Chances are you spent a lot of time in a house full of boxes before your big moving day, now you’re in your new place, and once again, the boxes are everywhere.
We know you want your new space to be as comfortable as possible as soon as possible. Getting rid of your boxes will contribute greatly to that. So, what do you do with all those moving boxes after you’ve emptied them?
Generally speaking, you probably have around 60 boxes of various sizes and they will most likely be in various states of condition. Before you get too overwhelmed, figure out how getting rid of the boxes will be easiest for you.
Here are some excellent choices…
Keep Your Moving Boxes After Your Move is Complete
You never know when you’ll need a good moving box! Especially if you’re renting or you know you’ll be moving again. Sort through the boxes and keep all that are in good condition.
Be sure to flatten them as neatly as possible, don’t let any parts get folded. If you house them for a long time and they aren’t stored properly, they’ll be more likely to break or be unusable.
Once you have the boxes sorted by size, feel free to store them in a place you don’t necessarily need everyday access to, such as the attic, garage, or crawl space. Just be sure they’re kept in a dry area.
Keep in mind that some of the moving boxes may make perfect boxes to wrap presents, store items you want to keep, or even use for fun arts and crafts with the kids.
Sell Your Moving Boxes After Your Move is Complete
Who wouldn’t enjoy making a little money after they spent so much on a move? It makes sense to consider selling all those boxes (and any other packing material that’s in good condition right along with them).
It’s a pretty simple task with so many great social sites available to help you. So, if you have no desire to keep the boxes, start posting away so you can reach people who are in need. It’s fast and free, so why not give it a try?
Nextdoor is an excellent resource. The people who will see your post are all within a close distance, which tells the buyers they won’t have to travel far to find you. You can add the Nextdoor app to your smartphone or get to them on a computer.
Facebook is another place you can easily tell your friends you have boxes for sale. Ask that they share your post, so their friends see the post, too. Feel free to add your sale to Facebook Marketplace, which will post to your community as well.
And let’s not forget about Craigslist. It’s well known and popular, you should post your sale with them as well.
These are just a few places to add your sale, but ask friends and neighbors, they may know of people who are in the market for moving boxes.
If you decide to go down this road, remember that it may take a while to sell them. The effort you put into posting along with your word-of-mouth endeavor won’t be all that significant, but you may get sick of looking at your boxes after a few days with no bites.
Here are some things to do while you wait for your boxes to sell:
- Flatten them all out nicely
- Recycle any that are unusable
- Put them in size order and stack them together in a dry area
- Keep them out of your sight, but easy to get to (garage, attic, shed, basement)
Give Your Moving Boxes Away After Your Move is Complete
We can all use a bit of charity from time to time and what better time than during a move? Did anyone give you some boxes or help with packing or carry an antique dresser down two flights of stairs?
Consider giving away any usable boxes and other packing material you have left over. It feels good all around. You’re helping someone out, you’re upcycling, and you’re getting rid of the chaos- fast!
Nextdoor, Facebook, and Craigslist can all help you with this project, but check out charity donation spots as well.
Don’t forget to ask friends, family, coworkers, or even post on the bulletin board at your local college, grocery store, or coffee shop.
Recycle Your Moving Boxes After Your Move is Complete
Whatever moving boxes aren’t worth keeping, you should definitely look into recycling them. Call your waste removal company and find out how best to handle it.
If the unusable boxes are small and there aren’t very many, you may be able to put them in with your regular recycling. If you have a lot of trashed boxes, a scheduled pickup may be in order. Prices vary by the amount of trash and by company, so be sure to call to find out exactly what you should do and how much it will cost you.
If you used a moving company, be sure to ask them if they have any programs to help aid you in getting rid of your moving boxes. Some moving companies have a buy-back program on boxes. The service may not be free, but you’ll get rid of your boxes efficiently.
Another option is to take the boxes to a recycling center yourself. This will take up some of your time, be sure to find out the distance and what (if anything) it will cost you to drop them off.
Conclusion
Moving into your new space is exciting, but can certainly make you anxious. Getting your home in order as quickly as you can is one of the best ways to get rid of that anxiety. With a few great options to work with, you’ll be well-prepared to figure out how best to handle your moving box removal.
If you have any questions about moving supplies, Road Scholars’ box buy-back program, or moving in general, contact us today.