Where to Get Boxes for Moving

Finding Moving Boxes: Where to Start

With your house removal on the horizon, it’s time to get everything you need to have a smooth removal with the first stop being removal boxes!

If you’ve never moved in your life, or it’s been a while, you might have questions as to where to get moving boxes. Keep reading, and we’ll answer those questions and more.

There are four options as to where you can source your moving boxes:

• Thrift them
• Buy them
• Rent them
• Removal companies

Just click above to be teleported to the relevant section! Keep reading and you’ll come across them along with some of Sirelo’s tips and tricks for choosing and packing your boxes. 😉

Do Removal Companies Provide Moving Boxes?

Naturally, as they deal with people who need house removal boxes, moving companies will often provide moving boxes! You can buy them or rent them from the removal company and even avail of their packing services!

If you don’t yet have a removal company and would like to find one, then click below and receive up to 5 removal quotes. Find a moving company with boxes for you, today!

Where to Get Free Moving Boxes

The best things in life don’t come cheap! However, getting removal boxes for moving is the anomaly to this mantra. One way to save on your removal costs is to understand where to get free moving boxes. There are myriad ways to do so, including the following:

📱 Phone a friend

There is nothing more important than camaraderie. Ask any family or friends who have recently moved or receives a lot of deliveries if they have any that you could use as home removal boxes. If not, they may be able to impart some wisdom on where to get free boxes for moving.

🏪 Local shops

Stock turnaround in both shops and hospitality venues is fast. Especially in smaller venues, having a bunch of boxes knocking around is inconvenient, so you can do them a favour by taking some off their hands since any box can be a removal box. A win-win! 😎

♻️ Recycling centres

Visit your local recycling centre and speak to the attendant or manager about where to get boxes for moving as people will often leave their used ones here.

⚠ Beware: Even for the brave among us who wave of creepy-crawlies no bother, be really careful when selecting moving boxes from a recycling centre. The last thing you want to do is bring unwanted intruders (mites!) to your new home and have to fumigate it immediately. Not the kind of housewarming present anyone deserves!

🌐 Online

Using the internet to find out where to get free boxes for moving seems obvious. However, trawling through endless websites and filtering through the spam is only going to lead to frustration. We, therefore, recommend going straight to the following sites to start or continue your quest:

• Freecycle – A not-for-profit where registered persons give away all sorts of bits and bobs for free- including moving boxes! There is also a ‘wanted’ section where you can declare what you are looking for.
• Craigslist – A quick search should indicate to you where to get boxes for moving in your local area. Be wary of going too far afield as the money you save will be undone by additional travel costs.
• Gumtree – Another hidden gem for free goods; and once again, moving boxes are often on the menu.Another hidden gem for free goods; and once again, moving boxes are often on the menu.

There is no doubt that the above options are a great way to source moving boxes online and in real life. However, there is always a catch. Here are the pros and cons of getting free moving boxes:

✔️ Pros

• They are free…duh!
• Reusing boxes is good for the environment; killing two birds with one stone some might say! As climate change becomes an ever more pressing issue, make sure you read about other ways to complete a sustainable house move.

❌ Cons

• It can be time–consuming to find the right shape, size and quantity you need, especially if trawling through several locations.
• Second-hand moving boxes may be damaged, wet, or worse still, carry bugs.

Where to Buy Moving Boxes

If you prefer the sheen from fresh and untouched house removal boxes or you don’t have the time to trawl the internet to find second-hand boxes, then buying the new might be the option for you, just make sure you know the cost of moving boxes first.

Given that buying new removal packing boxes is the most expensive of all the options, it’s best to be clued up on where to get boxes for moving and save yourself a pretty penny or two. A good start is some of the following websites to find moving boxes in the UK:

• Argos
• Ikea
• B&Q
• Amazon
• Removal Boxes 
• Staples
• Davpack
• Bigbrown

You’ll not only be able to buy moving boxes, but also packing materials at the stores listed above. Just make one big order to get your moving boxes, packing materials, tape and tape dispenser all in one go!

Sirelo tip: If you are buying moving boxes, opt for double wall moving boxes. They are a more durable and stronger moving box, which you’ll appreciate if your goods need to spend any time in storage or traversing the high seas.

Below are the pros and cons of choosing to buy moving materials:

✔️ Pros

• You are guaranteed to be able to find all the items you need, in good condition.
• It is quick, easy and stress-free.
• Has all the material you need to pack moving boxes.

❌ Cons

• It costs money– given that moving house is expensive, cutting back on costs where you can is crucial!
• It produces unnecessary waste.

Where to Rent Boxes for Moving

If you like the idea of more eco-friendly moving boxes, you can try hiring boxes. You can rent plastic moving boxes that are reusable and sturdy. The following websites offer removal boxes to rent in the UK:

• Crate Hire UK
• Pluscrates
• Teacrate

Again, organising where to find moving boxes involves careful deliberation of the advantages and disadvantages of each method. For hiring moving boxes, consider the following:

✔️ Pros

• The boxes you are given are usually heavy-duty and made of plastic and so will protect your belongings securely.
• There is guaranteed quality control; all moving boxes will be in the right shape, size and condition.
• It is cheaper than buying them outright.
• As house removal boxes are being re-used it is more environmentally conscious than buying them and disposing of them upon completion of your move.

If you happen to be a fan of a smaller footprint, you can read our blog on having a more sustainable move. Protect mother earth!

❌ Cons

• It incurs an expense.
• It can take time and organisation to pick them up and return them to the store.

Expert Tips on How to Pack Boxes for Moving

After procuring all the moving boxes you’ll need, you might want some tips on how to fill those boxes. Below we cover some useful tips on how to fill your boxes!

📚 How to Pack Books in a Moving Box

When it comes to packing books in a removal box, the key is to use small removal boxes. A big moving box of books would be far to heavy to lift. So, use a small box and fill up with your books, checking to make sure it doesn’t become too heavy.

You should also use some packing material to protect the books, particularly on the sides, cover to cover will be alright. Finally, don’t forget to label the box!

👕 How to Pack Clothes in Boxes for Moving

For clothes, you can often buy a wardrobe moving box in which you can hang your clothes, it’s very convenient, no folding! As for items that you won’t be hanging, use a frequent traveller technique: roll your clothes, not fold them, when putting them in the moving box. It’ll save you time and space.

🍽️ How to Pack Dishes in Moving Boxes

With dishes, you’ll need to give them a protective buffer in the moving box to prevent them from breaking. To do this, you should place a layer of crumpled paper at the bottom of the moving box to act as padding to absorb any shock.

Wrap each piece of crockery as you place it in the box, checking to stop the removal box from becoming too heavy. Finally, fill any and every crevice and check to see if the dishes can move. If they move, you need to add more. Then cover with a layer of crumpled paper and seal. Voilà, you’ve done a great job!

📦 How to Tape Moving Boxes

First, make sure the bottom of the removal box is taped before you start filling. You don’t want to have meticulously placed everything in a moving box only for it to all fall out when you lift it! You’ll also need to ensure that the tape you’re using is strong enough.

When sealing the box, make sure that your belongings are not pressing against the top, otherwise, a box cutter won’t be able to save your items from being damaged when you start opening your removal boxes.

Remember to tape all the seams of the moving box, it should look like an ‘H’.

FAQ About Moving Boxes

Beyond understanding where to get boxes for moving, there are other tips and tricks you may find useful. We are therefore here to solve any remaining moving boxes related queries you might have.

What Size Box Do You Need?

Moving boxes tend to come in three sizes. These are:

• Small (18′ x 18′ x 10′) – ideal for packing items such as books, DVDs, pictures, kitchen items and small appliances up to 44lbs (20kg).
• Medium (18′ x 18′ x 20′) – best for packing clothes, ornaments and cupboard items.
• Large (18′ x 18′ x 30′) – perfect for packing towels, bedding, cushions and other bulkier objects.

How Much Do Moving Boxes Cost?

Before you go buying house removal boxes, it’s good to be aware of the price. Below, we’ve made a list of the cost of moving boxes. It’ll be handy to estimate the costs for your budget.

Disclaimer: the above prices are based on an average so the price will differ depending on where you source your house removal boxes.

How Many Boxes Do You Need?

Of course, this depends on the size of your house move. If you are not sure how much stuff you have, use our handy furniture volume calculator to help you out. From here, you will be able to calculate the rough number of boxes you need, before cracking on with finding out where to get boxes for moving.

What Type of Box Should You Get?

We touched on this briefly, but there are various kinds of moving boxes available to you. As well as the basic cardboard and plastic boxes, you can also get corrugated boxes, double-walled cardboard boxes and house removal boxes with bubble-wrap.

These stronger boxes will provide greater protection for your belongings, so investigate into these if you are moving with any fragile items. As they’re stronger, you can also stack these house removal boxes without having to worry that they’ll crumple under their own weight!

Sirelo Tip: You can also get moving boxes designed for specific items such as mirrors, TVs and wardrobes. Perhaps most importantly, if you are looking to move a piano, a basic cardboard box simply won’t do!

On to the Next Moving Step!

First of all, congratulations! You’re now officially an expert on how to get boxes for moving. We hope we have shown that there isn’t a single way to get moving boxes, but instead you can find the best option for you, or a combination of a few methods.

However, moving isn’t just about moving boxes: you therefore may find the articles we’ve linked below useful for other aspects of your move. 🙂 Good luck with your move!