Don’t Store Those Cardboard Boxes after a Move

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When I’m debating on whether to keep or toss a shirt in our closet, my wife wisely reminds me, “If you haven’t worn it in the last year, take it out of the closet and donate it to someone who will use it.” This sage advice applies to many things we accumulate in life. Cardboard moving boxes are no exception.

Many homeowners after moving will opt to keep their boxes in the attic or garage where they take up valuable space and just create more clutter. Eventually after several years of getting in the way, the boxes will usually be thrown out or maybe given to a neighbor who is moving. Why hoard things that take up space, create clutter, and could better be used by someone else? The answer is to sell or donate your used boxes. Many companies such as EcoBox, will buy back your used moving boxes and offer convenient pickup at your home. The repurchase price is typically 20% of the price of a new box.

By putting the boxes back into the moving cycle, it prevents trees and other resources needed to make a box from being used. If only ½ of the 40 million Americans who move each year reused their boxes we would save approx 200,000 trees and 300 million gallons of water. Once the box is torn, soiled, or no longer able to hold contents it can then be recycled. Recycling is good, but reusing is great since the useful life of a product can be greatly extended.

So free up space in that garage today. Call your local used box company to help haul away those used boxes and put them into the hands of someone else moving. The trees, the person needing boxes for a move, and your garage will greatly appreciate it !

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