3 Ways to Find Free Boxes for Moving

Moving is an arduous task that hardly anyone enjoys, especially if they’re moving without the help of a professional. There are dozens of little things to consider when moving residences, like having your mail forwarded, changing your residence information with your bank, and making sure that your grandmother’s fine china stays intact during the transition from one place to the other.

One of the most important aspects of moving is often cast aside until the last minute: finding boxes to pack up your home. It’s easy to forget that in order to move, you need to find boxes sturdy enough to use to pack. The average family doesn’t have 30 amazing, intact boxes sitting in the garage, and the hunt to find boxes can be an intimidating task. Here are three ways to find free boxes to help you move.

Stop by your off-licence store.

It’s a bad idea to get drunk while you’re moving, but it’s a great idea to visit the off-licence and ask if they have empty boxes you can take off their hands. Wine and beer is shipped in sturdy cardboard boxes designed to hold glass bottles, so they are a great option for moving your items. Some off-licence get rid of their boxes quickly after their shipments arrive, so call around to find out when you can pick up their leftover boxes. In most cases, the store owners will be more than happy to let you take them.

Don’t be shy: ask your neighbours.

Someone near you has probably recently moved into a new home. Getting rid of moving boxes is a hassle, so neighbours are usually grateful to have someone take them away. If your community has a message board online, type up a quick post asking if people either have boxes or know anyone who is trying to get rid of them. Remember to do this in your current community and the one you are moving to; twice the exposure doubles your chances of finding free supplies.

Supermarkets have, well, boxes.

For your local supermarkets’ store to keep their shelves stocked, they are constantly receiving deliveries of everything from milk to the latest toys. How do those deliveries arrive? In boxes. This is another situation where it’s beneficial to call ahead; a lot of store deliveries happen overnight when there are fewer customers in the store, so you may be making a late-night trip.

Moving is stressful enough without worrying about where you’re going to find enough boxes to pack things securely for transport. While some moving companies sell boxes, you can save quite a bit of money by trying to find free boxes on your own. It may take a little more effort, but your wallet will thank you for putting in the time to ask around.