By Diane Schmidt, About.com Guide
Once you've moved and unpacked, most of us have accumulated so many boxes that it's a struggle just to make it to the curb for garbage pick up. While you're anxious to get rid of those cardboard boxes, there are other means of disposal other than taking them to the curb. Here's a list of just some of the ways you can put those well-used boxes to good use:
Recycling, Reusing and Ridding Yourself of all those Boxes
Go through a box broker. Depending on where you live, many cities have companies that specialize in buying and selling used moving boxes. Do a Google search or check with local moving companies.
List boxes on BoxCycle. If you live in the US,BoxCycle is a great place to list boxes for sale and purchase used boxes. The company does a lot of the selling for you and from the reviews I've read, this is a great start-up that will go far. Check it out!
Post on U-haul's community boards. U-haul has a great board for people on the move. You can search for people requesting used boxes or post your own message. It's a site where people can buy, sell or exchange packing supplies, including boxes.
Post on Craigslist. Craigslist is a great place to post boxes that you want to get rid of; sell, exchange or give them away. And the best thing is, it's free.
Compost it. Some people use cardboard boxes as compost bins. I've personally never tried this, but could imagine that the cardboard will break down well. Just make sure it's kept in a place that is protected from wildlife. While this might be an option for some, it's not the best way to get rid of multiple boxes.
Call up a charity. Once, after moving, I called our local library to see if they could use some of our boxes, in particular, the heavy-duty kind that we used to move our books. They ended up taking at least twelve and the rest we gave to a neighborhood community center where they were used to package food baskets. This option might take some time and a few phone calls, but there are always organizations that need boxes.
Local recycling programs. Most cities and towns allow people to recycle large amounts of cardboard. Some, like our current community, won't pick up from the curb, so we have to drive it to the recycling center ourselves. When you call or search online, make sure you ask about stipulations such as amount, size and if the boxes need to be flattened.
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