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keepthetips t1_jaa73d3 wrote

Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips!

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jamesd0e t1_jaa8dnz wrote

Huge tip. Great for books too as those boxes can get heavy. Good for everything really.

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d4rkh0rs t1_jaa8hcy wrote

And when the supermarket or produce section says they don't have any go see the bakery (at wallmart anyway)

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dysfunctionalpress t1_jaa9o0k wrote

and they're generally sturdy, and not too big, considering the original contents.

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dubbsmqt t1_jaadj7k wrote

Fry boxes at fast food places are good too, if they haven't broken them down yet

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Earl_I_Lark t1_jaaeq27 wrote

We were at Walmart when they were stocking the shelves today. The young woman gave us quite a number of boxes that had once held baked goods. So, check out your local Walmart

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IveGotDMunchies t1_jaaft2o wrote

Shoe stores are better. Nice big thick boxes. Ask them ahead of time when they get their truck in and if you can call in that day to come pick them up. Dont ask them to save them for you. People ask that so often and never show up so theyll usually just decline.

GNC is another place for good sized boxes.

I used to do this as part time income. Pick up boxes from stores, put them in storage, then sell them on craigslist and facebook for half of what box stores charge.

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GullibleDetective t1_jaahodc wrote

Just stop at restaurants and grocery stores and you'll get fry, apple, pineapple boxes free

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bowandbat t1_jaaiq8o wrote

Hardware/lawn and garden centers have excellent boxes. Look for boxes used for heavy stuff like gallons of bleach, garden hoses, and weed killer. They're nice and thick and the perfect size for moving.

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SnackThisWay t1_jaajo1g wrote

Every big box store I've ever been to sells great moving boxes for $2 each. Way better than driving around town begging for boxes

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ErsatzGenius t1_jaak3dz wrote

If you have tons of books, I suggest a large rolling suitcase.

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AuroraBoredalis t1_jaakqi6 wrote

First, your hardware store is a ripoff. (Mini storages also do this) it’s the cost of convenience. Do you really want to make a separate trip to save $2/box?

For the record small boxes should be around $1 and larger ones for $3-4 depending on if they are triple walled corrugated or regular.

Having new boxes delivered is motivating, saves time, and you can get packing materials too. New boxes are delivered flat with the flaps attached so before you tape the bottom you can fold the flaps down and they’re kept out of your way. Every little bit of effort saved counts when it comes to packing a whole house

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Limp_Distribution t1_jaaox8l wrote

If you work for a large corporation, the shipping and receiving department usually has plenty of boxes.

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Sometimes_Stutters t1_jaaqvyx wrote

The only hard part is drinking enough wine to pack up my entire house

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AuroraBoredalis t1_jaav41z wrote

Replying to feelin_cheesy (#2,086,515)

That’s why those heavy breakables go in the dish barrels if you’re a professional or heavy duty small boxes if you’re a DIYer

I’m not saying it’s impossible just inefficient at “moving house” scale. My kitchen would need at least 100 of those to get packed. Then you have to move hundreds of small boxes….

Source; former professional mover

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Beginning_Music9466 t1_jab0oaq wrote

That's great to know! It's always a good idea to save money when moving. Do you know if the boxes are generally in good condition?

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Bibliovoria t1_jab2bvw wrote

Replying to IveGotDMunchies (#2,082,095)

Likewise bookstores. Clean and sturdy (built to hold books!) and, depending on the bookstore, often in a few standard sizes. Barnes & Noble in our town happily gives away as many as people want, already flattened for easy transport; a friend got about a hundred for his move. Call ahead to make sure they still have some on hand that day before you stop by.

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OmegaAce1 t1_jabg2no wrote

Just go to a grocery store they're just going to bin them anyway

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LilyMeadow91 t1_jabl113 wrote

Adding to the list: retirement homes. If you ask someone, they will gladly keep aside the boxes of adult diapers. Some brands even have handles in their boxes! We moved half our stuff in these boxes 😅

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Zoso03 t1_jabma8c wrote

This will always be a stupid fucking tip

Get proper moving boxes. With uniform sized boxes they can be stacked for storage, or carrying around and is much easier to pack in a truck, elevator, cart, car etc. When you use random boxes you end up spending more time playing tetris trying to figure out the right way to stack them.

Aside from all that, you'll need to drive around wasting time and gas looking for these boxes, since they're glued they can't be broken down so you can only carry so much to which you're just essentially carrying boxes of air back and forth. For about a buck and change for a box you can go to any moving supply or big box store and buy a ton of boxes that are folded flat.

I'm the end getting free boxes will cost you way more in time and gas.

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Relaxtoughguy t1_jabv61n wrote

And since its in topic, if you want free moving quotes theres sites like this www.moving.biz that connect you to movers

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Madanimalscientist t1_jac1syi wrote

Grocery stores will often give cardboard milk boxes for free. Last move I used a lot of those!

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Eened t1_jacbufp wrote

Dr. Offices are another good place.

Dollar General and Dollar Tree too

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ethancole97 t1_jacdkvg wrote

30 dollars for six boxes is crazy expensive when Walmart sells them for like .50-2.00 depending on size

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Azudekai t1_jacg2ea wrote

Lowe's, U-Haul, probably Home Depot all sell boxes. They aren't expensive.

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Absolarix t1_jaclcn7 wrote

You can also go to your local grocery store or supermarket and ask them for boxes.

The following were the ones I'd always give folks looking for moving boxes:

Apple, Pear, Pineapple, Tomato (light stuff, lock together), Banana (light stuff, or reinforce bottom), some Potato/Yam boxes were good.

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clitosaurushex t1_jactxyr wrote

If you're making a short move (like from one apartment to another in the same city), you can also look into reusable moving supplies. We did this for a move and it was 1) incredibly convenient 2) didn't require taping up and breaking down 1 million fucking boxes 3) stacked BEAUTIFULLY in the moving van 4) were CLEAN and I wasn't paranoid we were bringing home bugs or mold.

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bmusgrove t1_jad3u9s wrote

McDonalds fry boxes are also perfect size for moving. They always have TONS of them to give away.

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cryptkicker130 t1_jad4uc8 wrote

Liquor boxes are stronger than most and please take the whole box, insert included. They are being thrown out after all.

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the_barroom_hero t1_jad5mol wrote

Ask your local Guitar Center too. Always got boxes at my local store.

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PostBender t1_jadij9j wrote

Used cardboard boxes are also a good way to get pests, so be careful. (Same goes for online deliveries)

Pest control currently going through our entire building. From now on will only rent plastic moving boxes. Not 100% safe but still better.

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Averen t1_jadixhh wrote

LOWEs also has good quality boxes for a good price (imo) between $1-$3 if you need larger sizes

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hereforthepix t1_jadqmxp wrote

If you're in the US, U-Haul not only sells reasonably priced boxes, they will refund unused ones (just don't pop the little hyme seal on one of the edges) so you don't have to worry about not getting enough

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sonicjesus t1_jae8r4d wrote

Doesn't everyone have a shitton of Amazon boxes by now? If not you can have the massive fire hazard that is my basement.

My grandmother couldn't even teach me to pronounce my last name, but she made sure I understood the importance of saving every cardboard box I ever get for, I guess the apocalypse or something.

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