Places to get free cardboard boxes for Moving
Moving is stressful and expensive, plus it’s daunting to find cardboard boxes, and while we can’t help you move. We can help you with the best place to get cardboard boxes.
The average cost of local moving is around $1400 and can get high up to $6000 for long distance, then imagine forking extra money for cardboard boxes. Urgh, right?
Thankfully, that’s why we put this article together to highlight some ways to get moving boxes for free.
Summary
EmptyBox Station
Craigslist listings
Facebook Marketplace
Friends and Family
Yard Sales
Uhaul customer connect
Recycling Centers
Liquor stores
Local colleges or universities
Supermarket
Petstore
Places to get free cardboard boxes for Moving
EmptyBox Station
You can get free boxes by visiting any of our stations as easily as ABC, and also drop off cardboard boxes also if you’d like.
There are so many ways to get cardboard boxes, and the mission of EmptyBox is to provide a simple approach to getting free Cardboard Boxes, thereby reducing environmental waste.
Here’s a link to our stations to easily pick up or drop off Cardboard boxes. EmptyBox Reuse Station
Craigslist listings
For those of you unfamiliar with Craigslist, it is an online marketplace for listing anything. It’s a great place to find things people are looking to give away or sell. There is a free section, where you can search for cardboard boxes, moving boxes, etc, and check out those looking to give their boxes away for free. This is a very good starting point to find free boxes. Other classified alternatives are NextDoor, OfferUp, Letgo, and EmptyBox stations website.
Facebook Marketplace
This popular social media networking site allows users not only to chat with friends and family but also to utilize its marketplace to advertise items to anyone in the world. Visit the Facebook marketplace and type “free boxes” in the search field. You can filter the results by location so it’s easy to pick up.
Other sections on Facebook, include searching on local and community groups and posting about it.
Friends and Family
One of the easiest ways to find cardboard boxes is to ask friends and family. Many people shop and keep these boxes sticking around for a while so, you never know. Also, walk around your neighborhood for anyone who just moved and ask nicely. Chances are they cannot wait to get rid of them.
Yard sales
Yard sales stock up a decent number of cardboard boxes, and most would be happy to part with them. Extra points if you come towards the end of the sale.
Uhaul customer connect
U-Haul Customer Connect is a service set up by U-Haul that lets you search for free moving supplies near you. You can take advantage of their services to find free boxes, as most people there would be happy to get rid of their boxes.
Enter your zip code or city into the search box and you’ll find free moving boxes that are just waiting for a new home.
Recycling Centers
Usually, the last place people think due to some of the boxes getting flattened down but recycling centers are a huge source of boxes. You can check around in your city for some boxes, but if flattened, you can hold them together with some firm packing tape.
Liquor stores
Liquor Stores have great boxes. Since they are used for shipping glass, they are generally high quality and often have handy dividers. Make sure to call a day or two in advance to ensure they’ll have enough for you if you’ll need a larger quantity. Restaurants, Coffee shops, Pharmacies, bookstores, and Bars are additional places to check for free boxes.
Supermarket
Another jackpot for boxes. There is a constant supply of cardboard boxes available due to the large number of deliveries they receive. The boxes in a supermarket are usually in very good condition.
Pro Tip- Make a point of heading to the supermarket either early in the morning between 7 am and 8 am or late at night after 10 pm, as these are key times when shelves are restocked and you’re going to be able to ask a member of staff who replenishes stock.
Some places to check are Walmart, Target, Amazon, Walgreens, Kroger, Traderjoe, IKEA, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Bath and Body Works, etc.
Local colleges or Universities
There is a regular period when students move out and move in, so you can get free boxes from students, especially from colleges and universities close to you. The beginning of the school year is a good time to check.
Petstore
Surprised right? Another source of cardboard boxes that most people seem to miss. Visit any local pet store around and ask for free boxes. PetSmart and Petco are a couple of examples.
There you have it, some of the best ways to get free cardboard boxes.
Keep in mind though that cardboard recycling is a big business, so it’s all about timing as they tend to get picked quickly.
You can use our station’s website link EmptyBox Reuse Station, to see boxes as they are available live and also drop off yours for those who might need these boxes.