Cardboard Boxes

juliebunny

My movers said they provide 20 boxes but a friend has just moved and got a ton from a nice lady at Dunelm. Also picked up a few at local shops and a friend in our mail room at work!
IKEA sell them aswell.

hazyjo

They charge a fortune for boxes in Argos and the like, and second hand boxes are likely to be different sizes or maybe less strong if they've been reused a lot.

Another vote for using a removal company. Worth EVERY. SINGLE. PENNY. I get them to pack too. Over 100 boxes at no extra charge. Plus several wardrobe boxes which they let me keep.

JulieM39

Is it not standard practice for your removal company to provide (lend) them? It certainly has been every time I've moved.

sjg666

I recently overheard someone asking for some boxes in McDonalds. The manager told him to come back around 7pm when they would have loads of empty fries boxes that he could have. 

GaleSF63

They are often advertised on our local Freecycle. You could also try off-licences and the off-licence section of supermarkets - ask them when they stock the shelves and go then.

Skiddaw1

JulieM39 said:

Is it not standard practice for your removal company to provide (lend) them? It certainly has been every time I've moved.

Yes, that's what I said earlier in the thread. If you're using a removal company they'll almost certainly provide both the boxes and the packing material. It's heaps easier than scouring all the local supermarkets for suitable boxes.

Mildreds_Earrings

I asked the Manager of a local supermarket and he told me to come back later that evening, as he would put some aside to me. When I returned, he gave me loads of boxes, had to go home and return. Shops who were outstanding and helpful were Co-Op and Aldi. Politely ask to speak to the supermarket Manager, I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to recycle their used boxes.

MDMD

Mildreds_Earrings said:

I asked the Manager of a local supermarket and he told me to come back later that evening, as he would put some aside to me. When I returned, he gave me loads of boxes, had to go home and return. Shops who were outstanding and helpful were Co-Op and Aldi. Politely ask to speak to the supermarket Manager, I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to recycle their used boxes.

More likely they did it as a customer relations and goodwill exercise - there is an efficient supply chain for the used boxes and they will be recycled already when they send back to the depots. 

As an added benefit of them sending it back on their lorries is that the waste cardboard from supermarkets would probably also fetch a higher price as it’s less likely to be contaminated compared to that extracted from domestic recycling systems.

AFF8879

Be careful with second hand cardboard boxes - they’re easily soiled and can disintegrate when damp, not what you want when you are carrying a box of your finest china … ! Given the overall costs involved in moving and the fact cardboard is an easily recyclable material, I would say it’s probably not something worth penny pinching over.

CaptainCrumb

I had success getting freebies from B&M, although not very large boxes. I managed to get some pretty sturdy ones from charity shops as well. I've never had a second hand box burst personally (and some I've used again for another move!), but as previous posters have said there is a risk that used boxes won't hold up well. Maybe you could purchase new for valuables and use scavenged ones for less fragile items. Best of luck!