Move.org has researched the reliability and prices for moving boxes from different retailers to help you find affordable boxes that will hold up on moving day.
Best Cheap Moving Boxes
4 min readBottom line: Moving is expensive—but packing in sturdy, secure boxes doesn’t have to be, even if you're not hiring professionals to help you pack.
Instead of dumpster diving or begging your friendly neighborhood businesses for their throwaways, use our guide to find the most durable boxes at the best prices.
Read on to learn the best places to buy cheap moving boxes—and which ones we recommend for your next relocation.
Best cheap moving boxes
- : Most durable
- : Best box alternative
- : Best all-in-one kit
Need a moving truck or cargo van? Check out our list of the best moving truck rental companies.
Use Case | Product image | Product name | Price | Buy now |
| Most durable |  | Bankers Box SmoothMove Classic Moving Kit | $37.99 ($3.17 per box) | View on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best box alternative |  | TAILI XL Moving Bags, 6-pack | $43.99 ($7.33 per bag) | View on Amazon |
| Best all-in-one kit |  | uBoxes 2-Room Economy Moving Kit | $60.45 ($2.00 per box) | View on Walmart |
Data as of 12/10/2021.
Most durable—Bankers Box SmoothMove Classic Moving Kit
While clothing and soft objects are safe in nearly any box, fragile items (like your coffee mugs and porcelain figurine collection) need stronger boxes to keep them from breaking. Choose durable double-walled or heavy-duty boxes to transport your most prized possessions without worry.
Pros
No tape required
Easy-carry handles
Easy-lift lids
Reusable and recyclable construction 
Cons
Assembly required
No capability for heavy loads Each Bankers Box kit contains eight small and four medium boxes. They are tape-free and easy to carry thanks to built-in handles. Plus, pull-off lids make loading everything from antique dishes to leather-bound books a breeze.
Plus, each box’s sturdy double-end, double-bottom construction ensures your boxes hold up in transit.
Durability (and eligibility for Amazon’s free and fast Prime delivery) make these boxes a top choice for movers who need well-constructed boxes in a hurry.
Pro tip: when you’re done moving, save these boxes for storing your holiday decorations, or reuse them for future moves.
Free box calculator
Not sure how many boxes you’ll need to move your three-bedroom home? Use The Home Depot’s moving calculator to accurately estimate based on the size of your home, including the number of bathrooms, whether you have a garage or basement, and your lifestyle (from minimalist to pack rat).
Best box alternative—TAILI XL Moving Bags
When you have a whole house to pack up and move, a box doesn't always cut it. These moving bags help move softer items, like clothing, and you can see what's inside without having to open it up.
Pros
See-through window
Reusable
130 lb. capacity
Sturdy
Easy to transport Cons
Not recyclable
More expensive per item Each extra-large storage bag is made from waterproof, tear-resistant PE woven material and features 3-layer sewing technology for durability. Equipped with long carry handles, side straps, and a three-sided zipper, these bags make packing and unpacking a breeze. When not in use, they flatten for convenient storage.
Perfect for moving, these multi-use bags hold up to 130 pounds and are great for storing clothes, toys, bedding, and more. The U-shaped handle design improves load-bearing capacity, and a front transparent window with a label card slot makes item identification simple.
Ideal for college moves, new homes, and travel, these moving totes are perfect for long-term storage if you’re not ready to unpack everything right away.
Go green
Every cardboard box from Home Depot is constructed from 100% recycled materials and can be recycled once you’ve finished moving.
Best all-in-one kit—uBoxes 2-Room Economy Moving Kit
We get it: moving can be chaotic. Skip multiple trips to the store–instead, get your packing supplies in a single, affordable moving box kit.
Pros
Two box sizes included
Packing tape and marker included
Sturdy cardboard construction
Free shipping Cons
Assembly required
Box taping required Whether you’re headed to a new apartment down the street or a new state across the country, the uBoxes Economy Moving Kit saves you the hassle of tracking down moving supplies. Each set contains thirty boxes (ten small boxes and twenty medium boxes), a roll of packing tape, and a permanent marker for labeling.
Walmart also offers free, fast shipping, and you can fill your online cart with anything else you need for the big move.
Plus, stores are open late (and often 24/7)—great for grabbing extra boxes at the last minute or picking up online orders in person.
Share & save
In an effort to keep boxes out of landfills, U-Haul’s Box Exchange® helps customers coordinate buying, selling, or donating used moving boxes and supplies to others. Just enter your location to find a list of customers who have or need boxes.
How to check moving box strength
The strength of your boxes matters, especially if you’re packing them full of first editions or fitness equipment. To prevent collapse, check your box’s max loading weight and Edge Crush Test (ECT) rating.
Simply put, an ECT rating tells you how much weight it would take to crush your box.1 The higher the rating, the more likely your boxes will stay intact.
Industry standards for moving boxes
How to pack moving boxes
Choosing the right moving boxes is a good start, but all your hard work goes to waste if you pack them incorrectly.
Follow these packing best practices to assure fragile items like your antique figurine collection, heirloom artwork, and dust-collecting dish set arrive safely at your new home:
- Marie Kondo your clutter. Before you start packing, go through everything and get rid of unwanted, unused, and broken belongings.
- Make an inventory. Track what you pack and where to make the unpacking process easier.
- Keep it together. Group items from the same room in the same box so they’re easy to find and unpack.
- Pack consistently. Don’t pack your delicate teacups with your hammers and wrenches. Keep similar items together to prevent breakage.
- Stay organized. You don’t want to wonder, “What does this go to?” when you find tiny bolts and bits. Keep accessories taped directly (or in a Ziploc bag) to the items they belong with so you don’t wind up with a junk drawer full of, frankly, junk.
- Add some cushion. Start with a layer of packing peanuts, newspaper, or even old stuffed animals in the bottom of the box. (Heads up: don’t wrap bare items with newspaper as the ink can imprint onto dishware.)
7. Load it right. Put heavier items at the bottom of the box and lighter ones up top.
8. Don’t over or under fill. Keep each box’s weight below 30 pounds (unless you’re strong enough to carry more), but fill them up enough to prevent them from collapsing when stacked.
9. Break out the label maker. Write the contents and destination room on every box to simplify unloading.
10. Pack an overnight box. Pack anything you’ll need for the first few days in your new home separately and take it along with you. Think towels, washcloths, toiletries, clothing, bed linens, and pillows.
Find your best box
Packing delicate dishes or your collection of authentic German beer steins? Use our guide to the best moving boxes for dishes and glasses to choose the right supplies for packing fragile items.
Our recommendation
We’re all about saving you time and money on your next move.
Whether you’re a military family permanently changing stations or a single professional moving cross country for a big promotion, don’t count on your leftover Amazon Prime boxes. Instead, choose our favorite cheap moving boxes for the best protection in transit at an affordable price.
To recap, here are our top picks:
Use Case | Product image | Product name | Price | Buy now |
| Most durable | | Bankers Box SmoothMove Classic Moving Kit | $33.49 ($2.79 per box) | View on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best box alternative | | TAILI XL Moving Bags | $43.99 (6-pack) | View on Amazon |
| Best all-in-one kit | | uBoxes 2-Room Economy Moving Kit | $60.45 ($2.00 per box) | View on Walmart |
Data as of 12/10/2021.
Need other packing products? Check our guide to moving supplies (and more moving boxes) to be sure you’re covered—before the moving truck arrives. We can even help you find an affordable moving company! Read our list of the best cheap moving companies to find a moving service that works for your wallet.
Where did you find cheap moving boxes? Share in the comments below to help our readers save on their next move.
Sources
- Sparefoot.com “The Best Kind of Boxes to Use for Moving and Storage”
