Do removal companies provide boxes for you?

If you’re planning a move and have already started shopping around for a quote from a removal company, you might be wondering: do removal companies provide boxes for you? Given that moving house is already an exhaustive, long and arduous process, it’s understandable if you don’t want to go around haggling at supermarkets for old banana boxes.

In this article, I’m going to go over what types of packing supplies removal companies will need in order to pack up your house, and whether or not it’s better to provide your own.

So, do removal companies provide boxes for you?

In short - yes. But if you want your removal company to provide boxes for you, you’ll need to request them in advance. This is because they’ll need to know just how many boxes will be required in order to pack your belongings safely. If you ask the removal company to provide boxes for you, you’ll also probably incur a higher fee for your move.

Normally, you’ll be able to discuss packing supplies and boxes during your home survey, whereby someone from the removal company will analyse the number of belongings needing to be packed and organise your home removal according to your specific needs.

So yes, removal companies can provide boxes for you during the removal process. However, it’s not just boxes that you need - packing up a house requires a range of varied supplies.

Did you know that Goodfellows removal company in Maidstone also offer removal services all over Kent including removals in Sevenoaks, removals in Tonbridge, West malling and beyond.

What packing supplies do I need?

In order for your belongings to be packed safely and efficiently, you’ll need the following items:

Cardboard boxes
Duct tape
Bubble wrap for fragile items
Labels
Markers
Box cutters (scissors will do)

Should I provide my own packing supplies?

If you want to cut costs when it comes to your moving process, one of the easiest ways to do so is by providing your own packing supplies. You can find cardboard boxes the classic way (by asking around at local supermarkets for spare boxes) but you can also use the following ways if your local Tesco is fresh out of fruit deliveries:

Ask around on Facebook if anybody has boxes they don’t need - try asking on Facebook groups dedicated to home removals or groups dedicated to those looking for property.
You can buy relatively cheap boxes in bulk on Amazon, just make sure to read the reviews to ensure the boxes are sturdy enough
Recycle centres - Some recycle centres will give you cardboard boxes for free if you turn up and explain why you need them.
You can try out box hiring services - box hiring services will allow you to rent boxes for moving and give them back once you’ve moved in. This isn’t a particularly great idea if you’re moving far, but if you’re staying local this might be cheaper than buying boxes.

Whether or not it’s a better idea to provide your own boxes or let the removal company bring their own will all depend on your particular circumstances. Are you moving far? Do you have lots of heavy, easily damageable items? If you want the most fuss-free experience, having the movers bring their own boxes is the easiest option.

On the other hand, if you’re staying local and don’t want to add on potential hundreds of pounds to your moving bill, spend an afternoon collecting boxes from supermarkets, recycling centres, friends, family, and shops. Just make sure that you also buy the other supplies mentioned, as your suppliers will typically either bring all or nothing.

Will movers move things not in boxes?

When it comes to moving and loading items such as furniture, or items that are too heavy or large for traditional boxes, most movers will simply fold these up and store them away in the truck ready to be unloaded when you arrive at your new home.

You won’t be responsible for moving heavy items onto the truck yourself - there will be space in the truck for all your belongings, provided that your moving company carried out a home survey beforehand and created an inventory of all your belongings.

Does it matter how heavy boxes are for movers?

If you have lots of heavy items and are concerned about your boxes being too heavy for movers, don’t worry. Typically, most removal companies will be able to remove anything under 50lbs. When it comes to larger items such as appliances, most movers will use a sack truck, so if you don’t have one of those, you’ll need to inform the movers.