North Carolina Babies

Another moving question

The last time I had to move, I didn't have much in the way of stuff so it didn't take long to pack it up and move it.  I was pretty much able to steal paper boxes from work and get it done that way.  My husband seems to think we can do it this way again.  I don't think so.

I think I found a deal, and I'm looking on craigslist too, but I'm just trying to figure out what's reasonable.  It's going to take at least 15 paper boxes (and I'm talking like the boxes copy paper comes in) to pack up our book shelves.

So - when you moved, how much did you spend on boxes?

Re: Another moving question

  • Don't have an answer for your specific question, but wanted to mention ABC stores.  They normally have tons of boxes in the back and charge very little for them.

  • ABC stores usually give them away and so go grocery stores, just ask the manager if they have any empty boxes you could have. 
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  • When we moved from our condo we needed a lot of boxes and we did not have nearly the amount of crap we have now.  We used a variety of moving boxes, abc boxes and paper boxes. Remember to not pack the boxes to heavy since you'll need to be able to lift them.  We had to pack the boxes lightly and securely since we were moving across the state.

    ETA: Don't have specific numbers but I do know we purchased from storage place and they were expensive! 

  • We got a lot of boxes off of craigslist and from friends.   The ABC store by us started charging 10 cents a box - the kid was probably pocketing the change, but whatever - they are good boxes for books.  Overall we probably spent between $50 - $75 on boxes.  Towards the end we needed big sturdy boxes / speciality boxes so we just sucked it up and paid for em.  My advice - you need a lot more than you think! 
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  • you might want to try freecycle to see if anyone is listing boxes
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  • We have moved two times in the last two years - and it sucks! Check your local paper for people selling/giving away boxes. That is how we ended up with a ton of great boxes in lots of different sizes. They were the kind that you get from a moving company. For paper size boxes, this sounds crazy, but call local accounting offices and see if they have any boxes they need to get rid of. Trust me, they are ordering a ton of paper these days! ABC store boxes are ok but you can't fit a lot in them usually but they are great for little heavy things like books. If you have the option of taking your time with the move and the new house is close try packing up the things you know you won't need immediately and take those over to the new house to unpack then re-use those boxes. Have you thought about hiring a moving company? We did for our last move and it was sooooo worth the money. We were able to move most of our boxes ourselves with lots of little trips then the movers really only handled the furniture and bigger/heavier boxes. Good luck, its a stressful and exciting time!
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • We have moved two times in the last two years - and it sucks! Check your local paper for people selling/giving away boxes. That is how we ended up with a ton of great boxes in lots of different sizes. They were the kind that you get from a moving company. For paper size boxes, this sounds crazy, but call local accounting offices and see if they have any boxes they need to get rid of. Trust me, they are ordering a ton of paper these days! ABC store boxes are ok but you can't fit a lot in them usually but they are great for little heavy things like books. If you have the option of taking your time with the move and the new house is close try packing up the things you know you won't need immediately and take those over to the new house to unpack then re-use those boxes. Have you thought about hiring a moving company? We did for our last move and it was sooooo worth the money. We were able to move most of our boxes ourselves with lots of little trips then the movers really only handled the furniture and bigger/heavier boxes. Good luck, its a stressful and exciting time! Oh,
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • We have moved two times in the last two years - and it sucks! Check your local paper for people selling/giving away boxes. That is how we ended up with a ton of great boxes in lots of different sizes. They were the kind that you get from a moving company. For paper size boxes, this sounds crazy, but call local accounting offices and see if they have any boxes they need to get rid of. Trust me, they are ordering a ton of paper these days! ABC store boxes are ok but you can't fit a lot in them usually but they are great for little heavy things like books. If you have the option of taking your time with the move and the new house is close try packing up the things you know you won't need immediately and take those over to the new house to unpack then re-use those boxes. Have you thought about hiring a moving company? We did for our last move and it was sooooo worth the money. We were able to move most of our boxes ourselves with lots of little trips then the movers really only handled the furniture and bigger/heavier boxes. Good luck, its a stressful and exciting time! Oh, how much
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • We have moved two times in the last two years - and it sucks! Check your local paper for people selling/giving away boxes. That is how we ended up with a ton of great boxes in lots of different sizes. They were the kind that you get from a moving company. For paper size boxes, this sounds crazy, but call local accounting offices and see if they have any boxes they need to get rid of. Trust me, they are ordering a ton of paper these days! ABC store boxes are ok but you can't fit a lot in them usually but they are great for little heavy things like books. If you have the option of taking your time with the move and the new house is close try packing up the things you know you won't need immediately and take those over to the new house to unpack then re-use those boxes. Have you thought about hiring a moving company? We did for our last move and it was sooooo worth the money. We were able to move most of our boxes ourselves with lots of little trips then the movers really only handled the furniture and bigger/heavier boxes. Good luck, its a stressful and exciting time! Oh, how
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • We have moved two times in the last two years - and it sucks! Check your local paper for people selling/giving away boxes. That is how we ended up with a ton of great boxes in lots of different sizes. They were the kind that you get from a moving company. For paper size boxes, this sounds crazy, but call local accounting offices and see if they have any boxes they need to get rid of. Trust me, they are ordering a ton of paper these days! ABC store boxes are ok but you can't fit a lot in them usually but they are great for little heavy things like books. If you have the option of taking your time with the move and the new house is close try packing up the things you know you won't need immediately and take those over to the new house to unpack then re-use those boxes. Have you thought about hiring a moving company? We did for our last move and it was sooooo worth the money. We were able to move most of our boxes ourselves with lots of little trips then the movers really only handled the furniture and bigger/heavier boxes. Good luck, its a stressful and exciting time! Oh, how much did
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • We have moved two times in the last two years - and it sucks! Check your local paper for people selling/giving away boxes. That is how we ended up with a ton of great boxes in lots of different sizes. They were the kind that you get from a moving company. For paper size boxes, this sounds crazy, but call local accounting offices and see if they have any boxes they need to get rid of. Trust me, they are ordering a ton of paper these days! ABC store boxes are ok but you can't fit a lot in them usually but they are great for little heavy things like books. If you have the option of taking your time with the move and the new house is close try packing up the things you know you won't need immediately and take those over to the new house to unpack then re-use those boxes. Have you thought about hiring a moving company? We did for our last move and it was sooooo worth the money. We were able to move most of our boxes ourselves with lots of little trips then the movers really only handled the furniture and bigger/heavier boxes. Good luck, its a stressful and exciting time! Oh, how much did we
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • We have moved two times in the last two years - and it sucks! Check your local paper for people selling/giving away boxes. That is how we ended up with a ton of great boxes in lots of different sizes. They were the kind that you get from a moving company. For paper size boxes, this sounds crazy, but call local accounting offices and see if they have any boxes they need to get rid of. Trust me, they are ordering a ton of paper these days! ABC store boxes are ok but you can't fit a lot in them usually but they are great for little heavy things like books. If you have the option of taking your time with the move and the new house is close try packing up the things you know you won't need immediately and take those over to the new house to unpack then re-use those boxes. Have you thought about hiring a moving company? We did for our last move and it was sooooo worth the money. We were able to move most of our boxes ourselves with lots of little trips then the movers really only handled the furniture and bigger/heavier boxes. Good luck, its a stressful and exciting time! Oh, how much did we spend on
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • We have moved two times in the last two years - and it sucks! Check your local paper for people selling/giving away boxes. That is how we ended up with a ton of great boxes in lots of different sizes. They were the kind that you get from a moving company. For paper size boxes, this sounds crazy, but call local accounting offices and see if they have any boxes they need to get rid of. Trust me, they are ordering a ton of paper these days! ABC store boxes are ok but you can't fit a lot in them usually but they are great for little heavy things like books. If you have the option of taking your time with the move and the new house is close try packing up the things you know you won't need immediately and take those over to the new house to unpack then re-use those boxes. Have you thought about hiring a moving company? We did for our last move and it was sooooo worth the money. We were able to move most of our boxes ourselves with lots of little trips then the movers really only handled the furniture and bigger/heavier boxes. Good luck, its a stressful and exciting time! Oh, how much did we spend
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • We have moved two times in the last two years - and it sucks! Check your local paper for people selling/giving away boxes. That is how we ended up with a ton of great boxes in lots of different sizes. They were the kind that you get from a moving company. For paper size boxes, this sounds crazy, but call local accounting offices and see if they have any boxes they need to get rid of. Trust me, they are ordering a ton of paper these days! ABC store boxes are ok but you can't fit a lot in them usually but they are great for little heavy things like books. If you have the option of taking your time with the move and the new house is close try packing up the things you know you won't need immediately and take those over to the new house to unpack then re-use those boxes. Have you thought about hiring a moving company? We did for our last move and it was sooooo worth the money. We were able to move most of our boxes ourselves with lots of little trips then the movers really only handled the furniture and bigger/heavier boxes. Good luck, its a stressful and exciting time! Oh, how much did we spend on boxes -
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • Fortunately, wherever we move, it's not going to be too far - BUT I think we'll still need a ton of boxes.  We really have an obscene amount of books.  Then there's the kitchen and the garage.  We won't have to pack up the clothes in the dresser since it'd be just going a couple miles - but shoes, pictures, other crap.  We're going to need more than just copy paper boxes.

    And lucky for me - I'll be supervising all of the lifting.  I can't really do any of the lifting anymore.

  • I know Bif wants to be frugal, but I think I might price out a moving company just to move my office furniture and our washer and dryer - and maybe some other big pieces.  I don't mind packing everything.  I'm really good and efficient at it.  I just can't help with the actual lifting and moving.  We really don't have much in the way of furniture, so I imagine it would be pretty cheap.  And then we could use my FIL's trailer and Bif's pick up for the boxes.  I also have an SUV that can be loaded up with boxes too.
  • We haven't spent a thing on boxes so far. DH keeps pilfering paper boxes from work and a few friends have donated some to the cause also. We have a neighbor that works at a grocery store and she has been bringing us some too. I second the liquor store recommendation.

    Also, are you a member of freecycle? It is a free yahoo group you can join and people offer moving boxes on there all the time. I'd check the free section on craigslist too. GL!

  • imageSpeedGlenn:
    I know Bif wants to be frugal, but I think I might price out a moving company just to move my office furniture and our washer and dryer - and maybe some other big pieces.  I don't mind packing everything.  I'm really good and efficient at it.  I just can't help with the actual lifting and moving.  We really don't have much in the way of furniture, so I imagine it would be pretty cheap.  And then we could use my FIL's trailer and Bif's pick up for the boxes.  I also have an SUV that can be loaded up with boxes too.

     I'm very frugal, but the best $500 I ever spent was on movers! 

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  • Check to see if there is a recycling place near you.  We have one here in town and I've gone there on several occasions for boxes.  Just a thought.  BTW, I would gladly take you to our recycling place here if you can't find what you are looking for there.
    image Connor Reeves - July 4, 2007 Naomi Raye - January 26, 2011
  • imagecate1119:

     I'm very frugal, but the best $500 I ever spent was on movers! 

    That's what I'm thinking.  If I can eek it out in my own budget, I just might do it and not tell him until it's done.  Plus, I can be pissed at them for scratching my furniture.  I can only stay mad for so long at him!

  • I will start saving boxes for you!

    I have a ton that need to be emptied and the stuff put away in the next 3 weeks.

  • Try freecycle.  When we moved, thats how we got rid of all of our boxes.
    image
  • Are you a member of BJs, Costco or Sam's? (Or know someone who is?) You could start pilfering some extra boxes from there when you check out. Also, you can ask at the grocery store if they are willing to give you any boxes. I did both of the above and DH took a bunch of paper boxes from work when we moved a few years ago. Also, check out freecycle in your area. I'll bet someone has boxes they want to get rid of.

    As far as movers go, we went the PODS route. It worked for us at the time, but if we ever had to move again I'd definitely go with movers.

    GL and congratulations on selling your house!

     

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  • No $. We stalked grocery stores' parking lots and made out like bandits :)
  • We just moved this weekend and didn't have to buy any boxes. I took some home from work over time and got a ton at the ABC store. Our neighbors were also kind enough to bring us some from their offices as well. The smaller ABC boxes are good because you can't pack them very heavy - which is good for something like books. They're also good for packing glasses or other small breakables like that because they come with the dividers - provides extra cushioning.  We also hired movers this time to move our furniture and as many boxes as they could get. It cost us $500 for 4 hours and like the PP said - it was well worth it!  We still had to move several truck/car loads of hang up clothes, lamps, pictures, etc. but not having to move the heavy boxes and furniture was so nice and saved a lot of time.
  • I have moved A LOT.  Sometime after college I started buying large rubbermaid containers every time I moved.  Sometimes as few as 3 or 4, sometimes as many as 10.  We have a buttload of those now.  Some only cost $5 or $6, some big ones like $15 or so. 

    Anyway, the last time we moved I might have bought a few of those containers ($30 or so), plus ordered a huge lot of bubble wrap off Ebay (I already had a bunch from the previous move but bought another maybe $40 worth).  Then I got free boxes and moving blankets from an Austin nestie who had just moved to town.

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