Cardboard Boxes

Nardge

Dear Forumites,

I hope to be moving in the coming months. I will therefore need to pack all into cardboard boxes.

I previously thought it would be easy enough to collect such discarded boxes from supermarkets and stores, however, they more or less all told me that the boxes are pulled apart and flattened once emptied (apparently for health and safety reasons), and that there's neither a good time nor a place to increase my chances of getting the same. 

Presumably people buy stockpiles of fresh flatpack boxes online nowadays then?

Evidently I can search for these online, but I thought there may be MSE recommendations as to which suppliers are best to buy from e.g. quality, price, green credentials? I know many will have been/will be involved with moving home here already.

Thanking you in advance,

With Kind Regards

Flugelhorn

there seems to be a fairly active "passing on" of moving boxes locally - either through FB groups or other routes I had a large number and they went very quickly to people in batches 

jusferbrowsing

Argos sell cardboard boxes if when you need to pack you find yourself short.

jrawle

I know it's not very MSE, but when I moved, I paid maybe £70 or £80 for a whole load of flat packed boxes from one of the companies online. Given the huge cost of moving, it's a relatively small sum. It removed some of the stress to be able to assemble a new box as I needed one, and not to worry about running out. Also, I am quite particular about the cleanliness of the boxes. I don't want to put my possessions into a box that is soiled (I had this when moving office at work and plastic moving crates were were supplied with were filthy inside...)

As for environmental considerations, I left the unused flat-packed boxes behind for the buyer of my flat (who I knew, and was moving in at a later date.) After unpacking, I passed most others on to a colleague who used them for his move, and a small number I have kept for storage. So none was actually wasted or thrown away.

Noneforit999

Got ours from Amazon.

1616six

Another vote for Facebook. I just kept an eye out on our local town and village Facebook groups and within a week I found more than enough for what we need. 

Just stick a post on your local area group, no doubt someone will help! 

eddddy

Nardge said:

I previously thought it would be easy enough to collect such discarded boxes from supermarkets and stores, however, they more or less all told me that the boxes are pulled apart and flattened once emptied (apparently for health and safety reasons), and that there's neither a good time nor a place to increase my chances of getting the same. 

Supermarkets don't use 'old-fashioned' cardboard boxes any more. Cans / bottles / jars are generally shrink wrapped with a cardboard tray, and then delivered on palettes to the supermarket distribution centre.

The exception is fruit and veg. They often come in shallow boxes like this:



I see quite a few supermarkets leaving piles of these for customers to take. Some Sainsburys seem to keep them in a special area behind the tills. But perhaps those aren't the type of boxes you want.

Off licences sometimes have boxes that contained 12 bottles - but they seem to be in great demand. So the off licences around me will only give them to customers who buy stuff.

badger09

Try your local Freecycle groups. We gave away over 100 sturdy professional removal boxes over a few months. Flat packed for easy collection they’re sturdy once made up. Always lots of them in wants & offers where I live 

Section62

Nardge said:

I previously thought it would be easy enough to collect such discarded boxes from supermarkets and stores, however, they more or less all told me that the boxes are pulled apart and flattened once emptied (apparently for health and safety reasons), and that there's neither a good time nor a place to increase my chances of getting the same. 

Larger supermarkets (e.g. Tesco Extra) have a time (e.g. 10pm) when the goods will start to be taken off the delivery cages and stacked onto the shelves.  I've found that to be the best time to get boxes at my local Tesco.

However, the larger boxes (e.g. for crisps and frozen food) tend to be quite flimsy.  The stronger boxes are the ones fruit and veg come in, but these are typically more 'tray' shaped and don't have lids.

If you are using a removal company they are unlikely to be happy to use your supermarket boxes - either due to the lack of lid, or the flimsiness.

ss2020jd

Sometimes Gumtree or Freecycle offer removal boxes after people are finished with them. Sometimes removal companies offer them and I have seen these offered on Gumtree regularly. 

biscan25

Gumtree/Freecycle/Nextdoor/Facebook local groups.
We asked and got shedloads of offers. When we we done we offered them on, and were gone within hours.