Helping my friend move

The other day I had to help my friend move. By that, I mean help him and his fiance pack up their house for their move. He asked me earlier in the week if I had any cheap moving boxes or knew where to get them. I told him to check out Lowes or Walmart as I know they provide affordable moving boxes. I did say to him that, in my opinion, he should not cheap out on moving boxes. Yes, they are only going to be used once, but they will give you great peace of mind that the boxes will hold, stay strong, and not get any rips of tears the whole move. Unfortunately, he did not take my advice, and we had some problems while packing the boxes and their cars. 

A few days before the move, I headed over to my friend’s house to help pack up their boxes. I did not know if my friend had taken my advice, but I was hoping he did. I have had a bad experience with the less expensive moving boxes. When I got to their place, I saw that my friend indeed did not take my advice and got the inexpensive boxes. I did not say anything, instead just waiting for disaster to strike. After having dinner with the two of them, we began to pack up their house. We started with the upstairs in the guest bedroom they had. They were using the closet in here as an additional one for them. 

I had to build the boxes, which are easy to do, just a matter of folding the bottom together and using packing tape to hold them together. I did an extra few pieces because, in my experience, these boxes like to drop the bottom and let all the items fall through. That has been my experience; however, I was not expecting these boxes to do that, but you never know. As I was packing up their guest room closet, the box I was using burst at one of the seams. I called in my friend to hold it together as I used packing tape to attempt to reseal it. We got it back together somewhat, but there was a slight gap still. Lesson learned, under pack the boxes. 

After this little hiccup, we learned to make sure to not put too much into the boxes, or we would risk the boxes bursting. We continued to go about our night packing anything and everything until disaster struck. One of the boxes my friend’s fiance did was not taped multiple times on the bottom. This caused a disaster to happen. As she moved the box towards the front of the house to be easily grabbed during the moving day, the bottom fell out. This was bad as the box she was carrying had some fine china her mother passed onto her. Once the bottom burst, all the china came crashing down onto the hard tile floor. 

I wish my friend had listened to me when I told him to get better boxes and not get some cheap moving boxes. If he had heard to me, then the issues we had would not have had even been a thought. Unfortunately, my friend’s fiance’s china was almost completely destroyed; all that was left was a cup. I felt terrible for them, but if he had listened to me, they would still have that fine china. 

Where to get affordable boxes

There are multiple companies that deal in the distribution of cheap moving boxes. I have come up with what I believe to be the best three companies. I hope that after this short article you will be able to make a confident decision as to what company you want to get your moving boxes from. All of these companies offer affordable moving boxes, but they also have some critical differences between them. We are going to look at these companies in depth and take a look at those key differences. Keep in mind that regardless of what I say, the decision is yours in the end so take what I say with a grain of salt. 

The first company we are going to look at is Amazon. Odds are you have heard of this small worldwide shipping company. I recommend Amazon because it is online shopping. You will be able to buy all the boxes for your moving needs without leaving your couch. If you are an Amazon Prime member, then you will get free two-day shipping. This can be helpful because you may already be busy packing or worrying about other things related to the move and don’t have the time to get boxes. One thing to note is that Amazon does not appear to offer boxes for single purchase, only bulk, so if you are needing just a box or two to pack up your pantry or bathroom, then one of the other options I will mention may be better for you. 

The second company we are going to talk about is Walmart. I recommend Walmart if you need more than a few boxes. They offer much more than just boxes for moving, and it can all be found under one roof. Much like all companies, Walmart has online shopping. The online shopping is a plus as they offer both delivery and same day pick up, which can be suitable for those busy moving days. Another plus about getting your boxes from Walmart is that most of their stores are open twenty four seven, seven days a week. This being said, you can get more boxes at four in the morning if that is the case. Walmart is a good option because they have a lot of moving supplies. 

The final company we are going to look at that offers affordable moving boxes is Lowes. Lowes is a great company because they are a home improvement company. Not only do they provide a wide selection of tools for those DIY projects on your new home, but they also have an ample supply of moving materials. Much like the previous two, Lowes offers online shopping, but it is only in-store pick up. This is not as good as a local Lowes may not have what you are looking for, but it is good that you can look online before making the trip there for it to end empty-handed. Lowes is a good option if you are looking for tools for a DIY project and moving supplies.

All of these companies offer cheap moving boxes, but each one has its own pros and cons. What company you choose to go with is entirely up to you. Before you choose a store, make sure you know your needs. If you just need boxes, Amazon or Walmart maybe your best bet. If you are needing tools along with those boxes, then I would recommend Lowes as they offer the largest selection of tools along with moving supplies.