What to do with Packing Supplies When Your Move is Over

All My Sons Moving & Storage is a one-stop-shop for packing supplies like boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper, and more. 

Have you finished your move and found yourself overwhelmed by empty moving boxes and hordes of bubble wrap? If you’re trying to make your move more eco-friendly then you certainly don’t want to throw all that packing material out with the trash. 

Here’s five ways you can reclaim the floor space in your brand-new home and send those moving boxes packing.

Did you get free moving boxes from your community? It’s time to pay it forward. Even if you bought all your supplies new, you can bless someone else with a limited moving budget by gifting your boxes back to your friends, family, or neighbors.

Check your moving supplies for wear, tear, water damage, and pests. If they’re clean and in good condition, they should be ready to make another big move. Break down your boxes so they can be transported easily, and take pictures of any specialty boxes you might have to make the collection more enticing.

Look for your local city, school, church, or gym social media groups on Facebook and NextDoor, and check rules to see if offering items is allowed. Then, create a post asking if anyone would like to pick up your moving supplies for free. 

You can also try listing your boxes for free on Craigslist, Freecycle, Buy Nothing, or Facebook Marketplace.

Chances are you’ll get a few takers. Arrange for a pickup and then wave goodbye to all your supplies as they embark on their next move.

Specialty boxes like TV-boxes, wardrobe boxes, and dish packs in superb condition might be able to fetch you a few dollars for your new-home furniture fund. 

See if you can list some supplies on Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, or Craigslist. Be sure to set a fair price for your moving boxes, and then collect the cash at a safe location for you to make the exchange. You’ll be a few dollars richer and several moving boxes lighter.

Your moving company might buy back moving supplies that were not used during your move. Ask your company if this is an option and hang onto your receipt for the supplies in case you need to process a return.

Will you be making another relocation in the near future? It might be a better idea to hang onto the moving supplies for your next relocation, provided you have the space to store the supplies in the meantime. We recommend you store your moving supplies if you intend to stay at your new location for only one year or less. 

Break down moving boxes and place them in the attic, back closet, or garage of your new home. Check on your boxes periodically during their stay in storage to ensure they are not attracting pests or getting damaged by the elements. When the time comes for the next move, you’ll be ready with all the boxes you used to move your household inventory in the past. Repack, relocate, and then return to this list once the move is over and you’re staying in a more permanent location.

Let’s say you keep the boxes and supplies. Who says you have to use them for a future move? Boxes are incredibly versatile. 

You can transform your mountain of boxes into a castle fortress, a fall-festival maze, or even a cozy cat condo. Imagination knows no limits, so build your kids a rocket-ship playhouse or create a packing paper sculpture of a dinosaur. Naturally, your new home will have to have room for your big moving supply do-it-yourself project, but if you’ve got the space and the creative itch, why buy art supplies new?

If there comes a point when the castle fortress falls apart, you can proceed to recycle the boxes and supplies.

Even worn or damaged boxes can be given new life if they are recycled. When you’ve determined your boxes are not fit for saving, reuse, or any DIY projects you have coming up, then the best course of action is to recycle.

If you do not have curbside recycling in your neighborhood, you might be able to drop off the recyclables at a collection center or call for junk removal if you have a large number of recyclable moving supplies lying around. Check Earth911 to find recycling centers across the nation that accept moving supplies.

Here is how to recycle various common moving supplies.

• Cardboard Boxes: According to the American Forest & Paper Association, a cardboard box can be recycled up to seven times. Most cardboard can be recycled in your regular curbside bin. 

• Packing Paper: Paper is reasonably easy to recycle. Make sure all tape has been removed from your packing paper and put the paper in your regular household recycling bin or take it to a drop-off recycling center.

• Packing Peanuts: If your packing peanuts are biodegradable, it is best to compost them. If your packing peanuts are made of the standard expanded polystyrene, then there might be a recycling center nearby that takes them, but you will have to check local regulations. Per Earth911, it is more likely you will find a local shipping store willing to accept donations of clean, used packing peanuts than a local recycling center that will accept them.

• Bubble Wrap and Plastic Wrap: Must be recycled with plastic film products like grocery bags. There might be a collection center for plastic film in your area, check Earth911. Dirty, wet, or contaminated plastic film cannot be recycled.  

• Tape: Most plastic adhesive tape is not recyclable and must be removed from your packing supplies and disposed of with the trash. Paper-based tapes are typically recyclable and can be left on your boxes when you take them out with the other recyclables. 

With all the recyclables packed for collection, you can finish unpacking and organizing in your new home, sans all the material you were tripping over.

Dust your hands off and breathe easier, you’ve got a plan for all those extra moving supplies. Whether you’re sending the supplies off to perform another move or making a trip to your local recycling center, you can feel good about making the sustainable choice for your moving supplies.

Will you be making a move soon? Ask All My Sons Moving & Storage to handle all the packing and heavy lifting. We’ll even provide all the moving supplies you need to handle your move. Click the quote button below to get started.