What To Do With Used Moving Boxes

Don’t toss those used boxes just yet. Whether you’ve just finished a home move or are clearing out a commercial space, there are practical ways to reuse moving boxes across residential, warehouse, and light industrial settings.

If you’ve recently moved—or are planning your next big step into a new dream space—Rent.com is your go-to resource for making the most of every part of the moving journey. Their guide is packed with clever, creative, and even fun ways to repurpose those leftover moving boxes, turning clutter into opportunity. Whether you’re crafting a cozy hideaway for your pet, setting up a DIY playhouse for the kids, or organizing your new home with style, Rent.com brings that extra spark of inspiration to help you settle in with ease and a little imagination.

1. Put Them Back to Work

If your boxes are still in good shape, reuse them. Many warehouses, fulfillment centers, and even farms repurpose used Gaylord boxes and moving cartons for internal storage, shipping, or staging. For smaller moves, use them to organize seasonal items in your garage or basement.

2. Sell or List for Reuse

List your used boxes for resale on platforms like Repackify or Facebook Marketplace. Local businesses are often looking for affordable bulk shipping materials. One man's trash is another warehouse’s next FTL load.

3. Break Them Down for Garden or Warehouse Use

Flatten and layer boxes as weed barriers for gardening, or use them under pallets in dusty warehouses to keep goods off the ground. They also work great as temporary spill mats or to protect floors during home or facility maintenance projects.

4. Donate to Someone Who Needs Them

Local movers, nonprofits, schools, and churches are frequently on the hunt for boxes. If you’re moving into a new apartment complex, check with the front office—there’s often someone moving in right behind you who could use a few.

5. Creative Repurposing

Got extra time or need to keep kids entertained after unpacking? Turn boxes into forts, rockets, or lemonade stands. In lighter-duty commercial spaces, they can double as makeshift bins or packaging stations with a little tape and creativity.

Used boxes have more life in them than you think. Before recycling, consider reuse, resale, or repurposing. If you're dealing with pallets, totes, or Gaylords too, Repackify can help.