If you’re looking for free moving boxes, your local supermarket is indeed your best option. Supermarkets receive stock weekly and will usually have a surplus of cardboard boxes to give away.  Be careful though: boxes that have contained items like produce tend to be less sturdy due to the moisture they absorb.  

As it is difficult to properly estimate how many moving boxes you’ll actually use, most companies will offer refunds for any unused boxes.  HomeMove goes one step further: we buy our packing boxes back from you when you’re done with them and will even collect them for free within a 25km radius of the Melbourne CBD. 

All items that can fit into boxes should be packed neatly to avoid damage.  HomeMove will wrap and provide padding for larger things that don’t fit into boxes like furniture and major appliances.  

The number of moving boxes you’ll need depends on several factors, including the size of your house, the amount of belongings you have, and how densely you pack your items. Here’s a general guideline to give you an idea:

1. Studio or One-Bedroom Apartment: Around 10-20 boxes.
2. Two-Bedroom Apartment/Home: Approximately 20-40 boxes.
3. Three-Bedroom Home: Roughly 40-60 boxes.
4. Four or More Bedroom Home: Likely 60-80+ boxes.

Remember, these are just estimates. You might need more boxes if you have a lot of belongings, or fewer if you’re a minimalist. It’s also helpful to have a variety of box sizes for different items. Small boxes are great for heavy items like books, while larger boxes are better for lighter, bulkier items like linens and clothing. It’s always better to have a few extra boxes than not enough, and you can often return unused boxes if they’re not needed.

Moving boxes prices vary by size.  HomeMove offers new and used options for their boxes: 

Book and wine boxes are the standard small boxes used for moving.  HomeMove offers both new and used book and wine boxes for $4.00 and $3.00 respectively. 

You should always empty drawers when moving. Firstly, because most dressers and chest are quite heavy on their own and leaving contents in will only add to their weight – making them even more difficult to move.  Secondly, leaving items in a fragile dresser will add more stress to the piece of the furniture during the move.    

Here are some things you should pack first when moving:

• Anything you want to put in storage
• Any out-of-season clothes
• Fine Dinnerware
• Artwork
• Trinkets
• Extra towels and linens you rarely use
• Books

Of course, you won’t be able to pack large items like furniture or large appliances.  HomeMove can pad and wrap these times to protect them from damage during the move.  You also should not pack any of the following times which are considered hazardous due to their flammability: 

• Nail polish remover
• Gasoline
• Paints and paint thinners
• Lighter fluid
• Matches
• Propane tanks
• Paint thinners 
• Gasoline
• Fireworks

Tea Chest boxes are the preferred choice and the most used in the removal industry.  HomeMove offers new and used tea chest boxes for $5.40 and $4.40 respectively.  HomeMove’s tea chest boxes measure L 43 x W 40.6 x H 59.6 cm and have an approximate 100L capacity.  

• Supermarkets and retailers will often have cardboard boxes to give away.  Do examine the boxes you get carefully to ensure they are still sturdy and don’t have water damage. Free boxes are only useful if they are in good condition and capable of carrying your belongings securely.  
• Search your local classified ads.  You might find listings of people giving away their extra boxes for free.  
• Do a search in your Facebook local community group: you might find someone who is offering them for free, or you can post that you’re searching for free moving boxes.  

Free boxes are great if you can get them, but you can’t always be sure of their quality or reliability.  For optimal peace of mind while moving, you can buy HomeMove’s high-quality used moving boxes.  They are 20% cheaper than new moving boxes and HomeMove will even buy back customers’ boxes when the move is finished.