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‘MOVING boxes’ is the term used for those corrugated cardboard boxes in which you pack your belongings for the purpose of moving them from one location to another. This is usually done while moving home or office though these boxes can also be used for storage of infrequently used items. For the purpose of this report, however, we shall look at them as boxes used for moving, not storage.
Why look for free boxes: Many people in United States who have moved home or office were shocked at how much the apparently simple boxes cost if bought new. The fact is that these boxes can dent your wallet; hence it is prudent to look for boxes that you can get for free.
Another reason is related to the environment: moving boxes are made of cardboard, which comes at a cost to nature. They should therefore be reused as many times as possible before being recycled. Free boxes are usually used boxes; hence reuse of such boxes minimizes cost to nature.
Where to look: There are both terrestrial and online sources of free boxes. We shall consider them one by one;
- Terrestrial sources:
- Neighbors, friends, colleagues: Nothing spreads better than word-of-mouth. Spread the word that you are looking for used moving boxes among neighbors, friends, relatives, and colleagues. Someone in your neighborhood might have just moved and wants to dispose of their used boxes. Or, for that matter, someone in your office, or someone you know, knows someone who has moved. If these people were to resell their used boxes to the market, it would fetch 15%-20% of what they paid. Many of them might just want to give them away for free, if only for good PR. People close to you are therefore one conduit to obtaining free moving boxes.
- Stores and supermarkets: No, not Wal-Mart. They do receive their wares in high-quality moving boxes, but don’t give away the empty ones for free. However, there are many other small-to-medium-sized stores and supermarkets all over the United States – particularly those that sell TV sets, computers, or alcoholic drinks – who receive good quality moving boxes. Talk to some in your neighborhood, especially those to whom you have been a customer. There is a fair chance that they will give you their empty boxes for free, howsoever reluctantly!
- Your moving company: The moving company you hire to transport your goods may, or may not, provide a few moving boxes for free. If they do, the number and type of boxes will most probably not be enough for your requirements. However, do take into account the boxes they will give you gratis and then look at other sources. If you straightway obtain boxes from other sources without taking into account the free boxes that the moving company will supply, you will end up with more boxes than you need.
- United States Postal Service (USPS): Free Priority Mail boxes from USPS have been available for years now. More recently, USPS has started offering free Flat Rate boxes too, with and without co-branding with eBay. If you are using USPS for moving some of your items, make sure your get your boxes from them for free. The sizes of these boxes also comply with USPS specifications (boxes of other sizes may warrant extra shipping charges).
- Online sources:
- Moving Box Exchange: This is a service that connects parties that want to dispose of their moving boxes and those wanting them for free. Visit http://www.hribar.com/iframe_recycle_boxes.html where you will find many postings from people having, or wanting, moving boxes. Of course, a majority of posts are from people who want free boxes, yet there are some who are looking for takers. However, please note that boxes may not always be available for free at this website.
- Freecycle Network: This is a network that promotes waste reduction in the United States. It hosts local groups across the country and provides individuals and non-profit organizations an electronic forum to ‘recycle’ unwanted items, including moving boxes. Visit http://freecycle.org and follow the given instructions to post your own request or respond to offers from others.
- CraigsList:This is a network of online urban communities featuring free classified advertisements of a wide range of products and services in different American cities (as well as cities in over 50 other countries!). From time to time, it has been seen that members have been giving away moving boxes for free within their own cities. Visit www.craigslist.org, click on the city or state you are in, and look into the ‘free’ link. You may not always find boxes listed, but try: you might just be lucky.
Food box precaution:
If the free boxes you have obtained are from food stores, they might contain insect eggs and insects such as roaches that can travel in the boxes. Therefore, either avoid boxes from food stores or spray an insecticide into them before you start packing. Avoid insecticide-sprayed boxes to pack kitchenware.
Summary
Moving boxes, used once, are usually of little value to the family or office that has moved from one location to another. Trashing them would be an act of social irresponsibility since moving boxes are made of cardboard that is made at a cost to nature (hence should be reused as many times as possible). People planning to move can therefore try to obtain moving boxes for free and there indeed are many sources for free boxes – ranging from friends and neighbors to local stores to cyberspace. However, one precaution that must be taken is to confirm whether they were used to pack food products in the past; if yes, you might have unwanted roach guests at your new location. Either avoid such boxes, or spray an insecticide into them, but don’t use them to pack kitchen items. |
