Gets tons of free moving boxes.

Since we are moving in a few short weeks, we are currently in need of moving boxes. On Monday, quite by accident, I discovered the best way to get them.

1. Wait until trash day.
2. Get in your car, or better yet, get in your truck so you have more room.
3. Drive slowly around your city.
4. When you see a trash can, drive even slower to make sure there are no boxes around.
5. Try not to get in any wrecks as you quickly pull over when you see boxes.
6. On your way home, drive by the hospital and notice that they have a HUGE dumpster FULL of boxes, with boxes scattered all around it on the ground.
7. Get as many boxes as will fit into the back of your truck.
8. After your truck is heavy laden, briefly wonder if these boxes from the hospital could possibly contain the kind of germs you don't want to touch, let alone move to another city.
9. Decide that this dumpster is just for boxes like paper boxes, and so therefore of course can't contain germs. Feel immediately better.
10. Repeat next week on trash day.

Seriously - I did get tons of boxes, in all sizes, some perfect for loading up books, other that will be great for larger items. I still haven't even hit up any liquor stores (for boxes, that is). Another good moving tip I plan on trying very soon is to get some boxes from the liquor store with the dividers still inside, and use it to pack up all my crystal and glasses.

If anyone else has good moving tips, feel free to help me out and leave them in the comment section.

For other good tips, go here.

Comments

Melanie said…
My favorite moving tip of all time - Label a big box "FIRST NIGHT - MASTER BEDROOM," and fill it with all of the things you know you'll need right away before you have the time or energy to unpack everything else: sheets, curtains (if your bedroom doesn't have shades or blinds), tp, hand soap, paper towels, lightbulbs, towels, paper plates & plastic cups, toiletries bags, small tool kit (for assembling your bed, hanging curtains, etc.), etc. Make sure it gets moved into your bedroom by whoever is unloading your truck, and you'll at least be able to survive that first night without having to dig through all of your worldly possessions looking for some toilet paper or sheets so you can go to bed.
Anonymous said…
I highly recommend cleaning out the closets and drawers and leaving things you don't want/need behind. Whenever I move, I always end up with some stuff at the destination that makes me think... "Why do I have this again? And I just went through all the hassle of wrapping it in paper and boxing it up and begging my friends to help carry it from one place to another? I should have just tossed it or given it away before I moved."
Lara said…
The liquor boxes are great for heavy things because they are small. My favorite boxes were the meat boxes from the grocery store. They were the perfect size for carrying and have handle cut outs! You can't beat that! Once I figured this out I called Walmart and had them save them for me every day until I had enough. They unpack them in the morning and throw them out unless you ask them to save them.

Good luck with your move. I never want to do that again!
Joyful Days said…
The hospital burns anything that might be icky so I think you won't get any more germs from there, than the liquor store--which is where my favorite boxes have come from.

I will have to try a hospital too.

Love the MBR box idea.

Just hate moving. We have moved 13 times in 15 years. sigh. I am getting to old for it.
Dru said…
My favorite moving tip is to buy a big pack of cheapie paper towels. Then instead of using expensive (and otherwise useless) packing paper to wrap dishes in and put between plates, use the paper towels!
It keeps the dishes clean (no washing them after unpacking) and gives you a ton of disposable cleaning rags. Because, ya know, no "cleaning" that the previous owners did is ever good enough. :)
Anonymous said…
our local newspaper sells roll ends of unused newsprint. For $8 Cdn. I bought enough to wrap 40 years' accumulation of crystal, china, kichen equipment, pots, ornaments, etc. And I didn't need to wash a thing when unpacking.
Anonymous said…
Drive around during the day and look for moving trucks. People moving IN love to get rid of the boxes they've emptied... and they usually put their packing paper in the empty boxes. BONUS!

Another great moving tip: buy large ziploc bags. Open your 'junk drawer(s)' and empty contents into ziploc... throw in box. At new place, open bag and dump into new drawer! No more unravelling 1 yard of packing paper just to reveal 3 paperclips and dump thumbtacks, batteries, a pen and other random stuff on the floor!
Works well for desk and bathroom drawers as well.

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