Where to get moving boxes - boy and dog sitting in a boxNothing beats a sturdy, easy-to-stack box for safely moving your belongings. But where do you get moving boxes? Sadly, it often seems like the supply of quality cardboard boxes has suddenly run out the closer you get to your moving date. Don’t resort to throwing your valuables into garbage bags – plan ahead and use these tips to ensure that you have all the clean and durable boxes you need.

Ask Your Friends and Coworkers

Before you start driving around the neighborhood and diving in dumpsters, the first thing you should do is put out a notice on social media that you’re moving and need supplies. The wider you can cast your social net, the better. The average American moves once every five years. Chances that a friend (or a friend of a friend) just finished unpacking and has boxes to spare are high.

If you work in an office, ask if you can take home empty printer paper boxes. Offer to take the packaging from your coworkers’ Amazon shipments off their hands. Maybe they'll appreciate you saving them a trip to the recycling bin.

Check Online Listings

There’s a good chance that somebody on Freecycle or Craigslist is offering all the free boxes you need in your area. All you have to do is look for a listing. Don’t see anything right now? Post your own listing advertising your need with a contact phone number. Wait a week or so for the calls or texts to roll in. All you have to do is pick them up.

Stop By a Recycling Center

You should ask for permission first, but it’s unlikely that anybody will mind if you take whatever whole boxes you can find from the stacks of cardboard at your local recycling center. After all, reusing materials again and again is even more effective at reducing energy consumption and protecting the environment than recycling!

Visit Area Businesses

The best quality boxes will come from businesses that deal with shipments of dry, clean goods in a variety of sizes. Try an office supply store, a bookstore, or a pharmacy. You may have more luck at local businesses than at chain stores. You’ll get even luckier if you can figure out how often those stores receive shipments. This is where your network of friends can come in handy. Ask around and one of them might be able to alert you to a recent influx of usable boxes.

Do you need help on your quest for boxes? Just ask us and we’ll give you more detailed information about where to get moving boxes and how to get all the moving supplies you need.