Where to buy moving boxes in Calgary
- U-Haul. U-Haul sells moving boxes and packing supplies in Calgary, including at its store on Barlow Trail.
- The Home Depot. It carries moving boxes in small, medium, large and extra-large sizes, one at a time or in bundles of 25, along with specialty boxes and moving kits.
- Canadian Tire. It sells moving boxes in a range of common sizes.
- Staples. It sells cardboard boxes for moving.
Stock and prices change, so check with the store before you go.
Free moving boxes in Calgary
To find free boxes in Calgary, try:
- Online: Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji's free section and local Buy Nothing groups.
- People who just moved: friends, neighbours or coworkers who've finished a move often have boxes to pass on.
- Shops: some will give away empty boxes if you ask first.
Before you use a second-hand box, check it for holes, tears, water damage and odours. It matters on moving day too. Our damage terms exclude boxes you pack yourself when the outside of the box isn't damaged, and damage caused by inadequate packing on your part. So use boxes that still hold their shape.
How many moving boxes do you need?
The number depends on how much you own and how many people live in your home, not only on the number of rooms. As a starting point, Extra Space Storage's moving box guide suggests:
- One-bedroom apartment: 20 to 45 boxes
- Two-bedroom apartment: 30 to 55 boxes
- Three-bedroom house: 45 to 70 boxes
- Four-bedroom house: 55 to 80 boxes
- A finished basement can add 20 to 30 boxes on its own.
Match the box to what goes in it: small boxes for books, tools and smaller fragile items, large ones for light, bulky things like bedding, pillows and towels. Don't overfill them, and keep a few spares for the last things you pack.
Plastic moving bins instead of boxes
If we're moving you, you can skip cardboard and use our reusable plastic bins:
- To rent: $4 per bin, plus GST, for moves within Calgary, Airdrie, Chestermere, Cochrane and Okotoks. We drop them off about two weeks before your move and pick them up after it, within two weeks or sooner if you've unpacked.
- To buy: $15 per bin, plus GST, for moves out of that area, long-distance moves from Calgary included. Bins aren't offered on moves into Calgary.
- For our moving customers: the bins are only for moves booked with us.
Because every bin is the same shape, they stack neatly on the truck, and there's no cardboard to get rid of afterwards. If you'd rather not pack at all, our crew can pack before the move and unpack at your new home, and the time goes into your moving quote. See our packing services in Calgary, and our Calgary movers' rates for the hourly rate. Renting bins? Book early enough for the drop-off two weeks ahead; here's when to book movers.
What to do with moving boxes after your move
The City of Calgary's rules for cardboard boxes:
- Put empty, clean boxes in your blue cart or take them to a community recycling depot.
- Flatten them, folding or cutting as needed, so everything fits inside the cart with the lid closed.
- Take oversized pieces to a community recycling depot.
- Remove as much tape and as many labels as you can, and put the tape in the garbage.
The City's blue cart program is for single-family homes, so in an apartment or condo, ask your building about recycling or use a community recycling depot. Boxes still in good shape can go back out through Marketplace, Kijiji or a Buy Nothing group.
