Plastic Moving Containers Or Cardboard Moving Boxes

Packing is an inevitable part of every move, and finding the best way to store and transport your household items can be a bit confusing. Plastic moving containers or cardboard moving boxes are certainly the best options, but if you’re wondering how to choose between these two, our guide will help you decide. Some advantages come with using both plastic bins and cardboard boxes for moving and storage, but your specific situation might benefit more from one of them. If you’re wondering if you should go for choosing plastic moving containers or cardboard moving boxes, keep on reading to learn about their pros and how they compare to each other.

Pros of using Plastic Bins:

Durable

When comparing plastic to cardboard, it’s definitely more durable. Plastic is thicker and also harder than cardboard, and if you happen to get caught in the rain, plastic will not fail you. Cardboard can get easily damaged and break if the weight is too heavy or if it gets in contact with water.

Long-lasting

Even though you can reuse cardboard boxes if they’re in good shape or even re-tape them if they’re not in such a great shape, plastic is the absolute winner here. You can use plastic boxes over and over again and not worry if they’ll get damaged, you’ll have them forever, and you’ll save money next time you relocate.

Aesthetic

Perhaps not the most important pro, but plastic boxes are way more appealing than cardboard ones. While it doesn’t make much of a difference when storing your things out of sight, it can make a big difference if your boxes will be stored in a garage or other area of your home that you visit frequently.

Pros of Using Cardboard Boxes:

Even though plastic moving containers win in a few categories, that doesn’t make them a complete winner. Here are some good sides to using cardboard boxes for moving and storage.

Easy to find

The first advantage of using cardboard boxes is that it’s super easy to find them. You can visit your local grocery or liquor store and get them for free, you can check out the nearest moving company and buy boxes from them, or check out any store department and you’ll be able to pick any type of cardboard boxes you want. You can also buy them online or even find them for free, and chances are that some of your finds and neighbors have a few to give away. Even though plastic bins have many advantages, cardboard boxes clearly win in this category.

Taking less space

The next pro about cardboard boxes is space efficiency. You’ll need less space to store them because they’re thinner, but you can also break them and store them for later use without taking too much space. By simply unfolding them at tops and bottoms, you’ll make them flat and easy to put away almost seamlessly.

Various options

Because cardboard moving boxes are so popular and widely used, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. Most places that sell moving boxes will offer at least three sizes, including small, medium, and large, but they’ll also have different shapes. On the other hand, plastic bins usually don’t allow for such a wide range of sizes, as they commonly come in only a few variants. That’s not to say that getting a specific size of a plastic bin is impossible, but cardboard boxes give you more options.

Plastic Bins vs. Cardboard Boxes

Cost

Unless you’re able to get moving supplies from someone for free (which is highly unlikely), you’ll have to spend some money on getting moving boxes. So looking into how affordable each option is, let’s compare plastic vs. cardboard boxes. Calculating the cost depends on how you plan on using boxes. A cardboard box costs less than a plastic one of the same size, so if you only need to get a few things from point A to point B, then cardboard will be more affordable. However, if you plan on keeping your things in storage for a long time, or you want to keep the boxes for years to come, then plastic will pay off more in the long run, simply because you will not have to repurchase. It’s also important to consider how many boxes you will need. For instance, if you need to buy 30 boxes, then getting the plastic ones may be way above the budget, so purchasing cardboard ones instead will likely be a better choice.

Affecting the environment

When it comes to the eco-friendly aspect of plastic and cardboard, both will leave a carbon footprint, but both can make a less environmental impact depending on how you use them. For example, if you purchase plastic bins and use them over and over again, there’s no need to buy new ones, and it’s not likely they’ll end up in a dumping ground, unlike cardboard boxes. On the other hand, cardboard can be recycled but it’s also biodegradable, unlike plastic which is only recyclable.

Space and stacking

Another thing to consider when choosing between plastic or cardboard storage is how much space they take and how stackable they are. If you only have a few cardboard boxes then they’ll do just fine, but things are different if you have plenty to stack. Basically, cardboard boxes can deform if the content is too heavy, while plastic bins are sturdy and you won’t have to worry about that. On the other hand, plastic bins are more likely to slide if unleveled properly, while that’s unlikely to happen with cardboard boxes.

If you’re still not sure if plastic moving containers or cardboard boxes are better for you, reach out to the professional moving company. Contact Movit Movit to chat about your upcoming relocation.