How to Choose the Right Boxes for Your Move
The average American moves 11 times in their life and uses enough cardboard to make up seven full trees. For your next move, will you use paper or plastic? Using the wrong boxes can have serious consequences, such as injuries and damages to personal processions. So get ready for your next move by understanding the different types of boxes available, what they’re made of and which items they’re designed to carry.
Stay away from boxes that aren’t corrugated
Using regular cardboard boxes for your move is never recommended. Instead, you should always rely on corrugated cartons. While they might look similar, one is much different from the other in terms of utility. But what’s the difference between the two?
Corrugated BoxCardboard is essentially one thick paper stock, often used to make products like cereal boxes and shoe boxes. Corrugated cartons, on the other hand, are made up of three layers: an outside liner, a medium and an inside liner. The outside and inside liners, also referred to as the linerboard, are composed of a cardboard material that’s usually over .01 inches thick. The medium, also called the fluting, is a wavy-shaped paper material that sits between the linerboard, attached by an adhesive.
By using single layered cardboard boxes for packing instead of corrugated cartons, you’re taking on the risk of boxes breaking or being crushed during the moving process. If you’re carrying a cardboard box filled with glass bottles and the bottom rips out, they’ll fall and shatter on the ground. The bottles might land on your feet and break one of your toes, or someone might later cut the bottom of their feet on a sharp piece of glass. Corrugated moving boxes minimize this risk by having more strength and durability. They’re also lightweight and inexpensive. New Haven is one of the finest and experienced corrugated box manufacturers in the industry.
Pay attention to the Edge Crush Test score
A corrugated box’s ability to withstand external and internal pressure is measured in a laboratory using an evaluation method called the Edge Crush Test (ECT). You can figure out exactly how much weight can be carried in a box by referring to its ECT score.
The standard corrugated moving box has an ECT score of 32, which translates to a maximum carrying-weight of 40 lbs. More heavy-duty options, like double-walled corrugated boxes (which contain two layers of fluting), have an ECT score of 48, which means they can carry up to 80 lbs of weight. The ECT score can usually be found imprinted on one of the outer flaps of the box. Thus, ECT score matters the most after you choose the perfect corrugated box online for your move..
Types of corrugated cartons
Among all the different types of boxes, the types of moving boxes you’ll pick for your move will depend on the particular things that you’re bringing with you. In other words, different corrugated cartons are built to carry different items. There are also highly specific options available, such as flat screen TV cartons and bicycle cartons.
Here are some of the common moving boxes on the market today, how big they are and what they’re meant to carry:
Small carton (1.5 cubic feet): Also called “book boxes,” these are used for packing small household items, such as books, jewelry, CDs, tools, computers, silverware, toilet paper and phone chargers.
Medium carton (3.0 cubic feet): These are meant to carry large, bulky household items, such as toys, lamps, toasters, microwaves, record players and framed artwork.
Large carton (4.5 cubic feet): These are designed to move large but not heavy items, such as blankets, towels, tapestries, wall posters, pillows and curtains.
Wardrobe carton: These have a bar across the top of them, so you can transfer your clothes on hangers directly from your closet to the box. You can also load up the bottom with folded clothes, shoes and accessories.
Dish pack carton (5.1 cubic feet): These are used for packing fragile items, such as fine china, bottles and glassware. Remember to always wrap these kinds of items in bubble roll or newspaper before packing them.
Consider using plastic moving crates
It’s important to keep in mind that corrugated boxes should not be used over and over again. So if you’re someone who moves around a lot, trying to save money by reusing old moving boxes could lead to serious problems down the road.
First of all, boxes that have already been used multiple times have a higher chance of breaking and/or being crushed. Also, if you keep them in storage, they can attract bugs and pests, which will then be transferred into your new home.
For these reasons, you should consider plastic moving crates as an option.
Though they’re typically more common among commercial movers, there are many benefits to using plastic crates over corrugated cartons for personal moving, especially if you do it frequently.
It’s more environmentally friendly and less wasteful to reuse plastic crates rather than buying and throwing away corrugated cartons every time you move. They’re easy to stack on top of each other and often come with customized dollies, which increases sturdiness when wheeling them around. Also, unlike corrugated cartons, they’re weatherproof, so you can leave them outside. Or, if you’re moving on a rainy day, you don’t have to worry about water damage to your personal items.
Need help finding the right boxes for your move? Contact the professionals at New Haven Moving Equipment today!