13 Places To Get Cheap or Free Moving Supplies and Boxes

So you’re about to move and start a new chapter of your life! Congratulations!

Moving can be expensive, especially if you have to buy moving supplies like boxes, tape, packing paper, mattress bags, etc. Before you know it, you could be spending hundreds of dollars on packing supplies you may not have budgeted for.

Luckily we’ve put together a great resource of how to find cheap or free moving supplies so you don’t have to break the bank on buying these necessities.

For packing supplies other than boxes, Amazon is your place. Since shipping costs are low on smaller items, Amazon is your best place for packing supplies other than boxes.

For moving boxes specifically, check out our list below. They are the best resources to find cheap or even free moving boxes for your move.

Special Tip: If you’re on a budget and want to save money on a move, start looking for moving boxes early. The earlier you start, the longer you have to stock up on the free boxes people are giving away.

Here are 13 Places To Get Cheap or Free Moving Supplies and Boxes:

Craigslist
Facebook Marketplace
OfferUp
Letgo
Guys Driving Around
Furniture Stores, Electronic Stores, Department Stores
Ask Your Moving Company
U haul Locations
Home Depot
Lowe’s
Amazon
Walmart.com
UsedCardboardBoxes.com

1. Craigslist

Craigslist

Craigslist is one of the best places to get free boxes and other packing supplies. If you check listings in your area every single day early enough before you move, you should be able to collect boxes and other supplies bit by bit until you have enough.

Make sure you check out the pictures in the posts to see if the boxes are good enough quality for your move. Sometimes you’ll be able to get boxes that have only been used once and are in practically new condition.

2. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace is another great place where people are posting their free used boxes and packing supplies. For the most part, people want to get rid of their supplies after their move, and are willing to give them all away for free.

Facebook makes is very easy for people to buy and sell items nearby. Whether you’re looking for used boxes and packing materials, or trying to get rid of your used boxes and packing materials, Facebook Marketplace is a great place to see what other people have to offer in your area.

3. Amazon

Amazon is one of the best places to find affordable unused packing supplies. You can buy boxes on Amazon, but as far as price, getting them used from the apps and websites or new at Home Depot and Lowe’s is going to be your best bet. Here is some of the best, most affordable packing supplies you may need from Amazon:

4. OfferUp

OfferUp

OfferUp is an app that is similar to Craigslist but it’s very simple to use on your phone and easier to message people with their items. OfferUp is a very popular app and makes it much easier for people to post and make offers for other people’s stuff.

Aside from finding used packing materials like boxes and tape, OfferUp and these other community posting boards are great to get rid of your old furniture or sell your items so you can save enough money for your moving expenses.

5. Letgo

LetGo

Letgo is another app very similar to OfferUp. There are tons of people using it everyday posting their used and free boxes and packing supplies. During the moving process, if you utilized these last 3 apps and websites, you can save money on your moving costs.

These apps and websites are some of the best ways to find used boxes and packing materials. You couldn’t do this 20 years ago. This technology has been helping people and keeping our environment a better place since there so much items being reused and recycled.

6. Guys Driving Around

Do you ever see those guys who drive around with stacks of cardboard boxes in the backs of their trucks? These people are selling their cardboard to the recycling center. If you can get their attention, they would likely be willing to sell you some of their used boxes since the recycling center doesn’t pay them a whole lot. It’s all about getting creative and making it happen if you want to find cheap of free moving boxes and supplies.

7. Furniture Stores, Electronic Stores, Department Stores

These kinds of stores usually have tons of cardboard boxes they recycle every day. If you go in and ask the manager if you can have some of their used cardboard boxes for their move, they will likely let you take some.

Don’t go to grocery stores to do this. Boxes from grocery stores often are soiled in food and not suitable for moving.

8. Ask Your Moving Company

Sometimes moving companies will give you or let you use their used boxes in exchange for your business. Always ask your moving company what they can offer you in terms of packing supplies. Sometimes movers will let you rent boxes, some have plastic rentable bins to use, some will let you use wardrobes for free on moving day, and some will sell you other supplies for cheaper than you can buy in stores or online. Always ask. Some long-distance moving companies may provide some used packing materials for your move, you just have to ask.

9. U haul Locations

U haul offers the cheapest new packing supplies we’ve seen. If you head over to their store on Amazon, you can buy everything U haul has to offer plus get the free 2-day shipping that Amazon Offers.

Many U haul locations also sell moving boxes and packing supplies. Although you will be buying new materials, the prices for standard boxes are similar to those of Home Depot & Lowe’s. They also have pretty great prices on other packing supplies like tape, mattress bags and packing paper.

10. Home Depot

Home Depot has some of the least expensive new moving boxes you can find. Their boxes are decent quality and are about a buck or two each. However, don’t buy your other packing supplies from Home Depot. The tape, mattress bags, packing paper is very expensive compared to what we found on Amazon.

11. Lowe’s

Lowe’s moving boxes are very similar to Home Depot’s. They’re about a buck or two each and the cheapest new moving boxes you can find. But again, their other packing supplies are expensive so look on Amazon.

If you are using a moving company, ask them if they let you use their wardrobe boxes on moving day. Wardrobe boxes from Home Depot and Lowe’s are also very expensive to buy when you only need to use them once. They’re about $13 each! Each wardrobe carries about 2 feet of hanging clothes.

12. Walmart.com

Walmart.com also offers moving boxes. Although just a bit more expensive than the other department stores, what is good about these boxes is that some of them have built-in handles. This makes them much easier to carry than those from the other stores. Walmart also offers

13. UsedCardboardBoxes.com

UsedCardboardBoxes.com sources used cardboard boxes from places and offers 2-day shipping. The prices are about the same as if you we’re to buy your packing supplies at the department stores, but the benefit here is that you’ll be saving the environment by using recycled materials.