Bobby Mackey's / Thomas House Weekend

When I moved last summer from Columbus to Nashville, I made it my mission not to spend a dime on boxes. It turned into a bit of a game, honestly. I’d swing by the grocery store early in the morning and check out their recycling piles—sometimes they’d let me take whatever I wanted. But the best thing I did was read this how to get free boxes article that listed out all kinds of places I hadn’t even considered. For example, I hit up local liquor stores and got tons of sturdy boxes that were perfect for heavy stuff like kitchenware. Office supply stores were another unexpected win—super clean boxes, and they’re usually uniform sizes which makes stacking a lot easier. I also posted in a neighborhood Facebook group and got offers within an hour. It’s kind of amazing how many people have leftover moving boxes they’re happy to give away. One neighbor even left a neat pile on their porch with a sticky note: “Good luck on your move!” That made my day. So yeah, with a little effort, you can totally avoid spending money on boxes.