Advice from our moving experts to make your next move smoother, safer, and less stressful.
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Published on May 3, 2019
•5 min read
By Murphy Jackson,Guest Author
Moving to a new home is the start of a new adventure, but it can have plenty of stressful moments. Finding a new place is just the first step. You also have to go through your things and decide what you’re taking with you, pack it all up, move it, and then unpack and try to make the new place feel like home.
Along with the stress of packing your life into boxes, moving can get expensive if you aren’t careful. Luckily, there is one area where you can save a ton of money: your packing materials.
In this guide, we’re going to show you how to get cheap moving boxes to make the whole process easier and budget-friendly. Plus, most of these options are more sustainable. Let’s get started.
After people move, they want to pass their boxes onto someone else instead of piling them into their recycling bins. You can usually find free or cheap moving boxes on secondhand markets like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.
It’s also likely that you have a Facebook friend who recently moved, so posting a status asking for gently-used boxes is another way to track them down. If you are in a neighborhood Facebook group or use the Next Door app, you can ask for boxes from your neighbors so that you don’t have to go too far to get them.
If you live in an apartment, you can also look in your building’s recycling center. People recycle cardboard boxes every week, so you may as well get more life out of them. If you don’t live in an apartment building, you can check out the local recycling center for your suburb.
Grocery stores and liquor stores are also overrun with boxes from their inventory deliveries that they usually give away for free. Plus, you can find great boxes with cardboard separators that liquor bottles were packed in and use them for your glasses.
All you have to do is ask an employee if you can take some off their hands. Some liquor stores even put them out front to encourage customers to take them.
If you need large boxes for oversized items, check with your local furniture store.
Lastly, do you work in an office that receives a bunch of shipments? Ask your supervisor if you can grab some boxes from the recycling room.
With all of these options to reuse boxes, there’s no need to overspend on moving boxes ever again.
As you collect boxes, try to gather a variety of sizes. You need small and medium boxes for heavier items, like dishes and books, and big boxes for light items like sheets and pillows.
If you’re reusing boxes from a previous move, keep in mind that they may be weakened. Always put them together and check their structural integrity before you start packing your valuables into them.
You also need to make sure you have enough strong packing tape for reinforcement. Using a tape gun will make the packing process go faster, and you can find tape in bulk online or at stores like Costco.
Another thing to keep in mind with secondhand moving boxes is that they can potentially carry pests. Before you bring them into your home, make sure you inspect every box for termites, bed bugs, and roaches.
As long as you find clean and sturdy boxes, reusing boxes is a great eco-friendly choice that will save you money on moving materials.
If you want to make your move as eco-friendly as possible and save yourself time running around town finding used boxes, check out EcoBoxes. At Muscleman Elite in Midland & Odessa, TX, we can provide all of our clients with EcoBoxes as part of their moving package.
EcoBoxes are sturdy plastic boxes that can be used over and over again without wearing down like cardboard. When a client adds EcoBoxes to their moving day package, we rent them out and pick them up when they’re done using them.
You don’t have to be burdened with flattened cardboard boxes taking up space in your home as you unpack. EcoBoxes are easy to stack and keep out of the way until we come to collect them. Since we clear them out for you, you can feel settled in your new space faster.
Along with EcoBoxes, we also offer regular cardboard boxes, packing paper, tape, bubble wrap, and all the other moving supplies you need. Our team can expertly estimate the number of moving materials you will need so that you aren’t overrun with extra boxes.
Do you want to handle the small things and want us to pack the bigger items? We can also do partial packing. We’ll even unpack for you at your new home.
EcoBoxes are the ultimate green moving choice, and they save you money. Since they are extra sturdy, you don’t have to worry about their durability during the move. You can rest assured that all of your prized possessions will make it safely to your new home.
If you’re about to move to the Midland & Odessa, TX, Muscleman Elite can help you. We’re a full-service moving company that can handle the entire process or just step in to do the heavy lifting.
Plus, we offer great cheap moving boxes so that your move doesn’t cost a fortune. Our EcoBoxes are great for your wallet, your things, and the planet.
If you’re ready to book your move with Muscleman Elite, contact us today to get a quote.