Q: I am moving across the country from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in a couple weeks, and I've be agonizing over orchestrating the whole thing. Here's my question: I want to rent reusable moving containers rather than buy a bunch of cardboard boxes that will just wind up in the trash, but I can't seem to find a company that offers this on the East Coast…
I've decided to ship my belongings using a company offering "self move" services (I pack and load, they drive, I unload and unpack). There are several businesses that look great, but they all seem to service the West Coast or Canada (i.e. ZippGo, Rentagreenbox, Frogbox, Moving Green, etc.). Does anybody know of such a thing for the Northeast, or on a national scale? It seems a lot of above-listed companies are looking to expand nation-wide in the near future... Am I just too early?
Sent by Rebecca
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Isn't it sort of six of one and a half-dozen of the other? That is, once you get to the west coast, you'll need to return the totes to the east coast under your present plan. One way or another, the totes need to make the trip empty across the country.
Have you checked with the west coast companies to see if they'll ship the totes to you. Then they'll presumably be easier to return them when you're unpacked.
When we moved cross country I bought used boxes (dish packs, etc.) from a mover. Afterwards, we flattened and saved them, and have used them several more times. We do have a garage to store them, but this is very green way to go.
When I moved I got a bunch of boxes off of Craigslist. When I arrived at my destination I posted an ad on Craigslist and someone came and used the boxes again.
Have a safe move!
These movers use reusable boxes: http://moversnotshakers.com/index2.php, they're brooklyn based, and they source their boxes from a company on the west coast, so they might be able to set something up for you (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/garden/22moving.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=movers%20not%20shakers&st=cse).
I move a lot, so I own about a dozen of these boxes: http://www.containerstore.com/shop/storage/storageBoxes/plastic?productId=10003254&N=71227. It's an investment, but they've gotten me through my last eight moves (no cracking/breakage, unlike my one experiment with bargain store plastic storage boxes), they stack for easy storage when you're not using them, and they're clear, making my shoddy labeling practices less of a problem. Oh, and they're a perfect, grippable, manageable size and the sides and corners don't cave in, unlike most of my adventures in used cardboard boxes. Should I settle down enough to not need them anymore, I plan on selling or giving them away, so I think the money was so worth it.
Those are Container Store's jumbo clear storage boxes, in case that link goes bad.
I don't know about the rental ones- what a great concept however.
As a frequent "Gotta Do it Myself Out of Financial Necessity" mover (including packing, driving the truck or trailer, and unpacking) I think that U-Haul will buy cardboard boxes back, but I think you have to rent from them in the first place.
I use Freecycle. I ask for what I need in advance of my move, then sign up ahead of time for the local Freecycle group at my destination. I post that I will have boxes (available in a certain time frame of my arrival) and that is a good heads up for someone in your new area who is planning a move. (Sometimes I've double scored with offers from the box requesters of items like tables & chairs that they won't be taking with them. Win-win.).
But for the most part I have made a permanent investment of plastic totes (either purchased new, given by friends, or from Freecycle). They come in handy long after the move when I discover that I don't have enough time before the new job starts to get everything unpacked right away so I will have to live out of those totes for a few weeks (that is why I like the clear ones- no labeling, no guessing. Also, inevitably I will discover later that I don't have enough storage space in my new home & I am grateful for all those totes (which also can be stacked inside each other to save for the next move or a later use).
I am also one of the crazy people who still has all of my plastic milk crates from my college days in the 70s. I am lucky in that I have the coveted rectangle ones, as well as the regular square ones.
I used to work for a company in Los Angeles that had their own shipping department so I was lucky enough to score really good quality Uline boxes. I've used them for 5 moves so far, including one of which was 700 miles. I keep them "broken down" under my bed or in a closet (in a small apartment) and I'm sure I'll get several more uses out of them. A lot of moving companies sell boxes, or you may want to check out a shipping company...I say it's worth the investment.
Hi Rebecca. Please check out Jugglebox (www.juggleboxmoving.com) - we rent reusable plastic bins, wardrobes, dollies, and biodegradable, compostable packing paper. We service the New York City area. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Thanks for finding a greener solution to moving! Surinder.