Where Can I Get Free Moving Boxes
When you are moving out of your apartment, one of the first (and last) things you will need is moving boxes. But if you buy them, you will pay a premium. That means finding the best places to get free moving boxes is a must. But if you were like me and wondering where to get free boxes, don’t worry. I found some great places.
Here are some places you can go to find free moving boxes for your upcoming move if you are wondering how to get boxes for free.
Before we dive in, remember that all free boxes are not created equal. Make sure that the boxes you are using are sturdy and able to support your items. Cheap moving boxes don’t always mean reliable moving boxes. Alright, let’s see where you can find free moving boxes.
Friends and Family
With everyone getting everything on Amazon these days, people you know likely have cardboard boxes coming through their place every week. Ask them to save their empty boxes for you and be prompt when picking them up. If they don’t have any, make sure to ask them where they got packing boxes when they moved. It may reveal a hidden gem on places to find free moving boxes.
Wondering about everything you need to do? Make a moving binder to get organized.
Craigslist
If your friends are no luck, then the next stop on your moving timeline is Craigslist. Go and search Craigslist for “free moving boxes near me.” Check out the free part of Craigslist and see what you can find.
There are tons of boxes on there, depending on the time of year you are looking around. You can also set up an alert or put something in the Wanted section of the site showing that you are in need of free boxes.
Local Liquor Store
Liquor stores were our go-to when we moved. First, we would talk to the manager and find out when inventory came in. Then we would go and get free moving boxes that day. Depending on the time of year, lots of people might be moving and using this place, so try and get there as close to the right time as possible.
Personally, I love liquor store boxes because they are great for fragile items because of the dividers that come with all boxes. These little dividers are great for packing up kitchen essentials because they add an extra barrier for packing your breakables (glassware, china, etc…).
Fun Moving Box Fact: When I started to ask friends for free boxes near me, they all said the closest liquor stores. It didn’t disappoint. I got tons of liquor store boxes for moving free of charge. They have a ton of extra boxes there, and you know that they are durable boxes because they ship glass and liquids in them. Double bonus!
U haul Customer Connect.
Does U-Haul have free moving boxes? Yes and possibly no. I just stumbled on this site, turns out there is a U-haul box exchange.
You can connect with other customers and exchange boxes (yes, they have a box exchange), as well as get other moving-related things. U Haul may also offer moving boxes free if you are using their services to move. U-haul free packing boxes may vary from location to location but go ahead and check them out. Here is the link for the U-haul box exchange.
Facebook Marketplace
People are always trying to get rid of stuff on the Facebook marketplace. Your best bet is to put up a notice or look for people who have moved so that they can get rid of their spare boxes.
Just doing a quick search for this article, there were over 20 places that had free boxes for moving. You can also post on message boards to see if anyone has them.
Wonder what else you need for moving? Check out our moving essentials.
Grocery Stores
Grocery stores are getting boxes on palettes daily. This means that you can pop into your local stores and ask them when is a good time to get your free stuff (aka moving boxes).
Office Depot and Staples
You are liking going to need packing tape and other packing supplies to haul stuff from house to house. So ask the office manager when you are in there if they have any free cardboard boxes available and if you can get them.
Most of the time, they have to use their employees to flatten them, and this can save them time. Office supply stores are a great source for large free boxes because their stock is usually bigger than other ones on the list. There are great if you need wardrobe boxes or have larger items that won’t fit in the smaller liquor boxes we mentioned earlier.
Storage Units
If you are going to rent a storage unit, ask them if they provide free boxes to their customers. As a paying customer, you may get the perk of boxes and possibly free moving labels too.
Community Groups
Search online for community groups that offer cardboard boxes for free or at the very least cheap moving boxes. There may be one in your area that has a ton of them!
Recycling Centers
If you aren’t getting free boxes from any of these sources, reach out to the local recycling center and see if they can provide you with boxes, chances are they are flooded with them, and finding boxes there should be pretty easy.
Home Improvement Stores
Big box stores like the Home Depot, Lowes, and Sam’s Club are great places to get free boxes. Home improvement stores are constantly getting in bigger items, so the boxes are heavy-duty and extra durable. Call them and ask for the manager “does Home Depot give free boxes” and you could find all the free boxes you need.
Walmart
Can you get free moving boxes from Walmart? Another great place that goes through a ton of boxes; on your next stop there go into customer service and see if they have any. This should be a great place for finding free cardboard boxes for your new home.
While you are at Walmart, head down their packing aisle and look for any other shipping goods you may need, and pick up some bubble wrap too! Check out Walmart for all of your moving supplies. Walmart moving boxes’ price will vary based on the size and style of boxes you want if you don’t want to wait for free ones.
Target
If you can’t get free boxes from Walmart, head over to Target and ask too. This is a great place to get everything for your new house and just about everything they get come-on boxes. Ask customer service if they have any and bring them back to your apartment so you can get your free boxes. Tell the office manager you don’t want to bother them every day and ask if you can leave your phone number with them and have them call you when they are in.
Click Here to Get a Moving Quote
Barnes & Noble
Book stores like Barnes Noble are great places to find free moving boxes. They are constantly getting in new stock, and those boxes are going to go into the recycling bin, so you may as well ask and get them.
Restaurants
Speaking of places that get daily shipments with boxes, restaurants are another great place for moving boxes. McDonald’s fry boxes and Starbucks coffee boxes are great places to call on the weekly for finding free moving boxes. Thinking of any chain restaurants and they will have storage boxes for you.
Dollar Store & Dollar Tree
Another place that gets a lot of inventory turnover is the dollar stores in your area. These places are always getting in stock, and they are a great place for you to be able to stock up on your free cardboard moving boxes.
Box Giver
Box Giver is a website where you can exchange packaging materials locally. You can search your location and all the closest listings will show up. From there you message the owner and coordinate a pickup time.
The BoxGiver platform is a great way to dispose of and find free cardboard boxes as well as other packing supplies. It’s also a great way to get rid of boxes when you are done moving.
Yard Sales
The best time to hit yard sales is in the morning; unless you want a lot of empty boxes, then it’s best to go at the end of the day. This is when most of their items will have been sold, and the boxes are just going to get thrown out. They may even have larger boxes that you can get, don’t overlook this!
Ok, you could have done this on your own by entering in “free moving boxes near me,” but Google is getting super good at local search, and moving companies and other places you may not have thought of can pop up in this search result.
If that search doesn’t work, use the classic “moving boxes for free,” and something should come up.
Already moved? Here’s thing things you need to do after moving day!
Find Moving Boxes Near Me
There are lots of other places you can find moving boxes. Use the map below to find some in your area.
Cheap Moving Boxes
If none of these work, but they almost all but definitely will, you can always try Cheap Moving Boxes, check them out here.
They offer a great selection of moving boxes and other moving supplies at really low prices. So if you are short on time and need moving boxes fast you can try them.
Final Thoughts on Getting Free Cardboard Moving Boxes
Check one of these places or check all of them. The key takeaway is that there are plenty of places where you can get free moving boxes or at very little cost to you.
As long as they are sturdy cardboard boxes and you can fill them up with bubble wrap, lock them down with some packing tape and you are good to go.
The point is there are many places for finding free moving boxes, don’t get discouraged if you don’t find one on your first place. There are lots of places to find free moving boxes online and offline. You should have all the free boxes you need in no time. To help with your move make a DIY moving binder, to ensure you don’t forget anything along the way.
If you know of others, please share it with other Millennials in the comments below. We’re all in this together.
Trying to sell your house? Here is the answer to How to sell my home cheap.
Related: When to start packing for a move