Moving boxes - cereal boxes or buy boxes?

[chrissy]

Found out last week that they are going to tear my house down 01 JAN 08.

They will give me two options - move me or move myself. If I move myself, they will cut me a check for $1500.

I will most likely go with that option.

But, WWYD? Buy boxes (pricing them now to be about $400 for boxes and tape) or go hang at ghetto WM in the wee hrs of the morning hoping to land free cereal boxes and avoid being robbed/shot/molested?

So yeah, the housing office said I should get official word about moving as early as Nov possibly late Oct. And that they would want us out (us and our neighbors)30-60 days prior to them tearing the houses down... I better be settled by Christmas! I don't want to have a holiday without decorating and making cookies and dinners!

I was so hoping that Donnie would be back before they wanted us to move - and that is still a possiblility. But with the luck I have had since May, he will be home the week after we move and everything will be unpacked except his desk and garage...

[tweeteresa]

considering i'm a single person, i'd move myself and pocket the money because i don't have a ton of stuff...especially big items. but for a family, it may be a bit harder.

if you choose to move yourself, here are two excellent sources for moving boxes:

- school (everything from paper boxes to supplies, etc..)
- costco (when they unpack items, there are PLENTY to choose from)

also, they're fairly clean. good luck!

[RIVERWIDOW]

I have to think that $1500 is no where near enough for the aggravation and work involved in moving yourself. Man hours alone you would probably be working for $1 an hour. Let them do it and save yourself the grief and stress. :)

[chrissy]

I tend to agree, and if we were moving to another state or more than a day away, I would have them move us and PAY someone to clean the house we are moving out of. But, I will only be moving down the street or across the Blvd to the main base housing area (depending on what is available).

If all goes according to my plan :heh: , I would start packing as soon as I got the letter (Donnie's stuff since he isnt' here to use it :) ) and call his shop which has about 10 guys at least on any given day to come move me. Pizza, water and beer later, I should be ahead by $1000 IF I buy boxes. I actually don't mind the packing part. It's almost theraputic for me and I weed out a bunch of crap I haven't used in a while.

[zippyjuan]

Start collecting boxes now and putting up a few things a day. Then you don't have to do it all at once. I would hit the local grocery store up- especially the produce department. They have the best boxes. Just grab a few every time you go in to buy food. The ones cereal come in are not as big or strong. At least you have a long time to get ready.

[uncledaddy]

I agree with zippy, (although maybe not produce boxes cause sometimes produce are wet/spoiled by time it hits store), but if you talk to a grocery store manager you may be able to get him to have boxes saved for you. We did this once when dad was stationed at Anderson, AFB on Guam and they were renovating, believe it or not we were able to get a bunch of boxes from the commissary. Don't know if that will still work. Good Luck. :)

[Markel]

One slight benefit of the place I work is that we get tons of product shipped from the parent company in Japan. The boxes that they use are about the sturdiest boxes I have ever seen. When I was going to begin moving, I started bringing home several boxes a day for several weeks - they really came in handy.

[Jenny]

heh We have an apple box from Dillons that we've had for probably 9 or 10 years. :D Still sturday and usable. lol

[zippyjuan]

Apple boxes are the best. Potato boxes are dirty and things like lettuce boxes get all wet (they are waxed but still not that good for moving). Just check out what they have. Banana boxes have a big hole in the top and bottom so don't always work well.

[avlena]

another great source of boxes is Craigslist. I put an ad asking for boxes and I got 2 fantastic sources - 1 was a woman who had all these professional moving boxes left over from hers, and another was from a company that received a lot of shipments. People are typically willing to get more moving karma, since everyone's gone through the pain of having to find boxes, request help for moving, etc.

[uncledaddy]

another great source of boxes is Craigslist. I put an ad asking for boxes and I got 2 fantastic sources - 1 was a woman who had all these professional moving boxes left over from hers, and another was from a company that received a lot of shipments. People are typically willing to get more moving karma, since everyone's gone through the pain of having to find boxes, request help for moving, etc.

Good info. :thumb:

[Maarchk]

Rat's I thought i had a free room in vegas if i moved a bunch of boxes..
Hehe good luck. And yeah, there are less shady places then walmart that toss out creates and big boxes that can be super helpful. I dont know why you would pay for boxes unless you had less than a week's notice to move.

[chrissy]

Convenience is the reason for buying over chasing boxes down. The commissary on base will not give boxes, but I know where the recycle places are on base and will be grabbing them. The only store off base for 5 miles in any direction is ghetto WM. I will find boxes - I can't see spending $400 on boxes. I just wanted to see if I was being to cheap :D


There will be a few people moving in and out in Oct if I remember right - military moves people around that month, at least to here, so I can get good moving boxes (hopefully a couple wardrobes I love those things for uniforms etc).

I just need to start remembering boxes when I go downtown to shop.

[chrissy]

Maarchk, if you want to come help you have a place to stay as long as you promise not to be some weirdo...

[guiseppewv]

How about freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org/)? They might be able to hook you up with people that have unwanted moving boxes.

[uncledaddy]

I just wanted to see if I was being to cheap :D


Nope, not being too cheap. Also think of it this way, If you recycle boxes, (utilize used ones), then you are also saving trees. :D :)

[Maarchk]

Maarchk, if you want to come help you have a place to stay as long as you promise not to be some weirdo...

Rats, always a catch! haha it sounds like you have enough help. But if i swing through vegas as i regularly do its always fun to catch lunch with a GA person and say hi.
I've met Roniman, ShawnLee, and Ladogaboy in person.

[Napoleon54]

I can see how it would be tempting to buy boxes. They'd be all the same shape/ size, you'd have a reliable supply, etc. But I'd never do that, there are plenty of boxes to be found for the taking. Plus having unique boxes means you can remember what's in there without having to read the writing (e.g. shoes got put in the apple box, etc).

How much time will you have to move? Perhaps you can even reuse the boxes yourself if you'd have time to move stuff to the new house and bring them back for a second trip!

[renovation]

check with american van line or other large moving companys in your area you maybe suprized .as they may sell used boxs cheap.(they just gave us used boxs at no charge) also have them give you a est.of what they want to move the stuff and you pack it .i did that when we moved stuff from my dads estate in arizona and they gave us the cartons we needed.it was way cheaper then i figured and we moved the stuff from there to 2 homes in michigan .they took it off the truck we had to pack and unpack it in the homes but was it a smooth ordeal. also the stuffs insured thats a big plus.when friends help it gets broke there hard feelings and the stuffs still broke.

[gear02]

There's also places online that sell box kits for far less than $400 including shipping.

If there's a Sams or Costco, try that.

[chrissy]

yeah I saw costco for boxes but it would still be about 300 if I buy all new boxes. With a 4 bedroom house, a full kitchen, office and garage to pack, I am going to need a LOT of boxes :)

and ren, I am only at the most moving a mile or two - they are finally getting rid of the lead painted, asbestos filled houses. Some are made of cinderblock! As they finish new houses, our houses will be turned over to Hunt to be torn down and news ones built. Besides, if I wanted them to move me, all I would have to say is do it and they will. BUT I won't get paid doing it that way :D

[oblongmelon]

Pocket that money girl! It will come in handy for Christmas! ..Your best bet is to try a supermarket. Call ahead and ask the manager to save boxes for you. CVS as well..they just flatten theirs and recycle them.

[chrissy]

Oh forgot about CVS! Thanks Obby! - do they get good size boxes? Guess they do get some. HBA usually have smaller boxes, but they do have other things. :) I have a connection there :D One of the other wives from Donnie's shop works there :D

[Paymaster]

My favorite source is Kinko's. Paper is heavy, so the boxes are sturdy, and it is easy to get a lot of boxes that are the same same size.

[The Happy Squirrel]

produce boxes if you ahve any 24 food marts go around 3am ish also hit the liqour stores they always have a ton of sturdy boxes laying around thats about the best place to go

[avlena]

My favorite source is Kinko's. Paper is heavy, so the boxes are sturdy, and it is easy to get a lot of boxes that are the same same size.

oooh, that's a good idea. My dad used to save the boxes of copy paper from his work for moves, and they're my favorite boxes - sturdy, ideal size, great for stacking, etc.

[uncledaddy]

oooh, that's a good idea. My dad used to save the boxes of copy paper from his work for moves, and they're my favorite boxes - sturdy, ideal size, great for stacking, etc.

And don't they come with lids?