Moving is chaotic. You walk into your new house after a long day of moving only to find your belongings and moving supplies scattered all over the place! But do you know what’s even more annoying? Investing so much time and energy into procuring the cardboard boxes only to somehow try and get rid of them at the end of the move. Now, what if we told you that you don’t necessarily have to throw these cardboard moving boxes in the trash?
Well, one of the biggest advantages of using cardboard moving boxes is that they are 100% recyclable. To add to that, you can easily reuse them for some other purposes that shall be discussed later. Do you want to know more about how to deal with your used cardboard moving boxes in an eco-friendly manner? Read on to find out!
Why Do People Get Rid of Cardboard Moving Boxes?
Imagine arriving at your new house after the move and unboxing all your belongings from the moving boxes. You will realize that once you’ve unpacked your stuff, keeping the moving boxes with yourself isn’t the most convenient option as they take up quite a bit of space. One would naturally throw out all the used moving supplies after a move is done in order to declutter his/her house.
However, always remember that the beauty of cardboard moving boxes is that they aren’t completely useless after they’ve been used once for moving. The amount of waste that’s generated by us is rising at an alarming rate. You ideally wouldn’t want to toss out your boxes and contribute to this problem, right?
Most of you might already know that cardboard boxes can easily be recycled, reused, or even repurposed. But does recycling cardboard boxes help the environment? Yes, and in more ways than the obvious. Not only does recycling older cardboard require less energy but it is also great for the air. The reason for that is that the process of turning old cardboard into new cardboard releases significantly fewer emissions than using raw materials to create new cardboard. To add to that, recycling cardboard relieves the burden on landfills.
Before abandoning your cardboard moving boxes on the curbside, just think about the endless possible ways in which they can be put to use. Let’s have a look at how to recycle cardboard moving boxes in different ways.
1. Reusing For Moving And Storing:
Moving isn’t unknown territory for most Americans. Most people end up moving at least a couple of times and that’s when these boxes come in handy. It’s possible that you might move again, especially if you stay in a rented place. You can reuse these boxes for your next move and end up saving money on moving supplies. To add to that, using these boxes to organize your storage spaces works out pretty well.
2. Repurposing:
Cardboard boxes can be molded in any way you want. You might be able to repurpose these boxes for domestic use by employing a little bit of creativity and innovation.
3. Recycling:
Boxes that are almost completely useless because they got damaged during the move can simply be recycled. This means that the old cardboard can be processed and turned into new cardboard products. This is one of the most environmentally friendly ways of getting rid of useless cardboard.
Also See: Where to Buy Moving Boxes?
How To Go About Recycling Cardboard?
Deciding to recycle cardboard is easy but many of us get stuck when it’s time to act on this decision. Before you start feeling anxious about how to go ahead with recycling these boxes, let us break it down into simple steps for you.
Step 1
When you have just moved, it’s quite possible that your empty cardboard moving boxes are scattered all around your house. The first thing to do would be to collect all these boxes and create a pile in one corner of your house.
Step 2
Now you have to sort out your moving boxes. Create a separate pile for the boxes that you want to send for recycling. You might have used several boxes but you might still want to keep some handy for storing your stuff. Ideally, the boxes that have been damaged during the move should be sent for recycling.
Step 3
One by one, examine each box and remove any plastic or paper waste that might still be lying inside the box. Peel off all the packing tape and labeling stickers from all the boxes. The recycling centers might demand that the boxes should be cleaned before the pickup/drop-off.
Step 4
Prepare your cardboard boxes for pickup by completely flattening them. Remember that you’ll be able to handle them more easily if you just cut them, stack them, and tie them up tightly. It’s always advisable to break your boxes down with your hand rather than your feet. Make sure that the boxes are broken down enough to lay flat on the floor.
Step 5
It is absolutely important to keep your cardboard moving boxes dry till the time they are sent to a recycling center. If you realize that some kind of liquid has leaked through one of your boxes, immediately cut out the wet part because liquids saturate cardboard. Wet cardboard is very hard to recycle and that’s why you shouldn’t be giving it in. Focus on keeping all your boxes away from moisture.
Step 6
This is the most important step of all. You need to know whom to hand your cardboard boxes to in order to get them recycled. You could get in touch with either a waste management company or a local recycling center. You will then be asked to drop off your boxes at a location provided by these companies. In some other cases, they might schedule a home pickup and take away these boxes from your house themselves.
Lastly, you can also use a recycling bin to discard these boxes. Keep in mind that waste management companies have certain guidelines you need to adhere to when using recycling bins. For instance, some companies might tell you to place the boxes next to the bin as these boxes might not fit into the bin. Other companies might collect only the stuff that’s placed inside the bins. Either way, we recommend calling up the local waste management company and enquiring about their entire pick-up process.
See Also: Waste Management Dumpster Rental Review
Pro tip:You can find the recycling centers nearest to your house by visiting the Earth911 website.
Alternative Ways Of Using Cardboard Moving Boxes
As we mentioned earlier, recycling the boxes isn’t necessary as long as you’re willing to reuse and repurpose them. There are multiple ways in which cardboard moving boxes can be used, some traditional and some not so traditional. Want some ideas to get started? Go ahead and have a look!
1. Giving Them Away:
Although you might not need your moving boxes anymore, that doesn’t mean others around you don’t need them either. What we mean to say is that there might be some people in your social circle who are about to move and looking to buy some moving supplies.
Ask around and see whether your friends, family members, neighbors, etc. would be willing to take these boxes off your hand. By doing this, you’ll be able to save the boxes from going to the recycling center when they still can be reused. To add to that, you’ll also end up strengthening your social ties as the person you helped will save a significant amount of money on moving boxes.
Did you know that most charitable organizations will also accept cardboard moving boxes as long as they’re in good condition? These organizations need boxes for their storing needs, or they might also help out someone who’s having a hard time financing their move. Don’t forget that by doing something as small as donating your used cardboard moving boxes, you can do a lot of good for someone else.
2. Selling The Boxes:
Moving can really wipe out your savings account and that’s why you ideally shouldn’t let go of an opportunity that can help you generate some cash. If you want to make a quick buck, selling your moving boxes and other supplies is a great idea. In fact, there are several companies that function specifically to help people procure and sell used moving boxes.
All you have to do is post about the moving supplies you have and then schedule either a drop-off or pick-up for the buyer. Here are some websites to consider if you want to sell your used cardboard moving boxes.
- BoxCycle
- Craigslist
- Freecycle.org
- eBay
Read Also: How to Find Free Moving Boxes?
3. Use Them For Composting:
Cardboard boxes can very well be used for composting, especially if they are wet (as long as they’re wet due to the spilling of only water.) As an increased number of people have become environmentally conscious, many have created compost pits around their houses. Cardboard decomposes easily because of which it can be added to your compost pits along with other biodegradable waste.
If you don’t have a compost pit, look for local gardening projects or farms that might be able to help you out by taking these boxes off your hands. Your boxes could actually end up being used to grow beautiful flowers of fresh vegetables.
4. Organizing Your Storage Spaces:
Have a look at your basement, garage, or attic, and see whether it needs to be more organized. We often tend to dump all the things we don’t use in these storage spaces, but seldom do we actually sit down and organize our stuff.
Enter cardboard moving boxes! These can be used to store all those belongings in an orderly fashion. The best way to go about it is to store your stuff in these boxes and label them appropriately. Never will you have to pull your hair out searching for things that you definitely remember dumping in these spaces!
5. Organizing Your Home:
You can certainly use the smaller boxes to store your household stuff in an organized manner. You might be wondering, the drab-looking boxes won’t exactly look pretty; in that case, why don’t you jazz it up a little bit? Unleash your artistic side to cover these boxes with fashionable fabrics that don’t make them look out of place in your house and also make them sturdier.
Think about it! You end up saving so much money by not spending much on extra drawers, cabinets, or closets if you use these boxes. Make them look the way you want and store all the stuff that you want to keep handy, be it toys, pantry items, shoes, or linens.
6. Organizing Big Drawers:
How many times has it happened that your drawers are a chaotic mess where all your stuff is just mixed and tangled with each other? In this case, all you have to do is cut up your boxes to create small dividers, helping to keep your drawers extremely neat. For instance, you could create separate compartments for your accessories, paper clips, rubber bands, socks, etc. You could also create a jewelry box out of an ordinary box by adding cardboard dividers in it.
7. DIY Projects:
Say that you wish to paint a room in your house, or your backyard shed. You can simply cut and lay these boxes flat on the floor and prevent it from getting spoiled due to paint spills. This tip is especially helpful if you have wooden flooring. Make sure that these boxes are taped down firmly and leave no gaps between them if you want your floor to remain untainted.
Consider a DIY gardening project. You might have to kneel down and tend to your plants, spoiling your clothes around your knees in the process. If you wear shorts, you’ll still end up hurting your knees as the soil might contain some sharp pebbles. The best thing to do here would be to lay out your boxes on the ground and kneel on them. Not only will your clothes remain clean, but you’ll also find this arrangement super comfortable for your knees.
8. Use Them For Shipping Stuff:
Do you own a business because of which you need to send out packages for shipping quite often? Or, do you have a relative or a young child for whom you need to send stuff almost every other month? In either case, moving boxes will be of great use whenever you wish to ship stuff to a different place. Flatten the boxes and keep them in a storage place when you don’t need them. You can simply set up the boxes whenever it’s time to use them for shipping.
Also Read: Moving Boxes For Large Wall Art | Picture And Art Moving Boxes
9. Contact A Moving Company:
You might feel unsure about how exactly you want to go about getting rid of used cardboard moving boxes. There’s no reason to worry because most moving companies also offer services to clean up and take away your packing supplies. These companies either send these supplies for recycling or sell them as ‘second-hand moving supplies’ on their websites. If not this, you can always just store them and use them for your next move.
Also See: Best Dish Pack Boxes For Moving
FAQs
What To Do With Cardboard Boxes After Moving?
There are a variety of things you could do with your cardboard boxes after you’re done with your move. You could choose to sell these boxes and make a profit, give them to your friends and help them out, organize the storage spaces in your house, store them for your next move, hand them off to a moving company or simply drop them off at a recycling center.
Is It Bad To Keep Cardboard Boxes?
Cardboard moving boxes are essentially used during a move, however, it wouldn’t be surprising if you find use in them even after the move. It isn’t bad to keep cardboard boxes at your home because they offer you an inexpensive way to organize your home.
However, keep in mind that cardboard doesn’t do well in heat and humidity. Neither can it deal with water or moisture. Make sure that these boxes are in a dry area at an ideal temperature if you want them to last for a long time.
Final Thoughts
Cardboard moving boxes are the first choice for many people because they’re great for moving and also have flexible utility after the move. There’s no reason to let your cardboard moving boxes wind up in the garbage when there are so many possibilities for recycling and even reusing them. Don’t forget that you’ll certainly feel like you’ve done your bit towards your planet by choosing to recycle and reuse these boxes!
Also See: List of Apartment Movers | 5 Best Companies for Plastic Moving Boxes
