The process of moving is not only exhausting, but it can also get pretty expensive. This is especially true for long-distance moves, which is why it’s only fair to try to save money wherever possible. One way to save money is to pack your items manually instead of paying for packing services. Our experts here at California Movers – Local and long-distance moving company give you the lowdown on how to find cheap packing materials for your move.
Best Places to Find Packing Boxes
The first thing you’ll need is some boxes. When it comes to packing containers, you need them in as many sizes and shapes as possible, especially if you have a lot of irregularly shaped belongings. When looking for cheap or free boxes, your first stop would be small neighborhood stores. Reach out to your local grocery, convenience store, appliance, and electronics store. Small, neighborhood stores are more likely to give you boxes for free, especially if they know you and if you’re a regular at their store.
You can also secure boxes from your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family. If you inform people about your plans to move out of state, most of them would be more than happy to lend a hand. If they are too busy to help you pack, they might at least offer to give you some packing materials.
If you are out of options, you can always purchase boxes online. You can get them from Amazon, Home Depot, and Walmart. Some websites sell packing materials such as UsedCardboardBoxes.com. If you want to save money, you can always post an ad on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist and ask for packing materials there.
DIY Packing Cushions and Fillers
Packing, as a process, is easy. The difficulty lies in packing your items to ensure safety and stability while in transit. The best way to ensure your items don’t get scratched during the move is to use packing cushions and fillers. The good news is that you can make packing cushions and fillers by yourself.
Turn Styrofoam into Packing Peanuts
Styrofoam has always been used in packing until recently. A lot of moving companies decreased their styrofoam usage because of its potential health hazards. However, the danger lies in the burning of styrofoam, so it’s still relatively safe to use as long as you dispose of it properly.
If you have styrofoam lying around from previous appliance purchases, you can use it as cushioning material for your belongings. All you need to do is line your boxes with styrofoam on all sides. Of course, you need to cut your styrofoam to ensure that it fits snuggly. Don’t worry; all that styrofoam will be put to good use.
Save the excess styrofoam cuttings because you can use those as fillers. Packing fillers are used to fill up any empty space inside the box to prevent the contents from moving about. Since styrofoam can be cut up quickly, you can use it freely on your packing boxes. This way, you can use styrofoam as both a cushioning material and a filler. If you do not have styrofoam lying around the house, they should be available in the exact locations you would typically find boxes in.
Create Your Own Air Bags
If you’ve ever had anything delivered to your home, you will notice that most delivery companies use air cushions, which are small plastic bags filled with air. The use of air cushions in delivering and moving items is now quite common, and you can also create your own at home.
As stated earlier, these are nothing more than bags filled with air. All you need to do is purchase some plastic bags at your local store or even use the ones you already have at home. Blow just enough air into the bags to inflate them. Remember not to fill the bags up with air, or they might explode in transit. They need to be filled with just enough air to create a cushion, but you should still be able to squeeze it freely with your hand.
Once you’ve blown up enough airbags, just stuff them around the box and into any space that you want to be filled. You can get a large pack of clear plastic bags from your local convenience store for less than a dollar, so it’s a steal.
Having Trouble Finding Packing Materials? Call Your Long Distance Mover Today!
What if you’re having trouble finding packing materials, or you can’t find time in your busy schedule to search for boxes and pack your items on your own? Then maybe the best option for you is to call up your long-distance moving company and ask about their packing services.
It may come as a surprise, but moving and packing services are not as expensive as they were years ago. Nowadays, it’s easy to simply upgrade your service to include packing and unpacking, which is worth the price if you consider the convenience it brings you.
Although DIY packing materials and finding packing boxes for free may sound great, a professional moving company would be your best choice if you want the best packing supplies out there. Moving companies often source the highest quality packing boxes, complete with corrugated wood lining to give that added protection. High-quality packing boxes can withstand a lot of weight, so even if you store heavy items in your boxes, it’s not going to fall through the bottom while being transported.
The most significant advantage of professional packing services is that you don’t have to worry about the environment. Fashioning styrofoam and plastic bags into cushions and fillers is great, but what happens once you arrive at your new home? Long distance moves are tiring, and we doubt you’d want to spend your first few hours in your new home cleaning styrofoam bits off the floor. If you opt for packing service, the movers will unpack your items for you and then clear away all packing materials and boxes so you can enjoy a clean and tidy home.
Moving is a personal experience, and you should be in charge of how you want your move to go, from the process of packing down to the actual move itself. Now that we’ve given you all the options available to you when it comes to packing your items, it’s up to you to think it over and decide which route is best for you.
