As you’re gearing up to move, there are lots of things to think about. Once you’ve nailed down whether you’re renting a truck or going with one of the best movers in your area, it’s time to start packing. That means one thing: lots of boxes.
If you’re planning to buy boxes at your local retailer, that can become a pretty expensive proposition, depending on the size of your home. For example, the International Shipping and Packing Association, a professional movers industry group, says cost estimates for moving a three-bedroom home assume 9,000 pounds of belongings . Even at an average of a couple of bucks per box, you’re looking at spending hundreds on new boxes.
However, if you’re open to snagging some gently used boxes, there are plenty of places to secure some for free. It will take more time than simply hopping over to your local office supply store, but it’s well worth it if you want to cut a significant cost out of your move.
Where to find free moving boxes
From your local U-Haul dealer to local liquor stores, here are some of the best places to score some free moving boxes.
U-Haul
While U-Haul would undoubtedly prefer that you buy new boxes from them, they also offer a couple of great programs for movers to secure used ones. Located at every U-Haul store is a “take a box, leave a box” bin , where you can pick up used boxes that other people have left for free, and leave any gently used boxes you have for others once your move is done.
U-Haul also operates an online box exchange , in which you can connect with others to swap leftover packing and moving supplies. The portal allows anyone to create a post, either offering or asking for boxes and packing materials. You can search by location to connect with others, and you can offer any leftover supplies to others once you’re finished moving.
Both U-Haul’s options are handy, though they’re also incredibly dependent on availability and location. It’s unlikely the bins at U-Haul locations will have all of the boxes you need, and the box exchange can be slow to use without a guarantee that someone near you is also using it. Still, it’s useful if you’re already using U-Haul as part of your move.
Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist
One of the great things about living in the digital age is that it’s easy to connect with others for free stuff. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist are the two juggernauts when it comes to finding local freebies, and that includes moving boxes. While availability may not be great depending on your location, it’s likely you’ll find dozens of listings from people just looking to clear out their garage.
Searching my local Facebook Marketplace turned up more than 20 listings from people looking to get rid of boxes. Craigslist was a little sparser, but there were still plenty of options. Just make sure that you inspect photos of the boxes before driving to pick them up, as you’re likely to encounter some boxes that are in pretty rough shape.
It’s worth keeping in mind that both of these options may require some driving. All of the listings I found were within an hour's drive in my semi-rural area, though those in cities are bound to find some that are closer. Still, if you don’t have easy access to transportation, you’ll want to plan accordingly.
Check out our full guide to tipping movers for more details.
Grocery stores, liquor stores, and bars
This has been a standard for getting free boxes for a long time, and there’s a reason for it. Managers at grocery stores, liquor stores, and bars deal with shipments on a regular basis and are often more than happy to get rid of their boxes. You’ll usually have better luck going to locally owned businesses for these, but you can usually secure boxes from bigger chains as well.
Bars and liquor stores, in particular, have a steady supply of sectioned boxes that are handy for storing and moving glassware. Grocery stores are better for getting a wide variety of standard box sizes, though produce may come in sectioned boxes for smaller items as well. In either case, this is a great way to reuse boxes that would otherwise end up in a box crusher or dumpster.
There’s one big thing to keep in mind with this option: Be courteous. If you can flag down a manager and ask if they’d be willing to save some boxes for you, most will be willing to do it. Just make sure that you settle on a clear time for your pickup so the store isn’t inconvenienced by a bunch of empty boxes.
Should you just buy new boxes?
If your budget and saving money are your top concerns, getting free boxes however you can is obviously your best bet. However, free boxes are often used (sometimes damaged) and may not be in the best condition. Buying new boxes mostly guarantees they’ll be in good condition, and you don’t have to spend a fortune to get them. For example, a 10-pack of 14-inch by 12-inch by 18-inch brand-new moving boxes costs about $20, or $2 a box, on Amazon.
Buying new boxes lets you be more specific about the sizes and types of boxes you can obtain, too. Wardrobe boxes are great for packing clothes and soft goods, and those are likely harder to come by than standard square or rectangular boxes. You could also grab some reusable plastic totes and then repurpose them as organizers after you’re done moving to maximize their value. You may even be able to rent plastic moving totes , depending on where you live.
Freebies are everywhere; you just have to ask
You’ll likely find most of the boxes you need to move a small apartment or house with some combination of all of the options listed above. The only possible exception is if you need special boxes for things like TVs, picture frames or wardrobes. Unless you get lucky on Facebook Marketplace, you’ll probably end up heading to your local big-box store to purchase them new. It's also worth considering if some items may be better off in a plastic moving box vs. cardboard ones .
Grocery and liquor stores were my favorite places to go for my first move to college. The owners happened to be super accommodating and gave me more boxes than I needed. If you’re an introvert, it can be intimidating to ask, but it’s well worth saving some cash when you’re already spending for a moving truck or service.
If you're wondering what to do with your moving boxes after you're done , help out some other folks by listing yours on Facebook Marketplace or taking them to your local U-Haul store.
More Yahoo Local-approved U.S. movers
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