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Are you moving house and looking for moving boxes? If you’re like most people, you probably don’t want to spend considerable money on boxes.
However, this will make you think if you have better options. There are numerous sites online that offer free moving boxes, but they usually have a catch like signing up for a credit card or buying something else that you don’t need.
The quest to finding free moving boxes
Skip the businesses that offer boxes with hefty price tags. Here’s a moving & storage checklist that will show you where to find free moving boxes.
Free boxes from coffee shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and liquor stores
Snoop around your area for a cardboard box lying around at business establishments. You will be surprised to know that they have more, and they’d be more than happy to give you the boxes for free.
All you need to do is ask. Try asking during off-peak hours, so they aren’t too busy to stop and talk with you.
Some of the best places to find free moving boxes are liquor stores. These establishments receive large quantities of alcohol products regularly.
The boxes often get thrown out after unpacking the merchandise. If you stop by your local liquor store, there is a great chance you will find some free moving boxes for packing.
Find boxes at colleges and universities
Check with local schools and universities near you. Colleges and universities often receive shipments of newspapers and other materials from all over the country, so they may be able to help you out with plenty of free packing paper. They might also be able to give you a few boxes.
In addition, many schools have bookstores where they sell all new items every semester. The old books are often discarded at the end of each semester, so they may be willing to give some away if you ask nicely.
Free boxes from bookstores
You may also want to check with bookstores in your area for free packing paper or even a few free moving boxes for packing. Bookstores often make shipments every day, which means that they get rid of lots of free moving boxes. You should stop by your local bookstore and ask a manager if there are any extra empty boxes. They will probably be more than happy to help you out.
Free boxes from an online marketplace
A few online marketplaces offer free moving boxes and packing supplies. Craigslist, Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace allow users to post items they want to give away, including moving boxes.
For instance, Craigslist is a great place to look for free moving boxes. Post a “free” ad on their site and indicate that you are looking for moving boxes. Within a couple of days, people will start to offer their old moving boxes.
Hunt down large furniture items at garage sales
Large-item moving boxes are the most expensive ones you’ll need to buy, but they are also the easiest to find for free. Keep your eyes peeled for large pieces of furniture that people are giving away or selling cheaply at garage sales.
Check out online groups “free” section if you can’t find any suitable pieces at garage sales. A tip for people who are moving is to give away their old furniture because it can be too much of a pain to carry the furniture with them.
Pawnshops and op-shops may have free boxes
Pawnshops and opportunity stores get a steady stream of incoming merchandise, usually packed in boxes. While their stock tends to be ever-changing, you can always ask an employee when they tend to get deliveries so that you can come back on those days.
Like grocery stores, many of these businesses will set aside boxes still in good condition for customers who need them. Just make sure that any boxes you get from here aren’t greasy or stained, you don’t want oil ruining your clothes, and that they’re sturdy enough to keep your belongings safe while they are in transit.
Cardboard recycling centres for boxes
One of the simplest things to do is target the recycling programs in your area. Many suburbs have recycling programs that offer free boxes that you can use for packing. In some cases, these boxes will be labelled and marked with instructions on how they are to be recycled.
Reach out to friends and family members who recently moved
If they still have some unused boxes leftover from moving, they may be willing to donate them to you. This will free their hands from the task of disposing of the boxes themselves. If you are moving locally, check with your neighbours to see if they have some boxes that they no longer need.
Free moving boxes are out there
In the end, there are plenty of places you can check for finding free moving boxes. Check the places on the list first before availing of the service of a reputable storage company or moving company that requires payment for box rental. As you can see, free moving boxes aren’t hard to find. You only need to know where to look. For affordable and high-quality moving and storage boxes, check out our Box Shop.
