Here you are embarked on the great adventure of moving: terminate then subscribe to the water service, rent a vehicle, take your leave, but above all, prepare the boxes! Where can I find cheap moving boxes? Which models to choose? Is it possible to find free moving boxes? Then, I will answer you and give tips for preparing your boxes easily!
Choosing the right moving boxes: what criteria?
As you begin to find out about moving boxes, you find that there are all kinds! But how do you choose the boxes that you need? First of all, take various sizes to adapt to all your belongings:
- Small ones for heavy and fragile objects: useful in particular for moving all the books in the library, but also small electronic equipment;
- Standards for office stuff, small kitchen equipment, bathroom stuff;
- Reinforced boxes for heavy and bulky equipment: we are thinking in particular of your superb vinyl collection;
- Specific boxes according to the type of objects to be moved: boxes for dishes, bottles, and wardrobe.
Adapt the choice of your boxes according to what you have most at home. To facilitate transport and storage in the moving truck, we advise you to limit yourself to three different sizes of boxes. This will allow you to better position and stack them to fit in the truck without difficulty.
Please note that the choice of moving boxes is not the only important choice. Take care to take the quality tape, which does not fray into strips, sticks perfectly to the cardboard, and is resistant. For the heaviest boxes, there are also reinforced tapes that will support the weight more.
Free moving boxes: yes, it is possible!
A move quickly represents a significant budget: moving truck or service from the movers, new furniture adapted to the new accommodation, expenditure on small jobs, etc. So we’re not going to lie to each other. If we can save ourselves expenses on boxes, we might as well take advantage of it.
Your entourage
To find free moving boxes, you can try to solicit your relatives. With a bit of luck, some will have kept their moving boxes and can lend them to you! However, if there is no recent move in your entourage, still ask the question: if some of your relatives work in the trade, chances are they can recover some for you at work.
Your job
So you see us coming to the second option: your job! First, see if there are any boxes to collect on-site. Then, ask the management if you cannot recover certain delivery boxes of materials. Otherwise, do not hesitate to ask your colleagues. They may have boxes available!
Shops and the municipal waste collection center
Still no boxes on the horizon, or not enough? Never mind! Visit the shops around you: supermarkets, grocery stores, bookstores, pharmacies, and decoration brands often have boxes they can make available to their customers. Bad fishing? Try your luck at the municipal waste disposal center. Many individuals drop off their old moving boxes there.
Classifieds
Last chance: classified ads sites between individuals! Sometimes people offer moving boxes there for a nominal fee or for free.
Good to know: recycling boxes, yes, but too damaged boxes, no. If some boxes are partly torn or do not seem very resistant, it is better to turn to new boxes. There’s nothing worse than a cardboard box that creaks while moving, and what’s more, it can be very dangerous for the person carrying it!
Where to buy moving boxes?
Didn’t find free moving boxes? Don’t you have time to pick up boxes from right to left with the moving procedures? You still have the paid option to find new boxes adapted to your needs!
You can buy moving boxes and other protective packaging material online from moving companies and companies specializing in moving boxes. To get protective packaging materials at a reasonable price, visit Britwrap. They have a wide collection of moving covers, storage bags, floor protection roll, etc.
The golden rules for preparing your boxes!
Strong boxes
When you prepare your boxes, it is important to close them securely! Below the cardboard, close the cardboard with tape lengthwise, and cross another strip of tape widthwise. If you plan a box with heavy material, use reinforced tape.
Well-organized boxes
Always adapt the boxes to the size and weight of the objects placed. Once the box is filled, close it with a strip of tape and write down its destination room and contents in two words. I prefer the side of the cardboard above to write the destination, so it remains visible. Even more effective: stick colored stickers with a color for each room!
Take care of fragile items
If packing fragile items, protect them with bubble wrap and avoid filling the box to the brim. Mark “Fragile” on the cardboard and indicate the top and bottom. Some items, such as electronic devices, may be better protected in their original case or packaging. If you are transporting plants, try to place all small plants in a cardboard box or plastic crate.
Don’t pile up haphazardly
Whether packing boxes or loading-trucks, always place the heaviest boxes on the bottom and the lightest on top. Even if the cardboard in your hands is a little heavy, put it gently on the cardboard below to be sure not to break anything. Make sure your stack fits perfectly, and don’t try to stack it too high. There’s a good chance someone will get them on the head!
Preparing your moving boxes: the right timing
Wondering when to prepare your moving boxes? Here is a little plan that might help you:
- 6 months before the move: before packing, we sort our things! Donate items in good condition that you will no longer use or resell. Throw away or recycle anything that is out of order. It will make you less to move, and it will be easier for you to purify your new home!
- 3 months before the move: pack everything that is not essential for your daily life. The library (keep a few books for the next few months), clothes that are out of season, tableware for special occasions, and administrative archives.
- 1 month before the move: speed up the pace and pack everything you won’t need in the coming month. For example, pack the party outfits if no party is on the horizon, the toys your kids have laced up, the collection of mugs, etc. The idea is not to go camping, but you have to stick to the basics so as not to ruin the day before the move.
- One week before the move: prepare a “moving suitcase” as if you were leaving for a few days. Slip in clothes, the toiletry bag, the medicines. Pack up everything you won’t need for the coming week.
