When you are looking for ways to save money on your next move, you might decide to pack your items yourself. That means you will need to find boxes, a lot of boxes, and suitable ones at that. Although there may be some advantages to this approach, it’s also important to understand how free moving boxes can cost you money.
What Is Your Time Worth?
Finding free boxes takes time. You will probably have to go to different stores, find a manager, and ask for their empty boxes. You might also decide to look online at neighborhood buy-sell groups but that also takes time, particularly when you then have to meet the person with the boxes so you can pick them up.
The Cleanliness Factor
While you may not think that cleanliness has anything to do with how free moving boxes can cost you money, think about what dust, dirt, and wet areas in the boxes may do to your possessions. Those boxes may have traveled thousands of miles, been stored in all kinds of places, and held all sorts of things, including fruits, vegetables, and even hazardous chemicals.
The boxes you pick up at a local store were shipped from somewhere else. Most shipping vehicles and storage spaces aren’t kept clean, so old packing boxes will be covered in dust and dirt. They may also be grimy with stains, oil spots, and various spills from their previous contents.
If you pack your items in such dirty boxes, the dust and grime will be transferred to your belongings and may ruin the more delicate ones. Those used boxes may even have mold or mildew growing inside them. If they have been exposed to moisture at any point along their journey, that moisture may not only compromise the integrity and strength of the boxes but may also cause mold or mildew to develop inside the cartons.
Used Boxes are Weaker
Boxes you get for free from stores or from other people who have recently moved are used. That means they’ve had items stored in them and transported in them, which has weakened them. The boxes may have been tossed around or had heavier boxes set on top of them. These free moving boxes can cost you money by not protecting your precious possessions during your move.
Corrugated cardboard boxes are tough and sturdy and can withstand a lot of weight without bending or breaking. With each use, however, their structural integrity is compromised, and they get weaker and less reliable. Then they don’t provide enough protection for your items. When using second-hand moving boxes, you’ll save on packing materials, but you may lose money on damaged goods.
If you pack used boxes for moving, they may fall apart during the loading or unloading process and cause damage to your items. For example, any delicate and fragile items that have been in the carton may break or sustain damage when they fall out and hit the ground, and any nearby items may get scratched or dented or broken by the objects falling off the ruined box. If you use old packing boxes for your move, you run the risk of a weak box breaking under its own weight and causing damage to your items.
The Right Box for the Right Items
With free, used boxes, you get what is available. They may not be the right size for what you are packing. Cardboard boxes come in a wide variety of sizes (small, medium, large), each of which is appropriate for packing different kinds of items. As a rule of thumb, bigger boxes should be used for large, but lightweight items (such as bedding), while medium-sized and smaller packing containers should be used for small but heavy objects (such as books and tools).
When using second-hand moving boxes, however, you may not be able to get boxes that are the right sizes for your packing needs. You may find only large boxes that will be too heavy for you to move when fully packed, or you may find only small cartons that won’t fit your larger household items, or you may not find any boxes to fit your oddly-shaped possessions. As a result, you may not be able to pack your things as safely and efficiently as you would have done if you had purchased brand new boxes of appropriate sizes.
Reliable and Professional Moving Supplies
Although may have initially thought getting used boxes would help you save money when moving, free moving boxes can cost you money. When buying new moving boxes, you’ll be able to choose from a variety of specialized sizes, such as wardrobe boxes, to perfectly suit your packing needs. These specialty boxes are designed to provide the best possible protection for the items you’re packing and make packing much safer, easier, and cost-efficient.
Let Fox Moving & Storage Atlanta Provide the Moving Supplies (and the Movers)
At Fox Moving & Storage Atlanta, our professional movers can save you time, worry, and money. We encourage you to check out our site to browse our many moving services, or simply contact us 24/7 to get a free quote for your big move. We can help you move to your new home on time and on short notice. Call us today to learn more about how we can help you.