If you want to keep your belongings safe and secure while moving house, then you’ll need lots and lots of boxes. In this post we’ll discuss some of the best places to get boxes for your move. We’ll also share some additional tips for preparing to move house.
If you are planning a move, then you may also be planning to hire or borrow a van. If you are thinking of borrowing a van from a friend or family member, don’t forget that you’ll need appropriate insurance cover! We can help you get instant online temporary van insurance to last from one hour to 28 days. Get a free quote online today.
The Best Places to Find Boxes For Your Move
Should You Buy New Boxes to Move?
Moving house can be a very expensive time, so you might not feel like spending any more money than you have to. But there are benefits to buying new boxes for your move. Brand new boxes will be clean, highly sturdy, and potentially much stronger than any boxes you might get second-hand. Plus, any boxes you buy will probably be of a uniform size. This will make them much easier to stack when you’re moving.
If you have mounds and mounds of belongings to move, then it might not be cost effective to buy enough boxes for everything. But you may still want to get some clean, solid, and reliable new boxes for moving your most fragile and valuable possessions.
Shops like Staples, IKEA, and Costco are likely to sell new boxes in a range of sizes. Most good supermarkets should stock a selection, too.
But if you’re heading to the supermarket…
How to Get Boxes From Supermarkets
Supermarkets take in loads of new stock multiple times a week, and almost all of that new stock comes packed in boxes. Usually, supermarkets recycle their leftover delivery boxes. But most of them make them available to the public for a while before they do so.
You’ll usually find a small selection of cardboard boxes stacked near the checkout tills, or near the supermarket’s entrance. If you can’t find any at your local supermarket, ask a member of staff if they have any in the storeroom they could give you.
Because supermarkets take deliveries so often, you’ll likely be able to return to your nearest supermarket multiple times over the course of a week and get more boxes every time. You could also do the rounds of all the supermarkets in your area until you have all the boxes you need.
The downside is that these boxes might be a little dusty, and they could be a bit worn or battered. Plus, they’ll likely be in a range of different sizes, which will make stacking a little bit more difficult. But they’re free. So who’s complaining?
Visit Your Local Newsagents
Like supermarkets, newsagents also routinely take new deliveries. But unlike supermarkets, newsagents don’t tend to have much space to store the empty boxes left over following a delivery. So they’ll usually dispose of all boxes as soon as possible.
If you visit your local newsagent and ask nicely, they might be more than happy to let you take their empty boxes off their hands. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch them just after a delivery day, so they should have a bunch of boxes ready for you to take. But if not, they might let you know when their next delivery’s due. They might then save any boxes for you to collect on that date.
Ask Around
Make it known to your friends and family that you’re moving house, and that you’ll need as many boxes as possible for your move.
At the same time, you could ask if any of your friends or family will be available to help you move on the day. Don’t be surprised if you don’t get many takers here. But they may be happy to help you in other ways – such as through donating some boxes to your cause.
Tips For Packing Your Valuables
Things like books and clothing are pretty straightforward to pack. But you’ll have to take extra care when packing or valuable items, such as antiques and crockery.
Wrap any delicate items as securely as possible in newspaper or bubble-wrap, then place them in the strongest and sturdiest box you have available. Fill the spaces between the items in the box with scrunched up newspaper or packing foam.
Are you moving any artwork? Be sure to read our full guide to packing fine art paintings and prints for travel.
Once you’ve packed all of your possessions into boxes, you’ll then have to load them into your van or truck. There’s a knack to packing a van for a house move; some best practices to follow that will help you keep everything as safe and secure as possible. Read our full guide to preparing and packing a van for a move.
Saving Money By Borrowing a Van to Move?
Borrowing a van from friends or family for your move can prove a lot more cost-effective than hiring a van. It will certainly be a lot more affordable than hiring a specialist removal company. But if you’re planning on handling the move yourself, it’s important to ensure you know what you’re doing.
Above all, if you are thinking of borrowing a van from a friend or relative, don’t forget that you’ll need appropriate insurance cover! We can help you get instant online temporary van insurance to last from one hour to 28 days. Get a free quote online today.
