Cheap but good quality packing boxes?

ostrich7

Hello, I searched for boxes in this forum and couldn't find a mention...

We're moving three times this year and so we need boxes that are sturdy, can be collapsed and then put together again and most importantly, are cheap!

Does anyone have experience or knowledge of a really good company that doesn't charge the earth?

Looking at all the different moving packs offered by the box companies makes me laugh. A free pen and roll of tape thrown in.

Any information would be really gratefully recieved - the reason we're moving area in the first place is because we can't afford our mortgage and the whole move is going to cost so much!

One thing we have achieved for the record, is good estate agent fees. The one we are going with has agreed a set fee of £1k including a board, local paper advertisements, inclusion on Rightmove and no sale no fee and it's not an exclusive deal. So it's not all doom and gloom, there are some good deals out there.

skim

i went around some of the companies that make boxes for local companies in the area. Turns out they had loads of boxes that weren't good enough to sell to their customers - e.g. the printing was smudged etc.

They just gave them to me - over 60 boxes. I gave the guy a tenner for a few drinks.

Worth a try

ostrich7

What an idea. I'll try that first. Thanks. x

DawnW

We hired some large plastic crates when we last moved, from a local company. Check the yellow pages, removal and storage firms often hire them out (get prices from several), even if you don't use their other services. It did not cost much at all, though there was a deposit. The good thing was, we simply took them back afterwards, got our deposit back, and didn't have loads of cardboard to get rid of - the last thing you want to think about when you have just moved house!

ostrich7

We have to use boxes as we're moving 3 times and some stuff will stay boxed from move one to three while we rent twice in-between (!).

It's a good thought for future single moves though.

I just zipped down to the local Co-Op and there was a pallet of cardboard boxes at the back. All soaking wet but I 'rescued' three of them and will dry them out. Not good for most moving stuff as they are so small but good for books and CDs if I tape them well enough.

Any other box advice would be appreciated!

havekidsamskint

why don't you go into your local supermareket and ask for boxes, they will generally keep them for you until you collect them the next day.

ostrich7

I'll try this too. I know someone who works in the bakery at the local supermarket - she might be able to help if she know's someone.

We'll still have to shop around for huge boxes for big, light stuff. What shop sells HUGE stuff that I can try and get the packaging for?! I guess I could try Homebase and B&Q...

emg

If you know anyone who works in a hospital it is worth asking them about boxes they get through hundreds of cardboard boxes a week and they are really good strong boxes as they generally contain quite heavy things (IV bags, etc.)

Mrs_Optimist

emg you beat me to it - our BIL works in the local hospital dealing with the medical supplies and we have had LOADS of freebie boxes of various sizes that are very strong. Ask at your local hospital - they will have mountains of them - far more than you will need. It also saves them yhving to dispose of them too so they are glad to ged rid.

Rebob

Also, ask on freecycle. Someone on our local one had the proper ones and just could not be bothered returning them for the refund.

TokochickUK

hiya, i used to work for a corrugated packaging company ( card board boxes lol) again as mentioned ask about boxes that cant be used by companys ie b&w speaker boxes, good quality, double wall and huge but the company expec quaility so if stitching (staples ) are not done to a standard then they refuse the boxes. and the company will a) use them for pallatising and sending other orders out or b) will let them go to somebody who asks them at a much cheaper price. Ie the double wall boxes imtalkin agout can go for £10 per box, but will be sold for say £3/4 another hing i would suggest would be to make a friend of a worker and they get paid not very good money always so will happy to source them for you for a much smaller price x hth x