Moving Boxes?

[honeybadger]

I know a lot of people go to stores and ask for their old boxes when prepping for a move. Has anyone bought boxes from a storage company/moving/U-Haul etc? I figure a lot of people will say the movers brought their boxes but this doesn't apply. Our move to a new house whole DH is in Korea is OOP.

We were going to go the all-tote route at first. But I'm not ready to invest that much money so we'll be using existing totes for things that are already packed. Holiday decor, for instance. And using some extras for cleaning supplies, pantry items that we are taking since we are going from this house right into another rental.

So, I'm going to be scouting stores for bubble wrap and boxes ( to buy ), if we can't round up any more freebies. Suggestions?

[kpol]

I've never bought boxes but don't forget to check Craigslist and your bases FB page. I also think Lowes/Home Depot sells boxes. If you're going to ask stores, liquor stores tend to have very durable, small, boxes.

[beans]

I have bought boxes from UHaul. If you dont use them, they'll buy them back. Also I have scrounged the boxes that paper comes in (for offices) I like those, they have lids. I use them for kitchen things a lot, because you can fit a good amount of stuff in there, but the size keeps it from getting too heavy.

I actually have a box hoarding habit. Some of the boxes I have moved with since I was a baby in college. I have a longer relationship with them than I do DH! Its kind of embarrassing, but I like keeping them. I know how to fit all my stuff in them! Also I have thought about never doing a mil move, because I like my boxes. I am silly like that.

[beans]

sometimes freecycle might have boxes listed?

[honeybadger]

Beans, where do you store all of these while you're living in your house?? I always get boxes right out to our recycle bins/side of house for pick up. I tried once to save them but that was in AZ and when I grabbed one to set it up, cockroaches scurried. I freaked and threw them all out. Haven't bothered storing them since.

[honeybadger]

Oh, but great ideas ladies! Should help me have a productive week of scrounging!

[GracieLouFreebush]

The people on our bases's FB page are always trading boxes.

[beans]

May 22, 2012 14:56:44 GMT -5 honeybadger said:

Beans, where do you store all of these while you're living in your house?? I always get boxes right out to our recycle bins/side of house for pick up. I tried once to save them but that was in AZ and when I grabbed one to set it up, cockroaches scurried. I freaked and threw them all out. Haven't bothered storing them since.

I flatten them and find a hidey place for them to live. In college, they all fit under my bed. In San Antonio I had a closet and some space where the washer/dryer were. In ABQ, we had a WHOLE glorious storage closet space where I kept boxes and a large back part in the garage. The storage space at that house on base was AMAZING. like, a box hoarder's dream.

We have a small closet off the balcony here and some parts of the second bedroom. I actually had to part with some boxes this move because we didnt have enough space I chose some that were on their last legs. DH probably thinks I am nuts (as do you all now...) but I was actually somewhat sad about it.

I love a good box. I also keep appliance boxes (like for my mixers, etc). I figure what better way to safely move crap than the way they were shipped to the store?

Its a problem, talking about it makes me feel nutso. I might need a 12 step program.

(Fun fact- I was talking to HellsMells about this once, she gave me the craziest look and told me I would need to get over that! haha, good times)


ETA I started this box hoarding when I was in college. I had helped my sister move out of the dorms and all these college kids were moving in plastic garbage bags, I saw how much that sucked and bags ripping. When I moved in, I thought "I'll just keep these boxes to move out with" I have never had an issue with bugs living in them. That I know of, I guess

[basilosaurus]

Huh, my message didn't post.

I look on craigslist. Sometimes it's an individual who recently moved, but I've also gotten fantastic boxes from stores. The best were from a hydoponic "don't ask about pot" store. No, really, the boxes were sturdy but not too big. Plus they had these funny pointy leaves on the side

Starbucks also has excellent boxes. I got mine from a friend who was a manager, but I would imagine if you go in and ask them to put some aside for you they would.

I don't like liquor store boxes.

[Deleted]

Ask on your local base's fb page. Or drive around on base the night before trash day and I bet you will find moving boxes.

I hoard boxes as well, beans. Even my candles and decor from partylite have boxes and so does my scentsy pots!

[honeybadger]

Good for you, though! Seriously. I feel like rounding up the shit to pack your things in is the biggest pain in the butt. I should have saved the ones from last time but I feel like we would have had the same problem (bugs). The bugs here in Louisiana are outrageous. And it is summer.

I don't think box hoarding is THAT weird. Everyone has their...quirks? And atleast yours is useful! There is nothing useful about my anxiety over inanimate objects being lonely. You know, like one fork left in the utensil divider...because the rest are in the dishwasher. Or one cup left alone in the sink, putting only one dirty dishrag in the washing machine alone, a lone sock in the underwear drawer (duh, what if they bully!? haha kidding. kind of.), etc. J thinks I am fucking insane.

[beans]

May 22, 2012 15:32:14 GMT -5 honeybadger said:

Good for you, though! Seriously. I feel like rounding up the shit to pack your things in is the biggest pain in the butt. I should have saved the ones from last time but I feel like we would have had the same problem (bugs). The bugs here in Louisiana are outrageous. And it is summer.

I don't think box hoarding is THAT weird. Everyone has their...quirks? And atleast yours is useful! There is nothing useful about my anxiety over inanimate objects being lonely. You know, like one fork left in the utensil divider...because the rest are in the dishwasher. Or one cup left alone in the sink, putting only one dirty dishrag in the washing machine alone, a lone sock in the underwear drawer (duh, what if they bully!? haha kidding. kind of.), etc. J thinks I am fucking insane.

lol you're funny. That dishrag thing seems the most bothersome. Like, without company it might turn into some kind of dishrag-morphed-blob monster. That's what came into my head.

My friend told me the humidity here would ruin my boxes and I was like !"I need to get a climate controlled storage unit!!!!" it was so funny. I was not entirely joking. I told DH we needed to move them inside. The giant TV box got water damage, I was like "how do I get a new box for that?!" but it is still usable.

At least as a therapist, I can recognize the nutso. And CBT myself down from things. (cognitive behavior therapy)

[honeybadger]

HOLY SHIT, How am I going to pack our tv? No, really? I hadn't even thought about that. It atleast needs to be wrapped with a bunch of bubble wrap.

I NEVER thought to save the box to it. Things like that, I am like GET THE TRASH OUT! I need to be more mindful of these things, like you.

[Deleted]

They make boxes for TVs.

[y4m]

Lowes and Home Depot sell brand new boxes for really cheap. Like $.70 for small ones to maybe $1.50 for larger ones.

[honeybadger]

May 22, 2012 15:29:03 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Huh, my message didn't post.

I look on craigslist. Sometimes it's an individual who recently moved, but I've also gotten fantastic boxes from stores. The best were from a hydoponic "don't ask about pot" store. No, really, the boxes were sturdy but not too big. Plus they had these funny pointy leaves on the side

Starbucks also has excellent boxes. I got mine from a friend who was a manager, but I would imagine if you go in and ask them to put some aside for you they would.

I don't like liquor store boxes.

Pot Boxes = winning!

[honeybadger]

May 22, 2012 16:14:32 GMT -5 y4m said:

Lowes and Home Depot sell brand new boxes for really cheap. Like $.70 for small ones to maybe $1.50 for larger ones.

Thanks for the price reference! I was going to call around and go out to look at prices tonight so this is a great place to start! I was picturing $5 boxes, for some reason.

[beans]

May 22, 2012 15:46:41 GMT -5 honeybadger said:

HOLY SHIT, How am I going to pack our tv? No, really? I hadn't even thought about that. It atleast needs to be wrapped with a bunch of bubble wrap.

I NEVER thought to save the box to it. Things like that, I am like GET THE TRASH OUT! I need to be more mindful of these things, like you.

welcome to the dark side, my friend. You can sit right here next to me.

This is how I think about things.

[blueshirt2003]

I bought boxes from Lowes.

[sookie]

Go on Facebook business pages local to you and ask the home based business ladies. We ALWAYS have boxes.

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

Costco sells moving kits.

The military doesn't pack and move for you anymore? Man, am I out of touch.

(Former spouse of vet disabled who last moved via military 25 years ago where they did pretty much everything. Sorry, you're between MM and ML and I clicked on you guys.)

[Deleted]

May 23, 2012 18:01:58 GMT -5 Beeps (WOT?*) said:

Costco sells moving kits.

The military doesn't pack and move for you anymore? Man, am I out of touch.

(Former spouse of vet disabled who last moved via military 25 years ago where they did pretty much everything. Sorry, you're between MM and ML and I clicked on you guys.)

They do. You just didn't read where it was just to a new house and not a new base.

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

Thanks Lemon. Skimming posts leads to reading fail.

I was afraid it was another cut to military benefits. There has been enough of them over the years.

How far is the move? We've been known to toss hanging clothes in the back of the car and pull drawers out, take them to the new place, unload and bring back the drawers. Saves on boxing them. (My mom had the moving bug. I lived in 40 houses before I turned 18 - 3 of them in one building.)

[honeybadger]

1,000 miles. We are moving from our current base to a rental in our homestate, out of pocket. Because my H is going to Korea for the year and we will be moving to Alaska next summer (before he gets back). We are taking some short cuts like packing clothes in luggage, and using the drawers of dressers and securing them shut. Leaving DS's toys in toy bins and sealing them, etc. But for the kitchen, my crafts, decor, and garage things we needed the garage.

I went to Lowe's yesterday and grabbed some. They weren't too expensive! And I didn't have to go running around to houses/businesses to round them up. Granted, that would have been the frugal thing to do but it was almost 100 degrees yesterday and I just wanted to get home. Thanks girls!