Best Places to Get Free or Cheap Moving Supplies

Short Preparation Guide – What to Do Before Finding Cheap Moving Supplies?

Before you start packing your belongings, make sure you make a household inventory list and determine how much supplies you need to pack your items. This quantity can be easily decided when consulting a long-distance moving company for an in-house estimation, needed to determine all the long-distance moving services you possibly should schedule, as well as their cost. This way, you will get organized for relocation efficiently and in a very short time.

Boxes, packing paper, bags, bubble wrap, and tape are only some of the basic elements you’ll necessitate for boxing up your items. Most of all, you will necessitate boxes that can be the best solution for boxing up small appliances or lightweight items such as pillows or blankets. And some specially designed cardboard packages will be the best way to pack clothes, especially when it comes to gowns or coats.

Although it may seem like you cannot save a lot by ensuring those supplies are gratis or at least at an affordable price, you should know that you’ll necessitate them in a considerable number. From our experience, people often exaggerate buying those packing items, so instead of decreasing the costs, they affect the budget totally opposite by making you spend more.

So, if you’re starting to ask yourself, “How can I get free moving supplies,” stay tuned cause we have some handy advice for you.

What is the Average Price of Relocation Boxes for Moderately Sized Homes?

Although the boxes’ regular price is not that high and is really affordable when it comes to two-bedroom houses or apartments (you won’t need more than $100 in total,) the situation becomes pretty different for moderately sized homes.

If we consider the average household containing four bedrooms and three bathrooms, the average cost needed only for boxes can reach an amount of $427. Which is way too much for cardboard.

Where to Buy Cheap Moving Boxes?

The best place to buy affordable boxes for your relocation is the Internet. Ordering them from an online store, such as Amazon, eBay, and many more can save you a considerable amount of money.

Since multiple websites enable this option, make sure you explore and compare prices in-detail before confirming which offers the cheapest packaging supplies. Yet, before making an online purchase, check the things you should know:

• • Is there a minimum order amount?
  • What are the sizes of the packages?
  • Are the delivery costs included in the price?
  • How long does it take to deliver packages?
  • Are other packaging materials such as packaging paper, bubble wrap, and tape included in the price? Or you should buy them?
  • What is the cheapest packing material you can buy, and for what items can you use it?

Need Some More Fresh Ideas on How to Find Cheap Moving Boxes?

There are literally tens of ways how you can find low-priced or even gratis packaging materials such as cardboard, and save a significant amount of money. Check the video below and find out all the tips & tricks!

Where Can I Get Free Packing Supplies?

Apart from finding great supplies at a very good and affordable price, you should also know there is a way to find them gratis. If you’re curious to find out how to get free materials, check our list below.

What Is the Best Place to Look for Materials Near Your Home

Believe it or not, your neighborhood can be a source for getting gratis boxes, packaging paper, or bubble wrap which is indispensable for boxing up any fragile item. All you have to do is a little bit more stroll. Here is the ultimate list of places you should visit and try to find some on-the-house packages:

• Liquor stores and local wineries – Since liquor transport requires durable and sturdy packages, they are the perfect fit for relocation needs. Plus, many of those packages contain dividers that could be great for boxing up fragile things. If there is a liquor store near your home, then explaining to the store’s owner or manager how you’ll use those packages, and asking them to take a look at storage, could help you get them gratis.
• Bookstores – Local bookstores can also be a great source for gratis packages. Since books are heavy and usually packed into big boxes, they could be handy for your relocation as well. So, if any of your neighbors run a bookstore, don’t hesitate to ask them to take a look in storage, and check if they could set aside a few packages for you. Besides, maybe some bookstores may have some old newspapers or magazine editions, so they could give you some of them as substitutes for paper. And last but not least, remember to ask for some tips on how to pack books, because we are sure they would like to share their experience with you.
• Chinaware and glassware stores can be a great spot to find some bubble wrap since they deal with delicate and fragile items and really necessitate some significant amounts of this protective material. These stores’ employees can be valuable advisors on how to pack china since they packed hundreds of those delicate things. You’ll necessitate bubble wrap not only for your delicate china or glasses, but it will also be the best way to pack electronics. Canvases and other valuable pieces of art should also be protected with bubble wrap and tape, which is the safest way to pack paintings. The only you should take care of is choosing the right box.
• Office Depot – Since Office Depot stores across the country receive shipments each Tuesday, it is the best day for visiting a local store and asking if they could provide you with a few packages. The best time for visiting your local Office Depot store and having a chance to get gratis packs from their storage is between noon and 3 pm. This is also a place where you can find tape at a very reasonable price.
• Recycling centers – Recycling centers are another good place to stop by in search of gratis packages since many of them have drop-off of lightly used cardboard. In some cases, you can find packaging paper there, also, so don’t miss to check if there is some additional box they could provide you.
• Grocery stores – Grocery stores deal with a considerable number of packages since they receive the goods packed in cardboard, so their storage place can be a great source for boxes. Once more, chit-chat with the manager can help you obtain gratis cardboard packages and a perfect box for your belongings.
• Dollar stores – Dollar stores are a real paradise for affordable things, including packages, bubble wrap, tape, or wrapping paper. They have tons of them, and whenever you want some, they are likely to help.
• Non-profit organizations that promote reused materials can be a great source for finding bubble wrap or packaging materials you necessitate. One of those organizations that have more than nine million registered members is Freecycle. Once you get registered on their website, you will be able to post what you necessitate, and if some other users have it, they will reply to your request and send it to you.
• Craigslist has a free section on their website where you can search for all packaging materials, whether it is packaging paper, bubble wrap, or even box. The only thing you should be careful with is finding those materials within your local area, otherwise, you will have to pay high shipping fees, or drive far, which could cost you more than to buy new ones.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Already Used Materials

When it is all said and done, you have to ask yourself, is it smart to get used materials? Keep in mind that those boxes are already used and might not be as strong as particular items require. This problem’s solution is in proper arranging. Decide what items could be packed into already used cardboard and what things have to be packed into new or even plastic packages. This way, you will be sure that all your items will be delivered to your new address without any damage. Also, if you use second-hand cardboard, then make sure to inspect each box carefully and secure it using tape.

The Top-Notch Movers Will Pack Everything You Need to Bring to a New Residence

If you’re not sure how to properly pack your delicate, fragile, or valuable items for cross-country moving, don’t hesitate to consult professional long-distance movers, who will give you some of the best tips on how to pack fragile items. Be sure to check if cross-country movers will accept to give you a partial relocation packing service. Also, don’t forget to check if any of their cross-country moving services imply free or discounted packing supplies. This is especially important if you’re relocating to the opposite coast. Since these types of relocation are even more expensive, there might be a possibility that some of the East Coast movers or West Coast movers will give you some special conditions associated with boxing up supplies.