How To Recycle Cardboard Moving Boxes

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  2. How to Recycle Cardboard Moving Boxes>
empty cardboard boxes

It’s a common sight when you’ve finished moving: stacks on stacks of empty cardboard boxes—a final task to take care of after weeks of moving-related to dos. But one of the biggest benefits of cardboard moving boxes is that they’re easily recyclable, and cardboard itself is one of the simplest materials to properly dispose of. And there are a few very good reasons to recycle cardboard moving boxes instead of just tossing them, all of which help you do your part for the planet:

  • Recycling cardboard is effective. Turning old cardboard into new cardboard requires just 75% of the energy it takes to make new cardboard from raw materials.
  • Recycling cardboard is good for the air. Turning old cardboard into new cardboard produces 50% less sulfur dioxide (a by-product of burning fossil fuels) than making new cardboard from raw materials.
  • Recycling cardboard reduces the impact of high cardboard use. In the U.S., 100 billion corrugated cardboard boxes are used every year. Every ton of cardboard waste that makes it into recycling instead of into the landfill relieves a huge burden on our environmental resources.

So while you may be feeling a bit guilty about that mountain of cardboard you’re left with after a move, you can feel a lot better about it if you take the time to recycle it properly. Here’s how to do it.

  1. Break all of your boxes down

    It’s a lot easier for both you and your waste management supplier to recycle cardboard moving boxes when they’re broken down. To make sure they’re suitable for re-use, ensure each box is completely empty and break each box down so it’s completely flat. If any part of the box got damaged by a leaked substance (including water), cut that part of the cardboard away—saturated cardboard is extremely difficult for companies to recycle, even after it’s dry.

    Note that it’s not totally necessary to remove packing tape or sticky labels before collapsing boxes, as these can easily be removed at recycling facilities. But if you have the time, go ahead and do it anyway.

  2. Store your boxes somewhere dry until recycling day

    Even after you’re done using your boxes for moving you still need to be careful about keeping them dry. So while you might just be ready to have them out of sight, be sure that they’re kept somewhere they’ll stay safe and dry until recycling day comes around. There’s no recycling market for wet cardboard, and even small wet spots could prevent an entire box from being recyclable. Again: if moisture does end up on a box, cut that piece off so the rest can be salvaged.

  3. Check with your waste management company to ensure you put boxes out correctly

    Cardboard moving boxes take up a lot of room in recycling bins, even when they’re collapsed. But not all waste management companies will accept additional materials that are left outside of the bin. So before you set out broken down boxes next to your recycling bin, give your waste management company a quick call to see if they’ll still pick them up. If not, plan to just recycle your boxes in batches, putting out what can fit inside the bin and saving the rest for the next week. Alternately, you may be able to find a drop off location where you can bring all of your broken down moving boxes to be recycled at once.

Other uses for used cardboard boxes

There are more ways to recycle cardboard moving boxes than just sending them out to the recycling plant. If you feel like getting creative, try one of these alternate uses for old cardboard boxes.

Compost them. Cardboard can easily be added to a compost pile and used for mulch and gardening. This goes for cardboard that’s gotten wet, too, provided the substance it came into contact with is edible (areas soiled by spilled cleaning supplies, bathing products, or other inedible substances should be removed). If you don’t compost at home, call up nearby farms or gardening centers and see if they’d be interested in your used cardboard. You can also donate it to a compost facility (visit the U.S. Composting Council website to find a center near you).

Protect your floors when painting. If you’re planning to paint the walls in your new home, break down your cardboard moving boxes and cut them down one of their folded seams to make them as big as possible. Then use them on the floor as a layer of protection. If you have wood floors, use painter’s tape to secure the cardboard down without risking damage.

Make drawer dividers. Right after moving is a great time to get more organized. Cut up your cardboard to make simple dividers that can be used to keep your drawers neat. It’s an easy DIY project that can give new life to your old cardboard. You can find steps on how to do it here.

Use them for stylish storage. We could all use a little bit more storage. Cover your used cardboard moving boxes in fabric to give them a new look and make them a touch sturdier. Then use them to store anything from toys to clothes to pantry items. Head here to find a quick tutorial on how to turn cardboard boxes into stylish and functional storage cubes.

Use them for car or garage storage. If you want to use your boxes for storage but you don’t want to go to through the trouble of making them look nice, you can keep them as is and use them for storage outside of your home, such as in your trunk, in the garage, or in your shed.

Make a cat playhouse. If you’re a cat parent, you know that our feline friends love few things as much as they love cardboard boxes. And while you can definitely just put out a box as is for your cat to enjoy, you can also turn an old box into a fun kitty playhouse by cutting out little windows and attaching multiple boxes together to make a fort. Follow these directions from Martha Stewart Living, or follow your own imagination to build something your cat will get a kick out of.

Keep them for shipping. If you own a business, or even if you just send a lot of packages, you can easily turn your cardboard moving boxes into shipping boxes. Hold on to what you think you can use, collapsing them to save space. When it’s time to ship something, simply set the box back up and use it as needed.

One of the best things about cardboard moving boxes is how versatile they are after you’re done with them. With so many options for recycling and reusing them, there’s really no excuse for letting your moving boxes end up in the landfill. Take the time to dispose of your used cardboard boxes properly, or give them new life by turning them into something for your home and/or garden. You’ll feel good about recycling them, and you’ll do your part to reduce the impact of your move on the environment, which is a win for you and a win for the earth.

Don’t want to use cardboard at all for your move? Look into plastic moving boxes, which can be purchased or rented so you can skip the cardboard altogether.

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Author: Laura Mueller

Laura Mueller is a professional writer with nearly five years of experience writing about moving. She is particularly interested in topics around organization, home design, and real estate, and definitely has a few tricks up her sleeve after moving eight times in eight years during her 20s. Laura believes that moving should be as stress-free of an experience as possible, and is always working on new tips and shortcuts that she can share with readers on Moving.com.View all posts by Laura Mueller

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