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By Shop4Boxes.com Staff
It is inevitable; when you move you are going to need moving boxes.
You need to figure out how many you need, pay a pretty decent sum to buy them, put them together, and then figure out how to dispose of them when you're done.
Never fear. This guide will help you learn the ins and outs of moving boxes to make your move easy and stress-free.
The most important point is that moving boxes are not all made with the same quality and same materials, and they are not the common standard boxes that you see in many retail stores.
While you might be tempted to use the most readily accessible boxes at hand -- no matter the quality -- you'd be making a big mistake. The quality of boxes and packing supplies that you use will be a big factor for keeping your items safe and secure during the move or in storage. If possible, try to choose only boxes that are specially designed for moving.
What makes moving boxes different from other boxes is that they are designed specifically for loading and transporting items onto a truck. Professional moving companies use standard sizes boxes to help them plan effective use of their truck space.
Their experience helps them determine how many boxes and the type of boxes that will be needed to complete your move and then determine how best to pack them horizontally and vertically onto the rented truck. If you use non-standard box sizes, the moving company will have to do their best to try to make things fit properly, but these non-standard sizes create a much greater risk because they create dead space on the moving truck, and there's greater risk of items shifting during the move.
How to Get Them:
Although you can get moving boxes from a grocery store, this isn't advisable since these boxes may be stained from food. They are also not as sturdy as boxes specifically designed for moving. In order to assess how many boxes you actually need, do an inventory of your belongings and what you need to pack. You can purchase ready-made moving kits that provide the right quantity of boxes and moving supplies for your move, including through our site, Shop4Boxes.com.
When you are shopping for moving boxes, you will see them presented with their three inside dimensions in the following order: length, width and then height or depth. For example, a standard medium moving box will be shown with the dimensions of 18 x 14 x 12, which indicates the boxes' length, width and height if you are looking from the top down into the box.
Moving box manufacturers have created several types of boxes, specially designed for moving household items. Normal moving box types and sizes include:
Medium Moving Boxes (18x14x12) – These are industry standard boxes that are versatile and can be used for a number of common household items. Medium moving boxes are great to store books, collectibles, kitchenware and most of your other household items.
Large Moving Boxes (20x20x15) - Large sized moving boxes are all-purpose moving boxes that can be packed with heavy items, but can still be carried easily. These boxes are best suited for a mix of some heavy household goods combined with some light items such as items from the bedroom.
Extra Large Moving Boxes (23x23x16) – Extra large moving boxes are best suited for light goods such as bedding, drapes, towels and clothing that you do not place in a separate wardrobe box. Do not place too many items in a large moving box as it can become unwieldy to lift and carry.
Keep Items Safe In Your Moving Boxes:
The most common cause of damage during a move comes from the vibration of items inside your box.
If you leave space within the box or you have not properly wrapped the items in padding and bubble wrap, you will leave open space that create movement of your items inside the box. If too much space, a sudden jolt could cause your items to rip through the box and be left open or exposed in the truck for the rest of the trip.
This small extra investment upfront can pay big dividends. Just a few damaged dishes or other expensive items can create an expense far exceeding the cost of the extra packing materials.