Moving Boxes

Ok, let's face it, moving is a major pain in the rear end. Yes, it can be fun to go and see new and exciting places, make new friends while exploring your new home. However, packing everything up and loading it into the van or truck, and then doing it all in reverse at the other end of the trip is no fun at all. Particularly, when you pull out the box that contained Great Aunt Mabel's fine bone china, and see that the box is crushed.

Easily one of the most underappreciated elements to a successful move is the moving box. With the right moving box, you will be able to move all of your items with a lower likelihood of damaging the items inside. This doesn't even count the fact that with the right types of moving boxes you will be able to stack everything easier, and therefore be able to fit more items into your moving van safely, allowing you to move more items at a time.

Here are a few guidelines to help you choose the best possible moving boxes for your needs.

• Size. When looking at potential moving boxes, you need to look at size. The size of the box, as well as the size of the items that will be going into the boxes. You will want to choose boxes that are as close to the same size as possible, since this will make it a whole lot easier to pack into the truck. However, you will also want to choose a box that will be large enough to fit most of the items you will be moving. Keep in mind also that you will be having to pick up the box yourself.
• Strength. Did you know that there is a strength rating system for boxes? When choosing your moving boxes, you will want to find ones that have a strength rating of 32 ECT (Edge Crush Test). This means that the box has been rated to withstand 32 pounds of pressure per square inch, before it begins to cave in. Now, while this is the ideal strength capacity for moving boxes you can go as low as you wish, just keep in mind that the lower you go, the more likely the box will crush.
• Purchasing. In order to assure yourself that you will get the best possible moving boxes, you will want to purchase them from a moving company. While this can be expensive, it is the only way to ensure that you will get high quality moving boxes, which are designed for the job at hand.
• Scrounging. If you are looking to save some money, or are willing to take a slight gamble with your possessions, you can always do a little scrounging. Go to your local Wal-Mart, Target, or K-Mart near closing time, or around midnight if they are open twenty-four hours. Explain to the manager that you are moving, and that you would like to use some of their empty boxes. Most of the time you will be leaving with more boxes than you can ever use, and best of all these boxes are usually pretty good since these stores do not want their merchandise arriving in bad condition. Avoid using any boxes from Liquor stores though, since these boxes are usually lower quality, and crush a little easier.