HOW TO FIND FREE MOVING BOXES

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The Top Places to Find Some Free Moving Boxes

List of places to find free moving boxes


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Video On Finding Free Moving Boxes

Top 10 Get free packing boxes moving

  1. Relocating Can Be Really Expensive
  2. Be Organized and Save on Supplies
  3. Places Likely To Have Free Boxes
  4. Planning Places to Get Free Boxes
  5. Look For Deals
  6. Your Own Office
  7. Liquor Stores
  8. Grocery Stores
  9. Office Supply/Computer Stores
  10. Boxes, Boxes, Boxes

1. Relocating Can Be Really Expensive

Moving can drain your bank account. Between the price of hiring movers, paying for gas, utility bills, and the cost of your new place itself, the fees up. One thing that you can do to cut costs is to find moving boxes for free.

Packing material can be pricey, especially when you need enough to move an entire home. The thought of moving without having to spend money on them is a great idea! There are many places around town where you can pick up moving boxes for your relocation needs.

2. Be Organized and Save on Supplies

You'll want to pair your newly acquired free packing materials with moving labels. This way, you know right where everything is when you get into your new place. When it comes time to move, free moving boxes will be an awesome budget hack. We're here to help you with ideas on how to find free moving boxes anywhere you can. It may take some scavenging, but you can find enough free moving boxes to carry everything in your home. Although it's possible to find moving boxes for free, check out this list of moving materials you may need. This will help you estimate your costs. 

Free Boxes and moving quote

3. Places Likely to Have Free Boxes

The first place one should check is an office supply store. Stores like Office Max and Staples usually throw away sturdy, reinforced electronics boxes. See what they are giving away! The strength of these usually helps to protect your more fragile items. Once you have the clean boxes, check out our helpful guide on how to pack clothes for moving. 

Speaking to the employees at bookstores is another good place to search for boxes. Books are extremely heavy, so the containers used to transport them must be very durable. They don't use baby boxes, meaning that they are all very big. Bookstores often get major shipments about twice a week, and most of these boxes end up in the recycling bin. Most stores are happy to give away their shipment boxes; all you have to do is ask.

Also, check bars and restaurants. These boxes transport glass alcohol bottles, and they must be very thick as not to break the glass. The design of these types of containers ensures that your breakables will be safe. The employees at eateries will most likely be happy give you these boxes, as they will end up in a dumpster later.




Research For Free Moving Boxes

4. Places to Get Free Boxes

Grocery stores are also recommended places to get a lot of boxes. And best of all: you can pretty much stop by anytime and find packing material there for the taking. If you’re lucky, you can get your hands on heavy-duty banana crates, which are extremely thick. Remember that no matter the thickness of the cardboard, you are going to want to get packing paper. If you are not sure where to buy packing paper, don't worry! We have a guide for that too.
 
5. Look For Deals
Let’s face it: everyone likes to get free things. When you are moving, the costs can add up once everything said and done. When you combine hiring movers with the price of your new place itself, costs can snowball. One little area to cut costs is with the free moving boxes available. Boxes are quite expensive, and if you are moving a whole home's worth of stuff, you may be using upwards of 50 boxes. You can find deals online for boxes, but sometimes the lower price reflects the poorer quality of the box.
 

6. Your Own Office

If you work in an office, this task is already very simple. Boxes of office supplies, paper, etc. are most likely coming to your office quite often. These could be a great resource for you, as they are durable and usually have lids and handles.
 

7. Liquor Stores

These stores are a great resource because of their containers for shipping glass. These bottles don't break in transit because the boxes are very durable and strong. The same will be true for any fragile items you need to move.
 

8. Grocery Stores

These have the most boxes, as they have so many items shipped every day. They have giant industrial recycling bins usually spilling out with flattened, unwanted boxes. But don’t forget to ask the store first. They may even have some in the back they haven’t broken down yet!
 

9. Office Supply/Computer Stores

Connect with these retail stores because they have tons of free boxes. Oftentimes, these boxes held very fragile items. These stores most likely have excess cardboard packing materials as well.
 

10. Boxes, Boxes, Boxes!

This is a quick list of places that you can find boxes in or around town. Sometimes if you call ahead, stores can put boxes aside for you to pick up. At the very least, they could point you in the right direction of where to find their discarded boxes. As stated before, the boxes most likely end up in a large industrial recycling bin. Before this happens, ask if you can take some!
 
Good luck on your free boxes hunt, and get packing!! Check out more tips on moving and finding moving boxes free. Even if you find them in your own apartment complexes, you're winning!

Pharmacies such as Rite Aid, CVS, and Walmart almost always have boxes. It may be smart to call in advance for Walmart moving boxes and tell them to save some for you, so they won’t break them down. Place the small boxes into the medium boxes, and the medium into the large, to save space in your vehicle. If you don't have the right size for certain things you may want to use our list of best places to buy moving boxes. Moving boxes for free can be found almost anywhere, you just have to know where and how to ask!

Get inspiration and check liquor stores too. They get similar boxes to the ones bars get, but the ones that liquor stores get have lids. You should also call these stores in advance since many people check here for boxes first. Lastly, check small hardware or home improvement stores in your area. These places often have a manager on hand that can give you the “okay” to take are any free moving boxes. Also, they might just give you a coupon to use for the garden or home improvement items for your place.

We recommend that you check your options if your recycled boxes failed you. Did you pack improperly? Or, do you find yourself saying, "Hey, the movers broke my stuff; what should I do after unpacking?"

free moving boxes checklist

You should be mindful about decluttering. This practice is good for wellness and your new lifestyle in the new home.

Comments

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Gladys Cloete 4 years, 5 months ago

Thank you for the great tip. I got all my boxes from our local bar and didn't cost me a thing.

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Ashley Richmond 3 years, 6 months ago

Hey Gladys! Thanks for stopping by. We're glad you liked our tips on free moving boxes.

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Ashley Richmond 4 years, 5 months ago

Great Gladys, I didn't think of a bar but good initiative. Did you get all of them at the same bar? Please share so other users can benefit.

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Gladys Cloete 4 years, 4 months ago

Yes, I went to the local bar two months in advance, and they kept their boxes for to pick up every Sunday afternoon. In the end I packed every week and had enough boxes.

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Elize Uys 4 years, 4 months ago

I am a single mother of 2 children. We are moving across the country, hiring a trailer. Can the moving company load the trailer for me, I don't want to get halfway and everything falls off?

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Ashley Richmond 4 years, 2 months ago

Hi Elize. Not all moving companies will provide labor for a u-haul type trailor, although some will. If you click on the "Moving Companies" tool at the top of the page you can find moving companies near where you live and find out if they will provide that specific service.

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Greg Freeman 4 years, 2 months ago

I am trying to store moving parts that are covered in WD-40 and oil so that they stay lubricated, I'm wondering if I should place them in some sort of special boxes because it would seem that regular cardboard would be wrong to do and also how I should ensure that the temperature surrounding them keeps them the way they are currently when they end up coming out of the storage.

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Adam Peterson 4 years, 2 months ago

Hi Greg. Yes, you are correct. Cardboard boxes would probably leak oil or WD-40 so it could not be a great idea to put these items directly into these type of boxes. Using plastic boxes with lids that you could purchase at a target or container store will be leak proof. Insulating the boxes with packing material will keep the items secure during the move and while in storage.

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Timothy T 4 years, 1 month ago

Good Day, I have 5 big framed mirrors that I need to move with our household furniture, is there is special type of box to wrap this, or would the moving company be able to wrap the mirrors? I don't want to wrap it myself as it breaks and they hold me responsible, but I am also working on a tight budget.

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Ashley Richmond 4 years, 1 month ago

Hi Timothy, It is best to always wrap mirrors very tight with extra bubble wrap padding or paper wrapping pads. Wrap the mirror tightly, and if you are placing it into a box (depending on the mirrors size) make sure that you get one that is made for mirrors or paintings meaning it is thin. You do not want the mirror to be able to move at all while in the box. If there is free space for the mirror to move it is more likely it will break. Your movers can also wrap it for you although you should check with them how much the cost would be, as all moving companies have different pricing. Hope this helps

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Gregory T 4 years, 1 month ago

I have to store my piano for almost a year, what is the best way to wrap it?

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Ashley Richmond 3 years, 6 months ago

Hi Gregory. We highly recommend you check out our article on how to move a piano to help you wrap and move yours.

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Kaye Cal 3 years, 7 months ago

Do you know if moving companies are able to provide wardrobe boxes for a good price? I was debating on whether to get my own boxes to save money since I have a lot of clothing that I need to ship out of my store. I was hoping the moving company would be able to provide boxes for free but I may need to start looking for some before I begin my move.

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Ashley Richmond 3 years, 6 months ago

Hey Kaye. We always recommend having your own boxes for your move and that includes having your own moving boxes. Moving companies like to charge more for their boxes so it is much better finding them elsewhere on your own before finding a moving company. You can also check with a moving company by calling and talking to them about their box prices to see if the price fits with your budget.

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Jason Gardone 3 years, 7 months ago

Hey, thanks for giving us the free download on ways to find free moving boxes. I'm planning to move soon so you guys really helped me out on my search for boxes. You guys saved me a lot of money as well and I'm definitely going to recommend this website to a few of my friends. I'm just glad I no longer need to pay for boxes since I really need a whole lot for my move. I was actually able to find a whole lot of boxes through craigslist as many people were just giving them away. I also found quite a lot in retail stores around my area. If you are looking for free moving boxes, I highly recommend you follow the tips on this page.

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Ashley Richmond 3 years, 6 months ago

Hey Jason, thanks for recommending us to your friends. We really appreciate it and we are glad we are able to help you save money on your move!

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Gary Kendel 3 years, 7 months ago

Free moving boxes are more accessible now that they've become more of a concern. Boxes themselves are more abundant in general in places where food, tools, and people are present (aka everywhere). Moving families and neighboring sites have been making a conscious effort to make it easier to find and collect boxes during the moving process. It's kind of humorous considering you spend almost an equal amount of time looking for boxes as you do conducting the actual move.

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Ashley Richmond 3 years, 6 months ago

Hey Gary, it's true that some may need to spend some time looking for boxes while others are able to find some right away but it may well be worth it if the person moving is trying to save as much as possible for their move. I guess it depends on the priority of the person moving. If it's time, feel free to spend money on boxes but if you are trying to save money, taking the time to look for boxes can really help you out.

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Rishad 3 years, 7 months ago

At first, I doubted getting free moving boxes from a grocery store near my former neighborhood but I was absolutely wrong. Surprisingly, they were thankful to me for coming to relief them the stress of disposing of the boxes.LOL. I have successfully moved and all my boxes were totally FREE! I even had an excess of the boxes after packing all my stuff. Thanks to this article because I almost ordered from cheap moving website before seeing this article. Truly it takes only information to take a wiser decision. At least, I can attest to the fact that free moving boxes can be gotten from many sources. Not just from the grocery store like I did

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Ashley Richmond 3 years, 6 months ago

Haha! We're glad you were able to find boxes and help your grocery store get rid of them Rishad. Some places have an abundance of boxes and don't know what to do with them until the trash truck comes to collect them. I'm sure your grocery store was ecstatic about you collecting their boxes.

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kyrlwriter 3 years, 7 months ago

Now most will agree that moving is streeful, but not being able to source boxes are even more stressful. I am happy that I visited this site and read about places I can access free moving boxes. I never thought of asking for boxes right in my neighbourhood. I am all packed , Labelled and ready to go.
Thanks

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Ashley Richmond 3 years, 6 months ago

Hey kyrlwriter, we hope your move turned out fine. We are glad that are able to inform you on the best places to find free moving boxes. It's true that sometimes the best places to look for boxes is right outside your door and in your neighborhood.

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Troydon P 3 years, 7 months ago

Do you have tips to where I can get crates for all my books? I am a book lover and have hundreds of books. Transporting won't be more than 1 day and I can't find any good boxes to hold the books as they are to heavy.

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Ashley Richmond 3 years, 5 months ago

Hey Troy,

We suggest you look for thick boxes in department stores around your area. Lots of goods are brought in bulk to stores like Walmart and Costco and you will be able to find large boxes left in the back when those goods are transported. All you need to do is ask for them and they should be willing to give them to you.

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Billy Crawford 3 years, 5 months ago

Hey, I found some really great places to look for moving boxes. One of the places I looked for moving boxes is the post office. The post office has hundreds of moving boxes from all the packages they receive. Lots of the boxes are thrown out after being delivered so I took the time to ask employees there if I can have them. Turns out they were able to give me all of them since they had no use for them. They usually just give them to customers who need it when shipping things. You can also try other shipping services such as UPS or Fedex. These shipping companies usually have lots of boxes for people to use since many people are using boxes to ship their things across the country. Let me know how it goes if any of you decide to try looking for some there.

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Ashley Richmond 3 years, 5 months ago

Hey Billy,

You have some great suggestions about moving boxes. Hopefully others who are looking for moving boxes are able to find some using your tips. We didn't know that shipping companies are able to provide free boxes. We will certainly let people who are moving know more about this way to find boxes.

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Melly Bryant 3 years, 5 months ago

Since I don't have enough time to look for free moving boxes and since I need them to be extra large, are there any places that you recommend using for cheap moving boxes. I'm looking for extra large boxes but I'm planning to buy them in bulk. Are there any companies in the United States that are able to ship extra large boxes in bulk? The moving company I'm going with is able to provide boxes but they may cost a premium since they are extra large.

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Ashley Richmond 3 years, 5 months ago

Hi Melly,

You should definitely check out our article on where to buy moving boxes for cheap. You can copy and paste the link below into your web browser to check it out.

https://www.movingauthority.com/best-place-to-buy-moving-boxes/

You can also probably find a local store in your area that sells boxes of various sizes. We recommend checking and searching the internet for providers of boxes. From there you can sort out providers according to price and availability of the extra large box size.

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Where to Get Free Moving Boxes

Free moving boxes are everywhere, you jus have to keep your eyes open and know where to look. Using free boxes is not only a great way to save money, but it also helps save the environment, since you are reusing boxes as opposed to buying entirely new ones.

 

Just because the boxes are free of charge, it does not mean you should take them. You should first make sure that the boxes are sturdy and clean. This is an important thing to check if you want to keep your stuff safe and clean when transporting it to your new destination.

 

Here are the top 6 places to find free moving boxes:

 

  1. Craigslist

 

Craigslist is a great place to find free moving boxes. Look at the Free Stuff section on the site. You have a better chance of finding

 

If you don’t have any luck in this section, try posting an ad in the Wanted section of the site. Most people who want to get rid of their boxes will most likely look here first, to see in anyone else is in need of them.

 

  1. Freecycle

 

You will have to join the local Freecycle group in your area before you can post an ad. Post an ad asking for free boxes and see if you get a response. Most likely, you will. You never know what is just lying around someone’s house.

 

  1. Stores/Retailers

 

Simply ask retailers in your area if they are willing to give away their used boxes. They will probably say yes, and employees there will be more than happy to help you take them to your car, since it reduces the amount that they will have to break down and take to the dumpster later. Also, you can drive behind supermarkets and look for the bin where they throw away boxes they no longer need. Just to be nice, you should check with the store before taking them.

 

  1. Office Buildings

 

Many office buildings have boxes that they are willing to get rid of. They get a lot of packages every day, and after they are unloaded, there is no need for them to hoard the boxes. Just go inside and tell the receptionist what you are looking for. They will most likely point you in the direction of free boxes.

 

  1. Apartment Buildings

 

Apartment buildings are a nice place to look for boxes, due to the fact that people always move in and out apartment complexes. Ask the building manager, who will tell you where the boxes are or who you can get them from.