Moving Boxes: Where and How to Get Them
Whether you are looking for free moving boxes, cheap moving boxes, or specialised ones for fragile items, our guide will tell you how to get them and where – just in time for your move.
Where to Get Free Boxes
You can easily find moving boxes for free, although the downside is that there are no guarantees that they will have the boxes you need. One option is to ask your friends and family if they have any packaging materials. Besides that, there are some websites such as Freecycle and Gumtree where you might be able to find free boxes, otherwise you can try to visit these local places in your neighbourhood:
- Recycling centres
- Book stores
- Supermarkets
- Your local pharmacy
- Restaurants
Tip! Your mover might provide moving boxes for you. Speak with your advisor to see if they offer this service for free!
Where to Buy Your Moving Boxes
If you decide to buy moving boxes, keep in mind that buying them online and in bulk will likely be cheaper than buying them in the shop, although they might take a couple of days to arrive. However, as a rough estimate a normal box should cost between £2 – £5 each. You can buy removal boxes online or in store:
Must-know: If you are buying moving boxes, try to get corrugated boxes as they tend to be stronger and more durable than normal cardboard.
Where to Hire Boxes for Moving
Another solution is to hire moving boxes, especially if you don’t want lots of them lying around after your move! These are often heavy-duty and made of plastic so they should fully protect your belongings. In addition, you can often get these delivered to your home via next day delivery so you don’t need to wait long. A few examples of where you can hire moving boxes include Crate Hire UK, Pluscrates and Teacrate.
Extra Information
Now you know where to get your moving boxes; check out our extra information to help you with the buying process.
What size box do I need?
Moving boxes tend to come in three sizes:
- Small (18′ x 18′ x 10′) – ideal for packing items such as books, DVDs, pictures, kitchen items and small appliances up to 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 many boxes do I need?
If you are not sure how many boxes you need to order, our removal calculator can help you figure out the volume of your move. This way you can estimate how many boxes you will need! You can also get moving kits from certain retailers where they send you the approximate number of boxes you need based on how big your household is.
What type of box should I get?
There is more than one type of moving box for your move. As well as being able to get cardboard and plastic boxes, you can also get corrugated boxes, double-wall cardboard boxes and boxes with bubble wrap to further protect your belongings, particularly fragile items. In addition, you can get boxes specifically made for mirrors, TVs, wardrobes and more.
Do I need any packing materials?
Besides using tape to secure the fastening of the boxes themselves, protective material such as bubble wrap, paper or Styrofoam can be used to give you further piece of mind over the safety of your belongings. Read our dedicated article on packing for moving house for more information.
What Next?
Now that you know where you can get your moving boxes from, you may find these articles on Sirelo useful for your move:
- Removal Costs: Find out the average cost of a move within the UK
- Removal Quotes: Get a quote for your move!
- Moving Furniture: How to carry out your furniture removal
Good luck with your move!
