Moving to a new place can be a tiresome process. You also have to be fully prepared and very organized to make sure all your belongings are packed away safely. Moving boxes are a convenient and useful solution to help you through the move.
And while you can buy shipping and packing boxes, why incur the unnecessary cost? Want to know where to get moving boxes for free? Keep reading!
Do You Get Moving Boxes For Free?
Yes, you can get moving boxes for free by reaching out to the correct people and visiting places that most likely would have packages they can spare.
A proactive approach can help you get multiple boxes from different resources. Make sure that you consider your moving plans and timeframe so that you get ample time to secure these free boxes. Of course, if you’re going to work with a professional moving company, you won’t have to worry about this too much.
10 Places Where You Can Get Moving Boxes For Free In Your Neighborhood
#1. Social Media
Social media can be a powerful tool when used right. It’s a great place to connect with people and exchange products and services.
You can write a post on Facebook groups and communities or your Instagram or Twitter account and ask for spare moving boxes. Your immediate friends may not have spare moving boxes, but they can share your post or tag someone they know who may have boxes to give.
#2. U-Haul Box Exchange
U-Haul offers a helpful service called the U-Haul Customer Connect Box Exchange through which anyone in the US can connect and help one another in procuring moving supplies. The transaction is very convenient and effortless. All you have to do is enter your location and add keywords like “free moving boxes” or “free boxes,” and the system will help you locate people near you who are giving away boxes.
Usually, these will be people who have recently moved and are looking for a better way to discard mountains of flattened boxes.
#3. Craigslist
A site that needs no introduction, Craigslist is one place where you can find nearly anything you’re looking for, including free moving boxes. Craigslist has a section for items available for free. You will need to look through it and search for storage boxes or moving boxes.
The best time to go through Craigslist is at the start of the week as most people tend to finish moving by Sunday. So, you’ll have better luck from Monday until Wednesday to grab onto the freebies.
#4. Liquor Stores
Visit your local liquor store and ask the store attendant or manager if you can have their cardboard boxes. These stores usually get weekly shipments, so boxes would be piling up in their storage rooms.
The good news about free boxes you get from liquor stores is that these boxes have partitions in them. You can use these compartments to better organize your belonging or use these boxes for your breakables like glasses or wines and spirits.
#5. Bookstores
Similar to liquor stores, bookstores also receive their stocks of books in boxes. Since these boxes are sturdy enough to carry the weight of all the books, you can rest assured they will be able to carry your books or other heavy items as well.
You can inquire when the book shipments happen in a week or month so you’ll know when the best time would be to ask for free boxes.
#6. Coffee Shops
The next time you get your coffee at your local cafe, take some time to ask about their shipments. This is another place where you can likely ask for free moving boxes.
Coffee shops receive the shipment of their supplies almost every week — maybe up to three times a week. So, they’d most likely be glad to get rid of all the piling boxes from the coffee ground, cream, filters, and flavorings.
#7. Bars
Bars always stock up on supplies, especially during holidays and special events like St. Patrick’s Day, Super Bowl, and New Year’s Eve. This is the time when bars would have double deliveries, which means plenty of boxes.
These wine and spirits boxes have partitions in them, so they can serve as your kitchen breakables boxes, trinkets, and decorations that can be broken. You can either get your boxes and store them for when you move or, if possible, simply plan your move around this time.
#8. Pharmacies
Like most large retailers, chain pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens also receive several weekly shipments. It’s common to see the large dumpsters behind these stores have flattened boxes.
Try calling or talking to one of the attendants at the pharmacy and ask if you can have the boxes.
#9. Apartment Complexes
Tenants in apartments come and go. This means there will always be boxes within sight. Talk to the building superintendent, security, or apartment building office and check the recycle bins. Or, if you see someone who seems to be moving in, you can approach them and ask if you can have the moving boxes that they won’t be using.
College dorms are also a good choice, but they will only be useful at the start and the end of the academic year.
#10. Recycling Drop-Off Points
Another place where you can hit the jackpot and secure moving boxes for free is recycling drop-off points.
Most US cities have these drop-off points where you can always find corrugated, flattened boxes.
Can You Make Your Own Moving Boxes?
You can create moving boxes from smaller containers you may have at home. Although this can work, it can be a very time-consuming and expensive process as you will have to purchase plenty of adhesives to put the boxes together.
Boxes made of different materials and varying thicknesses may provide you space for storage but they may not be strong enough to support heavy items.