Where can I get empty boxes? Don't worry about where to get moving boxes.

Everyone who has moved has been faced with a simple question: what to pack things in.

Each of us has a huge number of things - big and small, valuable and unnecessary, expensive and cheap. And when it becomes necessary to move an apartment, a lot of packing is required.

Few people keep enough empty boxes and bags at home. The exception is people who often change their place of residence, but they usually do not load the house with a large number of personal belongings and have experience in organizing moves. So where can you get the required number of boxes, bags, film and other packaging materials? Let's consider the options.

Bags. Many people planning a move consider them the most convenient type of packaging. Indeed, in any supermarket or nearby stores you can buy bags of different sizes, volumes, strength and colors. If there is adhesive tape, the packaging problem can be considered solved. Inexpensive and simple.

The advantages of such packaging:

• Affordable price. The cost of a bag is significantly lower than a cardboard box. However, keep in mind that you will need more bags than boxes.
• Availability. Bags of various sizes can be purchased at your local supermarket.
• Small sizes. Bags and packages can be used to store or transport things. They take up little space and may be needed in various situations.
• Package weight. Yes, the bag weighs much less than an average-sized box, but most often this difference is not so important.

There are more disadvantages of this container than advantages:

• Packing things in bags is very difficult! It is often difficult to fill a bag on your own; help is required. The soft shape does not contribute to the correct and quick packing of things.
• Even the strongest bags are not the most reliable material. Only soft things can be packed well in them - clothes, toys, etc. Solid objects, especially those with sharp corners, should not be transported in bags. Inside the bag, the weight is distributed unevenly, so for example, a bag with a strength of 25-30 kg can withstand no more than 15 kg during transportation.
• Things in bags are not protected from damage. Items can be damaged by impacts or friction against each other.
• Bags are not very convenient for movers. Even if you use the same size bags, once filled they will all be different sizes and shapes. In addition, you should think before placing one bag on top of another - things inside can easily be damaged.
• Bags are difficult to label. It is almost impossible to make a list of contents. You will have to guess about the presence and composition of things in the bag.

We can say that bags can be used when moving, but not in all cases. For soft and not very valuable things or in case there is not enough more reliable container.

Boxes. All the positive and negative aspects of packaging bags are also found in cardboard boxes, only in diametrical opposition. Disadvantages - higher price, small number of sales locations, greater volume and weight.

Advantages: ease of packaging, labeling and transportation, greater safety of things.

Where can I get the required number of boxes? And you will need a lot of them! Even when moving a small apartment, the number of boxes with things will be in the dozens! There are several options.

• If you don’t want to spend money on packaging, the only way is to go shopping and ask for unnecessary boxes. But large stores most often hand over cardboard for waste paper, while small stores throw it away. If you find old boxes for your things, it will definitely not be in the required quantity. In addition, they will be different in size, and may not be strong or clean enough. Therefore, to save money, it is better to look for another option and just buy the boxes.
• You can buy packaging in large home goods hypermarkets (for example, IKEA, etc.). But often it is no cheaper than buying from a moving company. In addition, boxes from hypermarkets are great for storing things and not for moving. For the production of such containers, non-durable cardboard is used. If several boxes are stacked on top of each other, the first one may not hold up. Another problem is the square shape of the container. These boxes from stores are good for storing things, but the square shape is inconvenient for loading and unloading. If you choose a transport company for your move, the best solution is to order all the packaging material from them. Large companies usually offer special moving boxes. Several size options: larger, for light and bulky things, medium, universal size and smaller boxes, for things quite heavy (for example, books). Often moving companies have highly specialized boxes for different types of cargo. For example, for office equipment. Or for transporting clothes - things hang neatly in such boxes. This is a very relevant solution for expensive things! The material of the boxes should also ensure the safety of property during the move. Yes, all boxes are made from cardboard, but it varies! To transport things you need to use containers made of durable cardboard. Specialized boxes have convenient markings, with which you can mark the type of cargo, top/bottom orientation, and information about fragile items.

Of course, buying a good container costs money. Several dozen boxes of different sizes and types, packaging film, tape, those same bags - and now the amount is several thousand rubles. But high-quality packaging means the safety of fragile items. After all, even one damaged item can cost more than the cost of the highest quality packaging.

In addition, the moving company’s employees will be able to suggest the optimal number of cardboard boxes and other packaging materials. Which, in turn, will help you correctly calculate costs.

From experience, even if the transportation is carried out independently, it is better to purchase packaging material specifically for moving. After all, this is not only safe transportation and safety of things, but also comfort. Convenience of both packaging and transportation, as well as subsequent unpacking of the boxes. And it's worth it!

The issue of packing things when moving is one of the most pressing. Where to get moving boxes in sufficient quantities, how to save on packaging and time to search for it, what do you need to know about boxes and their varieties? In fact, there are several options for solving the problem - you can even find empty cardboard boxes in Moscow or any large city for free. But there are simpler ways. Let's look at all the possible options.

Free boxes

Finding such packaging is quite difficult - most private companies even prefer to make money from this and hand over the cardboard for recycling. However, for some, it is more profitable to throw away the containers than to spend time and effort on storage and removal. There are also government agencies where control of secondary resources is not so strict.

Consider several options where there is a high probability of receiving boxes for free:

• Trading enterprises. Most often these are large centers - in Moscow, the packaging you need is available in Metro, Pyaterochka, Lenta, Magnit, Leroy Merlin stores. However, a trip to the nearest grocery store or office supply store can also be successful.
• Banks and offices. Do not hesitate to call the institutions closest to you - they need large volumes of office supplies, the boxes from which may be unnecessary.
• Internet search. Look for the packaging you need online - on thematic websites for free advertisements they often give things away for free with the condition of removal. As an option, put out your advertisement - if you do this in advance, then such a solution is quite realistic.
• Loaders and storekeepers. People who have access to the resources you need will often agree to help—but only for a small fee.

Go to thematic forums - you can find tips there: visit a mini-market, contact a corrugated recycling center, look in high-rise buildings near trash cans at the end of the day.

Call your friends - perhaps someone recently moved and has some boxes left over.

Alternative option

You can choose a different type of container when transporting cargo within a city or region - polyethylene bags have their advantages for packaging soft and unbreakable items. They have:

1. low price;
2. light weight;
3. availability (sold at any retail outlet).

However, the disadvantages of such packaging are obvious, and there are many more of them than the advantages:

• inconvenience - outside help is needed to pack things;
• fragility - polyethylene breaks easily under mechanical stress;
• complexity of marking - the paint is easily erased during transportation;
• discomfort of transportation – for loaders, carrying and storing bags is less convenient than the same process with boxes.

You can purchase bags as packaging for the least valuable and light items, but even this option will create confusion when disassembling and searching for the necessary items.

If money is not the main thing

The transport company where you ordered transportation may offer you to purchase containers and even pack your things. However, few people trust their lives to strangers. In this case, to save time, you are left with one reliable option - buy cardboard moving boxes from a store that does this regularly. Products from such resources have several advantages:

• increased strength;
• affordable price;
• a wide selection of sizes (from small to wardrobe);
• ease of packaging, labeling and transportation.

Online resources offer certified products - their boxes are environmentally friendly. You will save on cost when purchasing special kits, which may include:

• Adhesive tape;

• Air bubble film;

  Packing knife;

Stretch film;

• Stickers.

Purchasing all these items separately will result in a larger sum - besides, they will still need to be found. The advantage of purchasing from an online store is the possibility of home delivery - in this case you will also gain time.

When moving overseas, services like U-Haul Customer Connect, Freecycle, and Craigslist are designed to help anyone find free packing supplies. We don’t have this yet, but this does not mean that you will have to spend money on buying new boxes.

Read about where to get free cardboard boxes for your move.

Where to buy moving boxes

Free: stores, warehouses, neighbors and social networks

Neighborhood shops

The #1 source for boxes is stores. Every day goods are delivered to them by trucks, after which the boxes become completely unnecessary. A couple of weeks before moving, visit local department stores and ask salespeople. If you have friends among the cashiers, that’s doubly good. Most likely, they will be happy to provide you with several boxes, either for free or for a nominal fee.

Warehouses and offices

The same thing applies to warehouses and offices.

We know of a case where a moving couple was helped by a book warehouse of a well-known publishing house. It was not a problem to come to an agreement: the warehouse workers happily got rid of the excess waste paper, especially since no one usually takes it into account.

Neighbors, friends and acquaintances

Each of your friends, except those who are very fans of minimalism, will have a couple of boxes from printers, coffee makers and system units that will come in handy. One box at a time - and your things will be packed.

You can ask your neighbors: what if one of them recently moved and did not have time to get rid of the excess?

Social networks and message boards

Ask for help on social networks - for example, in the “I’ll give for free” public pages. Post an ad on Avito or a local forum. Why not? There may well be a few people in your area who will give you extra boxes for free. They will free up space on the mezzanine, and you will collect everything you need for the move.

Waste recycling or waste paper collection companies

If the previous 4 points are not for you, try contacting your local waste recycling plant. Or with a private organization that places containers for separate waste collection. But do it in advance. Employees are unlikely to wait and set aside boxes especially for you.

Paid: large supermarkets and moving companies

Let’s say you weren’t able to find boxes for free, and time is running out. Well, you'll have to buy it.

The cheapest way to order boxes is on Aliexpress, but not everyone can wait about a month for delivery. Packaging materials are also sold in any large construction, hardware and household supermarkets, in stores in the “Everything for the Home” category:

• "Ikea"
• "OK",
• "Auchan"
• "Comus"
• "Castorama"
• Leroy Merlin.

There you can look, touch, choose size and shape.

Boxes are sold folded. It’s very easy to lay them out - in the video you’ll see how to assemble the box and prepare it for packing things:

And the easiest option is to buy boxes and other packing materials from the moving company handling your move. This is usually done as part of a turnkey service, when the company packs, loads, transports, and places in place. But you can buy the packaging separately and pack everything yourself so as not to spend extra money.

These boxes are inexpensive and are selected individually: you definitely won’t have any left over. And then you can post them on Avito or respond to someone’s request on social networks.

Moving to another apartment requires compact packing of things and household items. To do this, the owners use everything they have at hand: large plastic bags, sacks, containers from electrical appliances. It’s even more difficult when an office moves to a new location. Documents and important papers require more careful packaging. A good solution is special moving boxes.

Advantages

Cardboard boxes are able to withstand humidity, high and low temperatures without changing shape. They have sufficient strength, rigidity and frame structure. Each box is secured with tape. It can be quickly removed after use. The weight of this container is small. It will only slightly increase the weight of the load. The compactness of the boxes will allow them to be rationally located in the body of the car.

Cardboard products can be reused many times. After moving into a new room, they are recommended to be used for storing things and clothes. The design features of the boxes allow for easy dismantling. This will allow you to economically store the packaging if necessary. Cardboard is an environmentally friendly packaging material. It will not cause harm to the environment when disposed of.

Functions

Corrugated cardboard containers are the best option for transporting household and office utensils. It performs many functions:

• protection from mechanical influences;
• protection from pollution;
• weather protection;
• rational use of transport space.

According to experts, the use of such containers for delivery of household items guarantees their high degree of safety and saves transportation time.

Our company invites everyone who plans to move to buy cardboard boxes in our online store. Corrugated packaging is sold at a low price. Buying in bulk will be even cheaper.

First of all, these are supermarkets or hypermarkets. The turnover of goods there is very large, therefore there is also a lot of released containers. Come and ask the administrator or store manager if this is possible. For example, in the Metro chain of stores, immediately after the cash registers there are racks with free disassembled cardboard packages of various sizes. You can take cardboard boxes in them for moving for free.

You can go into the sales area and ask any seller or administrator if they have any free boxes. When I asked like that. I was told to go to the back of the store and take what I needed. There were boxes of different sizes. But I was lucky, the car had just been unloaded, so there was a pile of large and very large boxes. And there are boxes, not high, but these are wooden boxes in which it is convenient to put something breakable. And they deliver goods in boxes to hardware stores, you can search around them. Another option is to go to the post office, but they buy packaging containers for money.

Where to get cardboard boxes

• In addition to the large centers, be sure to visit the smaller stores. Don't just focus on grocery stores. A large assortment of unnecessary packaging can be found in stationery, bookstores, flower shops, and hardware stores.
• Talk to staff in advance. They often accommodate your requests, tell you when it’s best to approach and choose what you need.
• Call banks and offices. Yes, sometimes there are also several boxes there that no one ever got around to throwing away. Paper stack boxes are especially good because they have lids.
• Ask around at schools to see if they have any unwanted boxes. Go to a cafe for the same purpose, go to offices. Boxes, as a rule, are just unnecessary garbage, and you, the ridder of this garbage, will be welcome.

At least here, in Moscow, you come to Yulmart (we have 22 points) and there are always a lot of them, and you can even ask to choose more/specific ones. They throw them away anyway.