Moving on a Dime: Scoring Free Boxes and Supplies for Ultra-Low Cost Relocation

This guide shares insider tips to furnish all the equipment you need for moving by leveraging free resources. Protect your valuables.

Moving supplies like budget moving boxes, tape, and bubble wrap can ravage your relocation budget. But strategic sourcing of free materials helps you pack up cheaply.

This guide shares insider tips to furnish all the equipment you need for moving by leveraging free resources. Protect your valuables without paying premium prices.

Take Inventory of Household Items to Reuse

Before buying anything, raid your home for supplies:

Use Fabric Items for Padding

Old towels, sheets, blankets, and clothes make great protective wrapping. Anything soft can cushion fragile goods.

Repurpose Plastic Containers

Laundry baskets, storage bins, dishpacks, pet carriers, and trash cans all substitute for boxes.

Make Your Cushioning

Shred junk mail, newspapers, or magazines to create custom filler. Wrap items in paper.

Use What You Already Have

Pack groceries in fridge food bags. Secure items with yarn or twine. Use kids’ art supplies like crayons and glitter glue to label boxes.

With creative thinking, many household items transform into DIY moving supplies.

Ask Around for Used Boxes and Materials

Don’t be shy – tell your network you’re looking for used boxes and supplies. Chat with:

Friends, Family, and Neighbors

Ask if they’ve just moved and have leftover materials to get rid of. Offer to take remnants after they unpack.

Online Groups and Listserves

Post on local message boards needs for used boxes and packing supplies.

Office Buildings and Schools

Janitorial staff often toss tons of perfectly good boxes. Ask if you can take discards.

Spread the word that you’re hunting free moving supplies – you never know what unused items people have lying around.

Check Local Classifieds Sites

Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, and Nextdoor are go-to sources for secondhand supplies. Search for:

Used moving boxes- Often listed for cheap or free by folks who just finished moving. Grab them fast.

Packing materials- Bubble wrap, tissue, and foam peanuts for dirt cheap.

Furniture blankets- Protect your stuff without spending on pads. Peruse classifieds daily leading up to your move to snap up deals. Bring a truck or SUV to transport large amounts.

Approach Businesses for Excess Inventory Boxes

Retail stores receive stock in sturdy cardboard boxes perfect for moving. Ask politely at:

Big box and electronics stores- Their back rooms contain a plethora of large boxes.

Grocery stores- Great for medium boxes to pack kitchen wares.

Liquor or wine stores- Very sturdy small boxes for heavy items like books.

Office supply companies

For letter/legal-sized document boxes. Offer to flatten boxes for easy storage. Building relationships with store managers gets the best selections.

With resourcefulness and grit, you can score all the supplies needed for your move without paying retail. Enjoy big savings using these tips to tap free moving materials.