Is it cheaper to buy my own boxes than pay for a package?

Plain cardboard boxes are the easy part. The expensive pieces are the specialty items people forget until moving day:

• Covers for every mattress and box spring.
• Rolls of bubble wrap and stacks of packing paper for glass and ceramics.
• Dish packs, the heavy double-wall cartons made for plates and glasses.
• A properly sized box for each flat-screen TV.

Store-bought, these add up fast, and leftovers rarely get returned. Our moving checklist lists what a typical home needs.

1. Pack what you can in your own sturdy boxes and tape them shut.
2. Leave the awkward pieces (TVs, mirrors, mattresses) for the crew if you do not have the right materials.
3. At the end, we total the standard bill with supplies used and compare it with the Silver or Golden price for the same hours.
4. Whichever is lower is the one you can choose.

Any box you provide should be strong enough to stack and closed on top. We do not move loose items in plastic bags, because they collapse in a stack and hide breakables. Grocery-store boxes with no lids, or bags of shoes and toys, will need to be repacked before loading. Details on the materials we carry are on the packing services page, and the cost guide covers rates.

• Do I have to choose a packing package before the move?
• Can you move items packed in plastic bags?
• Can I get extra boxes from the movers on moving day?