How to Move Without a Mountain of Cardboard

People moving in the U.S. buy about 900 million cardboard boxes a year, according to a MoveBuddha estimate cited by Consumer Reports. Most of them get used once. Here's how to cut that down on your next move without making the move any harder.

1. Get rid of stuff before you pack

Everything you don't move is a tote you don't fill. Bob Vila puts purging near the top of its list of ways to waste less during a move. Got a pile that isn't coming with you? Our sister company, Skedaddle Junk Removal, hauls it off.

2. Rent totes instead of buying boxes

Consumer Reports describes a mover who paid about $100 to have roughly 25 containers dropped off before the move and picked up after. That is the whole idea: they show up, you pack, they leave. Nothing to recycle and nothing to toss.

3. Pack with what you already own

Towels, blankets, and clothes make good padding for dishes and frames. Bob Vila and Consumer Reports both suggest it instead of buying bubble wrap or packing paper. You were moving them anyway.

4. Go easy on tape

Bob Vila points out that most packing tape can't be recycled. Totes have attached lids, so you don't need any. If you're still using a few boxes, paper tape is the better pick.

5. Ask your movers about it

Consumer Reports suggests asking moving companies whether they offer alternatives to cardboard or reuse their boxes. If yours doesn't, you can still bring your own totes.

6. Unpack inside your rental window

Label totes by room, set each one in the right room at the new place, and unpack a room at a time. Rental totes come with a pickup date, which turns out to be a good push to actually finish unpacking. Need more time? Extra weeks are 60% off.