Everything You Need to Know About Moving Boxes Before You Move!

Some people get by with a coffee maker and a mug, but most kitchens are brimming with all the dishware, pots and pans, small appliances, and handy gadgets that help us cook everything from popcorn to a holiday turkey dinner. For packing a medium to large kitchen, you'll typically need the following moving boxes, but if you collect dishware or have more small appliances than Macy's, make sure you adjust for those items.

• 2 dish pack kits
• 2 glass cell pack kits
• 2 small boxes
• 2 small heavy-duty boxes
• 2 medium boxes
• 4 medium heavy-duty boxes
• 2 large boxes

These are the boxes you'll need if your dining room has one set of china, a set of wine glasses, table linens, and accessories such as candle holders, candles, and vases. If you have buffets and sideboards filled with china and glassware, add more dish and glass packs.

• 1 dish pack kit
• 1 glass cell pack kit
• 2 small heavy-duty boxes
• 1 medium box
• 1 large box

Your living room is as unique as you are! Is yours a clean, simple, contemporary space that features a few thoughtfully curated accessories and artwork? Or is it a warm cozy space filled with books, antiques, cushy pillows, houseplants, hand-knitted afghans, and artwork that you've collected over the years? Modify the number of boxes, depending on your living room's personality.

• 2 small boxes
• 2 small heavy-duty boxes
• 3 medium boxes
• 1 medium heavy-duty box
• 2 large boxes
• 1 x-large box

Small powder rooms aside, bathrooms are repositories of all kinds of stuff like shampoos, gels, creams, powders, make-up, and small electronics. Having the right boxes makes packing up a bathroom much more straightforward. Plan on the following for each bathroom in your home:

• 2 small boxes
• 2 medium boxes
• 1 medium heavy-duty box
• 1 x-large box

Much like living rooms, master bedrooms can vary from clean and contemporary to comfy spaces decorated with books, magazines, artwork, mirrors, duvets, decorative pillows, and so on. Maybe you even have a desk that's filled with files and accessories that you need to pack. Also, consider how many folded and hanging clothes you'll be packing.

• 2 small boxes
• 3 medium boxes
• 1 heavy-duty medium box
• 3 large boxes
• 2 x-large boxes
• 4 wardrobe boxes

Children treasure their unique things - from their clothes, books, electronics, and décor, to their toys - especially those loveable stuffies that kids of all ages love. And children can accumulate a lot of stuff in a few short years that they don't want to part with when the family moves.

• 2 small boxes
• 2 medium boxes
• 3 large boxes
• 2 x-large boxes

Does your guest bedroom have all the charms of a fine B&B or do you use it as a sewing room, art studio, man-cave, or overflow storage room? Many people store out-of-season or special clothing in their guest bedroom closets and if you do too, you'll need a wardrobe box or two. Whatever the state of your guestroom, you'll likely need at least:

• 2 small boxes
• 2 medium boxes
• 3 large boxes
• 2 x-large boxes
• 1 wardrobe box

Is your home office filled with files, office supplies, artwork, electronics, books and accessories lined top to bottom on bookcase shelves? Your electronics are too valuable to pack in just any old box. Be sure to use heavy-duty boxes for your computer, printer, and other electronics.

• 4 file boxes
• 5 small boxes
• 3 medium heavy-duty boxes
• 4 large boxes

Maybe your garage is exclusively dedicated to housing your cars, or maybe you have one of those garages that's floor to ceiling sports equipment, holiday decorations, paint cans, tools, garden equipment - you get the idea. If your garage holds an array of stuff, you'll need various sized boxes to pack it up.

• 2 small boxes
• 3 small heavy-duty boxes
• 3 medium boxes
• 2 medium heavy-duty boxes
• 3 large boxes
• 3 x-large boxes

Plan on using an average of 30 boxes to pack up your studio apartment. This estimate assumes you live solo and aren't a packrat.

• 4 small boxes for books, accessories, kitchen items
• 1 dish pack box
• 9 medium size boxes for cleaning products, artwork, and bathroom items
• 6 large boxes for clothing, shoes, and linens
• 5 x-large boxes for comforters, duvets, pillows, toys
• 3 picture boxes for mirrors and framed art
• 2 wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes

Two adults living a moderate lifestyle in a one-bedroom home will need about 45 boxes.

• 7 small boxes
• 1 dish pack box
• 1 glassware cell pack box
• 10 medium boxes
• 10 large boxes
• 8 x-large boxes
• 4 picture boxes
• 4 wardrobe boxes

A family of two adults and a child under age 12 who live a moderate lifestyle will need an average of 60 boxes.

• 8 small boxes
• 2 dish pack boxes
• 20 medium boxes
• 12 large boxes
• 9 x-large boxes
• 5 picture boxes
• 4 wardrobe boxes

Let's say you're a family of four - two adults and two children under 12 who live a moderate lifestyle. You'll need around 80 boxes:

• 12 small boxes
• 3 dish pack boxes
• 28 medium boxes
• 15 large boxes
• 10 x-large boxes
• 7 picture boxes
• 5 wardrobe boxes

A family of four with two adults and two teenagers will need around 120 boxes.

• 25 small boxes
• 3 dish pack boxes
• 38 medium boxes
• 25 large boxes
• 15 x-large boxes
• 8 picture boxes
• 6 wardrobe boxes

With a family of five - two adults, two persons over 12 and one child under 12 - you'll have plenty of people to help pack! You'll need about 145 boxes.

• 32 small boxes
• 4 dish pack boxes
• 44 medium boxes
• 30 large boxes
• 17 x-large boxes
• 10 picture boxes
• 8 wardrobe boxes

A 16 x 12 x 12” small packing box, often with carrying handles, holds 1.5 cubic feet of contents and is available in regular test or heavy-duty. These are the best choice for heavy items like books, tools, and canned goods.

18 x 18 x 16” medium packing boxes are available in regular or heavy-duty. They're great for clothing, accessories like vases and knick-knacks, toys, and many kinds of kitchen items.

18 x 18 x 24” and holding 4.5 cubic feet, large moving boxes are ideal for clothing, linens, lampshades, and toys. They're available in normal test and heavy-duty.

24 x 18 x 24” extra-large moving boxes come in regular and heavy-duty. Holding 6 cubic feet of goods, these boxes are designed for large items that aren't especially heavy such as towels, pillows, blankets, comforters, duvets, and bulky lightweight items.

At 17 x 12 x 12”, the book box is the universally handy box for much more than books. Their compact size prevents the box from getting overpacked and too heavy, plus they're sturdy enough to keep fragile items safe.

Picture boxes come in a variety of sizes depending on the manufacturer. The most common sizes include 27 x 37 x 4”, 32 x 48 x 4”, and 40 x 60 x 3.5”. Most of these boxes telescope to provide a custom fit and maximum protection of your pictures and paintings.

Flat-panel TVs can be shipped safely in specially designed heavy-duty TV Boxes. These boxes are designed to pack TVs without attached stands or mounts. Typically you can find 8 sizes that range from 22 x 2 x 16” all the way up to 82 x 8 x 50”.

Huge time and effort-savers, wardrobe or garment boxes make moving your hanging clothes a snap. Available in 3 sizes, from 24 x 20 x 34”, 24 x 20 x 46”, or 24 x 22 x 60” for full length clothing and gowns.

Double-walled to keep dishes safe, the 24 x 12 x 11” dish pack box holds a place setting for 8. The kit usually comes with dividers, 8- 7 x 7” foam pouches, 8- 12.5 x 12.5” foam pouches, and 16- 9.25 x 9.25” foam pouches.

Also known as cell boxes because of their partitions, glassware packing boxes are available in a range of sizes to safely pack specific types of glasses. The 16 x 12 x 9” box is ideal for 12 wine or pilsner glasses. The 17.5 x 13 x 9.25” box is designed for 12 red wine glasses. Use the 24 x 12 x 6” box for 18 short glasses, and the 24 x 12 x 12” box for 18 tall glasses.

A mattress box keeps your mattress clean and dry. They're available in four sizes, from 28 x 6 x 52” crib, 39 x 8 x 75” twin, 54 x 8 x 75” double or full size, and a telescoping queen/king size box that measures 81 x 11” and adjusts 40 to 80”.

Accommodating a variety of artwork and mirror sizes, artwork and mirror boxes are available in three telescoping sizes: Large 200# test 30 x 6 x 24-44”, X-large 200# test 37 x 4 x 30-60”, and X-large heavy duty 275# test 48 x 6 x 38-72”.

15 x 12 x 10” file boxes with lids are perfect for transporting and/or storing letter-size and legal-size documents. These boxes come in regular and heavy-duty.

Renting plastic moving boxes can be a smart choice loaded with lots of advantages.

• Durability: They're extremely durable and provide exceptional protection for your belongings.
• Waterproof: They're waterproof so you can confidently move even if it's raining.
• Stackable: The boxes are designed with ergonomic easy-carry handles, and nest together like adult legos when stacked. Once they're stacked, you can easily move them on a dolly for simple loading and unloading.
• Pre-assembled: Packing goes faster because the plastic boxes are pre-assembled. You won't need to put together unwieldy cardboard boxes and deal with cumbersome tape to seal them closed.
• No tape required: Plastic moving boxes have self-closing lids that don't require taping.
• Space saving: Empty boxes can be nested and are great space savers during the packing process.
• Return to the rental company: And after you unpack, there's no need to figure out what to do with them like with cardboard boxes.

And that's just the good news about the boxes themselves. How about the box rental services? All of the companies clean and sanitize the boxes after each use, and since the boxes are pre-assembled, you can begin packing immediately. Most companies offer free delivery and pick up and include easy-peel labels, zip ties for extra security, and a dolly for moving the boxes easily.

Here are some of the best places to rent plastic moving containers.

You pick up the boxes at your convenience, and must return them to the same location you rented them from. This rental option is best if you're making a local move. Book early as only certain U-Haul locations provide this service and inventory is limited.

Boxes measure 24 x 20 x 12” and there's no limit on how many boxes you can rent. Also, with no time limits on how long you can keep them, this is a super-handy option if you can't unpack right away. Rates can vary according to your location, but the average rate is $1.50 per box for one week plus $1 for each additional week. For more information about rates and how to rent, go to uhaul.com/plastic-moving-boxes.

Bin-It is available in Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Nashville, New Jersey, and New York City. Check to see if this company services your location. Pricing depends on your city. Each bin you receive has been thoroughly scrubbed and sanitized for your peace of mind. Bin-It offers free labels, so you can keep your boxes organized, as well as free zip ties if you want to make the boxes extra-secure. Rentals come with a dolly, so you can easily move the stackable bins for loading and unloading. To give you an idea of how much you can pack into one of their standard 27 x 17 x 12” bins, you can easily fit 15 sweaters and 5 winter jackets, or 12 to 15 pairs of shoes, or 48 books, or 30-40 T-shirts and 15 pairs of shorts.

Delivery is free within 24 to 48 hours of placing your order and pick up is also free. Bin-It provides tracking notifications, so you don't have to wait around wondering when your boxes will show up.

Providing moving boxes for rent in the greater Los Angeles area and Orange County, Rent A Green Box is all about providing an eco-friendly moving option. The company claims to be the first zero-waste pack and move solution in the U.S. Rent A Green Box boxes, which it calls Recopacks, for Recycled Ecological Packaging, are made from post-consumer waste. Unlike other companies that just rent one size box, Rent A Green Box offers three box sizes. Their medium box is 23.5 x 16 x 13”. The large box measures 27 x 17 x 13”, and extra-large is 28 x 20.5 x 15”.

Rent A Green Box delivers and picks up the boxes. You'll pay $33 per week for ten large Recopack boxes, including a dolly and eco-labels. The company also sells eco-mattress bags, 150 lb capacity canvas bags, labels, furniture storage bags, and laundry bags.

Renting plastic crates since 1991, Rentacrate has 16 distribution centers around the country. Although the company's primary focus over the past 25 years has been business moves, it also provides rental bins for residential moves. Rental rates depend on the length of your rental, the types of boxes you want to rent, and how many. You can request a quote on the website.

The plastic boxes fold flat for storage and take up very little space during and after your move. The standard box is 18 x 18 x 16”, but the company also offers a smaller 16 x 12 x 12” box. Rentacrate also rents plastic wardrobe bins and plastic crates especially designed for moving TVs, computers, and AV equipment. The plastic wardrobe boxes, also foldable, measure 21 x 24 x 48”.

Redi-Box is another company that has been in the plastic rental bin business for a long time. This box rental service serves Chicago and Portland, Oregon. Redi-Box offers next-day delivery to more than 200 Chicago suburbs, as well as next-day delivery to all Portland, Oregon suburbs, including across the Columbia River into southern Washington.

Delivery and pick-up are free for any size order. Twenty boxes for two weeks rent for $99. If you want to add on extra time, the charge is $15 per week. Boxes measure 27 x 17 x 12.5” and Redi-Box claims that each of its boxes holds 35% more than an equivalent sized cardboard box. With no assembly and no breakdown, Redi-Box is an ecofriendly option.

With four locations in Florida, one in Dallas, one in Albany, New York, and one in the greater Washington DC-Maryland-Virginia region, Bungobox offers free delivery and pick up for orders over $75. Each of the company's locations handles long distance service differently, so call 888-479-1888 to ask about rental service for your move. Boxes come in two sizes. The large holds 2.5 cubic feet of goods and is 27 x 17 x 12”. The XL size holds 3.8 cubic feet and measures 28 x 20 x 15”. The company also rents plastic wardrobe boxes.

With an enormous selection, Lowe's sells standard, heavy duty, or recycled small to extra-large cardboard moving boxes. You'll also find a great selection of specialty boxes like glass or dish pack kits, TV, floor lamp, file boxes, or wardrobe boxes. Some sizes are available in money-saving bundle packs. You can pick-up in the store, or order online with free delivery over $45.

• The medium size 18 x 16 x 18” moving box is $1.44 each, and the medium heavy-duty box sells for $2.58 each.
• The Ship Pro USA brand 25 count 17 x 17 x 12” medium box pack sells for $66.12.

From small to extra-large, plus many specialty boxes that accommodate everything from TVs and artwork to your hanging clothes, Home Depot sells a wide variety of moving boxes. This home improvements store offers heavy-duty, recycled, and standard boxes. The inventory is listed under the image of each item, so you can be sure they have the number of boxes you need before you head to the store. HD offers In-store pick up, free curbside pickup, or free delivery on orders over $45.

• The best seller is the 22 x 16 x 15” medium moving box at $1.48 each.
• The 18 x 18 x 16” medium heavy-duty moving box with handles sells for $2.38 each.

Walmart carries just about any type of moving box you need with the majority of its offerings available in bundles and packs. The website offers a handy filter that helps you find the boxes by brand, price, size, and more. Many of the box bundles you see on the Walmart website ship free from third party sellers. Walmart delivery is free on orders over $35.

• The Pen & Gear brand 16 x 16 x 17” medium recycled moving box sells for $1.28 each.
• 20 count pack of 20 x 16 x 14” medium recycled Kraft moving boxes sells for $56.88.

Selling boxes individually or in room kits, U-Haul offers a wide variety of well-priced moving boxes. For example, it sells eight various size wardrobe boxes priced between $5.95 to $12.95. U-Haul has a great selection of glass and dish packs, cell kits, and wine shipping kits. Shipping is free on orders over $50 or you can pick up in-store for free.

• The 18 1/8 x 18 x 16” heavy-duty double-walled moving box sells for $2.67.
• 20 count pack of 18 1/8 x 18 x 16” medium moving box (not heavy-duty) sells for $1.49 each or $27.40 for a bundle of 20.

ULINE carries over 1,650 box sizes. Approximately 99.5% of the company's orders ship the same day from eleven locations across the nation. Consider shipping costs when you compare prices to other retailers. ULINE shipping costs depend on the quantity, weight, and destination location.

• 18 x 18 x 16” 200 lb test medium box costs $1.97 each if you buy a bundle of 25.
• 18 x 18 x 16” 275 lb double-wall medium box costs $5.02 each if you buy a bundle of 25.

You'll be able to choose from at least 13 different moving box manufacturers on Amazon. That means you'll be able to find just about any type of moving box your heart desires. And of course, if you're a Prime member, shipping is free.

• Ubox 20 count 18 x 14 x 12” medium moving box bundles sell for $41.00.
• Cheap Cheap 20 count medium 18 x 14 x 12” boxes sell for $36.52.

Well-priced bundles, great selection, and free shipping on orders over $35 makes Cheap Cheap Moving Boxes a super choice. Most boxes are delivered in 1 to 2 days. The company's prices are a bit cheaper than what you'd pay on Amazon, plus if you're not an Amazon Prime member, you'll save money on Cheap Cheap Moving Boxes because you'll likely buy more than $35 worth of boxes and get free shipping.

• 20 count 18 x 14 x 12” medium box bundle sells for $35.99.
• 8 count 18 x 18 x 22” kitchen dish box bundle sells for $35.99.

In an effort to keep moving supplies out of landfills, U-Haul's free Customer Connect program helps people give away, sell, or find free boxes. You enter your location and keywords in the search box. For example: 'need boxes Oakland, CA'. If someone has what you need, you'll see the results listed. This is a great resource for moving your boxes along after you've unpacked too!

If you belong to a warehouse membership giant like Costco or Sam's Club, ask a manager to save boxes for you. These stores deal with huge amounts of inventory and unpack boxes every day to restock the shelves. With the huge variety of products warehouse clubs sell, you should be able to score boxes of all sizes.

Big Box stores like Target, Walmart, Office Depot, Petco, PetSmart, and Best Buy will usually save boxes for you if you ask. These stores have a limited amount of space to stash empty boxes, so be sure to confirm which day and time is best to come by to pick them up.

Grocery stores have been the go-to for used boxes since forever. There was a time you could just drive around back and load up your car with fruit, veggie, and product boxes. Now, many stores crush their boxes throughout the day. Just chat with the manager at your local store, and it's likely that she'll be happy to save boxes for you.

Liquor boxes are handy for packing books and heavy stuff. They often don't have lids, so take that into consideration. Some wine boxes come with dividers and are a great way to move your own stock of wine bottles or even your glassware.

New books arrive at bookstores in boxes. How perfect! Just ask the manager when new shipments arrive and be sure to show up soon after because you may not be the only person waiting for sturdy book boxes. They'll be ideal for packing your books, but you'll also be able to pack up all kinds of things in these useful boxes.

It seems there are always free boxes listed on Craigslist. Select your city in the navigation bar, then select the counterintuitive 'for sale', then in the third dropdown, select 'free stuff'. Type 'moving boxes' in the search window. Some boxes will be flattened, so you'll get a whole lot more in your car but others are given away 'whole'.

NextDoor is an e-sharing platform that's exclusive to your particular neighborhood. You have to be a resident within the boundaries of the neighborhood to become a member. If your neighborhood has a Nextdoor website, ask a neighbor to invite you or sign up at Nextdoor.com. Then you can post a request for free moving boxes.

LetGo is a popular online classifieds site with an app that's available for both Apple and Android. Once you open your account, simply search for 'free moving boxes' then use the filter for your location. Also, you can click on the 'Free Stuff' symbol on the homepage.

Similar to LetGo, OfferUp is a local mobile-only marketplace app. You need to download the app and sign up, then you can use the filters to browse posts for free moving boxes or post your own request. Unlike Craigslist, everyone on OfferUp has a profile and becomes trustworthy through their reviews.

A volunteer-run group, Freecycle.org is a worldwide network with groups near you. Once you become a member, you then find a local group to join. You'll go to 'My Posts', then choose 'wanted' from the drop down menu, then enter 'free moving boxes' in the description box. Responses will go to your email. You can also run a search for free moving boxes.

Facebook Marketplace is a great place to find free moving boxes. Open Facebook, then click the house symbol which is on the top of the page on your computer, or on the bottom on your phone. You can search for 'Free Moving Boxes' or click on 'Free Stuff' in the 'Categories' section.

If your office orders office supplies and reams of printer paper, snatch the empty boxes before someone else does! These are ideal for packing books, your own home office supplies, and so much more.

Don't forget to hit up family members or friends who are moving or have just unpacked. They'd love to give you their moving boxes. Maybe when they deliver the boxes they'll even help you pack a few of them!