be moving soon- part of why I decided to list. Mostly a seller's market right now. Last move I got boxes from someone who was finished with theirs.

Re: Moving Boxes

patbz — Mon, 07 May 2018 13:58:29 GMT

Ask your realtor to help book you up (from another client) or Home Depot sells new ones for less than some other places.

Re: Moving Boxes

pommom — Mon, 07 May 2018 14:00:32 GMT

Ask your local library to save you their boxes. They are the sturdiest ever - far exceed what you buy in the stores. I used them for 2 long-distance moves and they held up great. Used them twice and they still held up after second move.

Re: Moving Boxes

Laura14 — Mon, 07 May 2018 14:04:55 GMT

The local supermarket or any other restaurant will gladly give you the boxes they get in most days or on delivery days. You'll save them the effort of breaking them down. Any business that is constantly getting deliveries to stock their shelves or operate will be happy to donate.

You may even be able to just stalk their dumpster and load your car right up. But if they break them down which most recycling or waste companies require, you may want to just ask inside and they'll stack them for you for pick up.

Re: Moving Boxes

StephfromIdaho — Mon, 07 May 2018 14:06:03 GMT

Uhaul sells used boxes for $1. Start collecting now so you’ll have enough

Re: Moving Boxes

Elom — Mon, 07 May 2018 14:14:54 GMT

Lowes.....when packing always put contents list on top of box ,for which room, and what priority in unpacking. Lowes has bubble wrap or packs of paper. Don’t skimp on packing it is key. I have moved many times.

Re: Moving Boxes

gizmogal — Mon, 07 May 2018 14:32:07 GMT

Liquor stores get their bottle inventory in very sturdy corrugated boxes. They are also a good size for packing dishes and other breakables. A Liquor merchant will gladly give you empty boxes they happen to have on hand.

Strong advice: if you find a good resource for used boxes from a liquor store, library, grocery, etc., do not ask them them to “save” boxes for you. Agree and make it clear you will come to take any available boxes on Monday or Thursday, etc, or every other day and then keep your commitment. Try to avoid box retrieval from retailers on weekends when they have customers to see to.

These places are not in the used box business. They do not want to hold the boxes for you and then gIve them over in a handy batch just for you. They want to get rid of them and they will give empty boxes to the first one who comes along to get them or who regularly and reliably takes them away so the merchant doesn’t have to prepare the boxes for disposal.

If you show up and take what they have, you get them. Make some sort of collecting schedule for yourself and they’ll be happy to donate boxes if they have any. Be glad if you get them, just say “thanks anyway” if there is no box from them at that moment. In another couple of days, try that place again.

Good luck selling the house and with your plans for moving. Box collecting will be the easy part!

Re: Moving Boxes

TaylorBrown — Mon, 07 May 2018 14:24:06 GMT

Check with grocery stores. They get really big boxes with cereal and paper towels, bathroom tissue, etc.

Re: Moving Boxes

ptagirl — Mon, 07 May 2018 15:02:48 GMT

Talk to your local grocery or convenience store manager.. I did that when I was planning a move...They reported when they get their deliveries and when they break all the boxes down.

I would show up at a certain time on their delivery day before they broke them down. There were usually several boxes of different sizes and weights...so worked out great.

If they do break them down, they will already be put in the crusher or banded for recycling and they won't be accessible to you...so make sure you get there before they break them down.. I can't tell you how many trips I made to the local grocery store...

I also ended up using a moving company ( I had packed most everything myself) , where I purchased the boxes for the mattresses/box springs/ clothes to hang...I didn't think those were too expensive, either...

As I packed each room, I listed everything on the outside of the box, numbered the box, color coded and wrote what room to unpack the box (i.e. Blue for bedroom #1,Yellow for bedroom #2, Green for living room, etc.) ..this made unpacking quick and easy and the boxes were already in the room to unpack.....

I also made a journal with each room listed, each numbered box listed and what was in each box...then I also had a place to put my moving contracts, etc...this worked out great if I needed to retreive something, then I knew exactly which box it was in and where to re-pack it.

I know it seems like a lot of work, but it worked out for me... much easier than everything just thrown into a box and not knowing what,where. etc....

Re: Moving Boxes

Nevadablue — Mon, 07 May 2018 15:08:30 GMT

Most of mine came from walmart, I would stalk the aisles and find the people stocking shelves and they would gladly give as many as wanted usually they was already flattened out. Hubby used to laugh at me because I felt when I scored boxes it was my lucky day. Start early cause you never have enough, if you belong to costco the apple boxes with handles at each end are very sturdy for your heavy things, (can goods, paints etc)

Re: Moving Boxes

chrystaltree — Mon, 07 May 2018 16:20:28 GMT

We bought our boxes from Uhaul. Strong, durable and they only cost $1.00...I think.

Re: Moving Boxes

queendiva — Mon, 07 May 2018 16:40:01 GMT

Thanks! Great suggestions- keep 'em coming!

So far today I asked my police officer friend for any sources for boxes he may find and picked up just a couple of boxes from my small grocery store. They never break down their boxes- always leave them by the exit door just for such uses.

I will definitely check out U-Haul for used boxes at $1.00 each.Some of my things will go into storage as I plan to downsize and eventually move to a neighboring state. Will have an estate-type sale before closing and will sell most of my furniture and home goods.

I do need boxes now, especially for clothes, shoes and things that must be stored off site prior to selling.

Re: Moving Boxes

ccassaday — Mon, 07 May 2018 17:07:35 GMT

We got ours at uhaul. If you end up not using some and you leave them flat and dont put them together you can return unused ones.

Re: Moving Boxes

151949 — Mon, 07 May 2018 17:22:24 GMT

Everything you may need for packing and moving is available at Lowes or Home Depot very reasonable prices.

Re: Moving Boxes

on the bay — Mon, 07 May 2018 17:54:35 GMT

@queendiva-

a liquor store! Good clean boxes with separators (that you can also remove).

The only thing is most of them are not too large.

You can ask when they have empty ones to pick up

Re: Moving Boxes

RedTop — Mon, 07 May 2018 18:08:58 GMT

Contact the purchasing department of your local hospital; they have boxes of every size.

I think the best boxes are the ones reams of printer paper are shipped in; very sturdy with nice solid lids.

Re: Moving Boxes

amyb — Mon, 07 May 2018 18:18:51 GMT

Go to any small retail boutique in your area, clothing store...(I work for one) they open boxes of clothing almost daily and have tons of cardboard boxes big and small to discard. If you are near stores like this, that'd be your best (free) bet!

If you are not near any gift or clothing boutiques...grocery stores can usually supply some...but the fact that often it's "food" or produce that were in the boxes can make some of them not so clean.

Re: Moving Boxes

Mom2Dogs — Mon, 07 May 2018 20:31:46 GMT

@queendiva. dH and I own a business, we get in a lot of nice sized boxes. Some we use to deliver work in others are recycled. Stop into a business and ask...we would gladly give our boxes to someone that asked.

We also purchase boxes...to deliver printed materials.....if we had enough inventory we would sell the ones we pay for. FYI we have a printing business.

Re: Moving Boxes

queendiva — Mon, 07 May 2018 21:05:26 GMT

@Mom2Dogs: Thanks for the great suggestion! I will ask tomorrow at a local printing business.

Re: Moving Boxes

Sage04 — Mon, 07 May 2018 21:41:41 GMT

UHall. Just moved and got all my boxes from them. Also get the wrapping paper that comes in a box, it´s better than newspaper. For my clothes, I left them on hangers, and put a few in big garbage bags, slip the bottom ot the bag and feed the hangers through. Itś better than buying the garment boxes, then once you get to your new home all you have to do is take them out of the garbage bags and hang them in your closet. Then put a piece of tape and close up the slip and use the garbage bags for whatever you want.