When preparing for a relocation, you’re going to have to gather together as many different types of moving boxes as you possibly can. While packing the kitchen, packing the living room, and other places in the apartment, you’ll need a variety of sizes and heights of boxes for moving to cater for all of your different packaging needs. If you’re looking for ideas to find free boxes ahead of your move, here are 10 places where you can get free moving boxes:

 

Retail stores

A good source of boxes is retail stores, so they should be your first port of call. Often boxes are just discarded when they have been emptied and sometimes business owners have to pay to take them away, so it could be a good option for both of you. You could also try asking drinking establishments as these have a steady supply of deliveries and empty cardboard boxes. For example, a liquor store would be best, as they always receive more boxes than they could possibly need or use,

When considering retail stores, get creative. For instance, fast food restaurants have food carton/boxes of varying sizes, and any retailer who has regular deliveries might be able to help you.

Large retail shops are also a good source of boxes, as they always have a lot of boxes lying around.

 

Try local schools/colleges

Schools often have a regular schedule of deliveries and this can mean they have a ready supply of empty boxes, too; this will also be beneficial to the school/college because they won’t have to sort the boxes for recycling. Another idea is to ask parents at school if they have any boxes you could use.

 

Check Bookstores

Large bookstores/bookshops and small ones alike usually have a lot of boxes. Books are often supplied to these shops, and they are often delivered in boxes. Check around and you’d most likely get boxes you can use to pack up your stuff. You can also check bookstores in universities and colleges around you.

 

Ask your neighbors

It is worth asking around your neighbors to see if they have any spare boxes they don’t need. Most people don’t enjoy the process of sorting out cardboard for recycling day, so your neighbors will probably be only too pleased to give away any spare boxes they might have.

 

Ask family and friends

Another easy and convenient way to get moving boxes for free is to ask from family members and friends. Ask around to see if any of them has spare boxes, either from recent deliveries or from moving. They’d be all too happy to find a way to get rid of those boxes.

 

Work colleagues

Another option is to ask work colleagues if they have any boxes to spare. A lot of people have frequent deliveries on regular occasions, so there is a pretty good chance they might have some empty boxes that will be suitable for moving day.

 

Places of Work/Offices

If you work in a corporate establishment, or you know someone who does, you can always check around for boxes. Offices that use a lot of paper and buy a lot of office equipment often are sure to have boxes lying around.

 

Social network sites

Ask your local contacts on social media if they have any boxes they don’t need; most people will only be too keen to get rid of them if they do. To save time, you can also put up a post yourself. Alternatively, look at the Facebook classified ads and see if anybody local is giving boxes away, or advertise for some boxes.

 

Classified advertising sites

Classifieds sites can prove to be a great source of freebies, including cardboard boxes. Craigslist is just one site that you can choose, or you could try the eBay-owned Kijiji classified site. Another viable idea is a site like Freecycle, where people give away items free or try placing advertisement on there.

 

Box exchanges

 Sites like U-Haul provide a number of different options for getting hold of boxes. However, if you’re looking for a free supply, they do have giveaways on the site, so check for availability. The site offers an opportunity for people all over the country to connect with one another and exchange moving supplies. Most people who give out boxes just moved, and they’re probably looking for a way to get rid of the boxes used. 

 

Craigslist is also an online marketplace where you can get free moving boxes. The site has a ‘Free’ category where people list items they want to give out. You could always check to see if anyone is giving out boxes.

Nextdoor.com is a local online neighbourhood hub where you can get a lot of free items being given away by people who live around you. You can also post that you need a particular item and people who have it would reach out to you.

 

Paid Options

If you run out of free supplies, there are a number of paid options available.

 

Mr. Moving

Mr. Moving is a well-respected, Canadian-based safe movers, which offers an extensive range of services to make relocation easier; this includes the supply of boxes. Mr. Moving will deliver boxes to your door and they’ll also help you to estimate how many boxes you’re going to need in total, which helps to reduce your costs. Most importantly, however, is that the boxes will be designed to meet the exact needs of your moving requirements. They also offer a moving box calculator which is designed to give you an estimate of how many boxes you’ll need to pack your stuff.

 

Other retailers

Home Depot, Staples, the Boxshop.ca and U-Haul are just some of the other options for purchasing moving boxes in your local area.  

 

Non-cardboard alternatives

You could consider using plastic boxes instead of cardboard boxes; there are a number of companies in Canada who offer this service, and they can work out cheaper than buying boxes. If you choose this option, you’ll rent the boxes, and they’ll be collected when you finish with them, which solves the problem of having to dispose of the card afterwards.

 

Are you planning a move and looking for a good moving company?

Check out Mrmoving.ca, a company that specializes in GTA moving.

They offer numerous moving services including commercial moving. Click here to get a free GTA moving estimate.