6 Uncommon Sources for Boxes and Moving Supplies

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6 Uncommon Sources for Boxes and Moving Supplies

Staff Writer · Jul 23, 2009

Before you move into or out of an apartment, you need moving supplies-and lots of them. You don’t want to head to a shipping or moving store and spend a lot of money on boxes, tape and packing peanuts that you’re basically going to use for one day and then throw out. Save your money and get your moving boxes and supplies from a few uncommon sources instead, including:

1. Grocery Stores

No, not in the aisle next to the canned goods, but back where you’re not even usually allowed to go. Speak with the manager at your local grocery store and ask if you can take the store’s leftover boxes for moving supplies. Since the store employees must take the time to crush and sort these boxes, they are often happy to give them away free of charge to anyone who will take them off of their hands.

2. Your Local Classifieds

There are a number of people who have just moved who are sitting on many extra moving supplies they no longer want. Many cities don’t allow people to either recycle or throw out their packing peanuts. In other words, there are people who want to get rid of the moving and packing supplies they no longer need. Search your local classifieds or an online classifieds site. Place your own ad saying you’ll take moving boxes and supplies off of people’s hands and head around town to pick them up.

3. Warehouses and Wholesale Stores

Like the grocery store, a warehouse or an overstock store is bound to have a lot of moving boxes, packaging and other moving supplies. Just ask to speak with the person in charge. The worst that could happen is they could say no, but most likely you’ll find that you’re doing them a favor!

4. Hospitals or Medical Clinics

This one may shock you, but yes, you may be able to get some free supplies from some hospitals or medical clinics. Just ask someone at the front desk. Medical clinics go through many medical items, all of which must be sterilized and separately wrapped. The wrappings never touch a patient and are thrown away. You can use this packaging to wrap your breakables.

5. Your Friends and Neighbors

Ask your friends and neighbors to save their newspapers, paper bags, boxes and packing peanuts that they would have otherwise thrown away or recycled for a few weeks before you move. You can use newspapers, paper bags and packing peanuts to cushion fragile items.

6. The Post Office

You can get the free boxes and priority mail packing tape offered by the post office and when you’re finished, you’ll have boxes for mailing packages to friends and family. Just be sure not to get too many from the post office, as you are on a honor system that you will eventually use those supplies to mail priority mail packages.

Buying brand new moving supplies is like throwing away money because you use the items once and then have no more need for them. There are many uncommon sources for boxes and moving supplies that won’t break your budget because they’re cheap or even free!

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