Moving to a new home is exciting, stressful, and expensive. The average cost is just over $1,700, but it can cost as much as $10,000 depending on how far you’re moving and how complex your requirements are. One aspect that’s easy to overlook is moving boxes, which typically cost from $2 to $4 on average. Specialty boxes like wardrobe boxes or TV boxes cost more, anywhere from $10 to $40 each. Fortunately, you usually don’t need new boxes, and there are options for getting your hands on free boxes so you can move as cheaply as possible.
Use U-Haul Box Exchange for people giving away boxes
U-Haul is where a lot of folks head for vehicles and supplies, and the company has a bare-bones program to reduce waste: The U-Haul Box Exchange (part of its Customer Connect program). It’s not a sure thing, but it’s easy to use, with no registration or sign-up required. Pop in your zip code and see if anyone in your area is giving away boxes (or other moving supplies). If so, you can message them directly through the site and arrange to pick everything up. There’s no guarantee that you’ll get a convenient hit, but it’s worth checking regularly as soon as you know you’re going to be moving.
Use online platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Freecycle
Many social platforms can be a source of free boxes, including:
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Facebook Marketplace. If you have a Facebook account, you can search Facebook Marketplace for free boxes and other moving supplies.
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Craigslist’s Free Stuff sections are usually goldmines of moving supplies, especially boxes.
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Freecycle is a platform where people explicitly seek to give away stuff they don’t need anymore, and to find stuff for free they don’t want to (or can’t afford to) pay for. People routinely post moving boxes here, so it’s worth it to join your local Freecycle group to see if you can score some. If you don’t see any posts, you can make a request, which might prompt someone who hadn’t thought about giving away their boxes.
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The Buy Nothing Project (formerly BuyNothing) is the same basic concept as Freecycle: Once you sign up, you can scan for people giving away moving boxes or post a request for some.
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Nextdoor is a neighborhood platform that connects folks living in the same area so they can communicate, solve problems, and organize the occasional block party. You can sign up (on the app or website) and join your new neighborhood’s group, then check to see if anyone’s giving away boxes (or politely ask for some).
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OfferUp is a platform for buying and selling items, but it also allows free listings. It’s worth signing up to scan for free moving boxes that someone might be itching to get rid of.
Ask local stores that discard a ton of boxes
Sometimes the best ways to do things are the old ways. People have been scrounging moving boxes from local businesses since the dawn of cardboard, and plenty of stores and other local spots in your area get tons of deliveries in cardboard boxes, which they then have to manage and recycle. Many of these businesses will be totally happy to give them to you. A few key places to check:
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Liquor stores
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Book stores
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Banks
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Libraries
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Schools
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Convenience stores
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Grocery stores
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Department stores
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Pharmacies
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Restaurants
A few phone calls or in-person visits could net you a ton of moving boxes at zero cost aside from your time and sweat equity. Often, you can just grab boxes from dumpsters located behind buildings or around loading docks.
Use your own job’s mailroom, loading dock, or waste management
If you work somewhere that deals with a lot of shipments, you might check the mailroom, loading dock, or waste management area. Your co-workers might also be a great source of free boxes. Picking up a few at a time every day for a few weeks might supply all the boxes you’ll need.
Ask your local recycling center
If your area recycles cardboard, you could head out on collection day and walk around, looking for a stack of flattened boxes you can easily scoop up for your own use. If you know of a recycling center in your area, you could also contact them about taking some of their cardboard boxes off their hands.