One of the inevitable problem associated with moving is finding enough boxes to store up all your stuff. About 12 years ago I dealt with this problem by going to WalMart and buying maybe 50 plastic storage tubs.
Why? Here are the benefits:
Consistent size and shape. Makes it easier to stack and store.
Cost - Actually cheaper than same size boxes if you bought them from Uhaul and they can be reused easier.
Water/rodent proof - they are somewhat waterproof meaning if they are sitting in a foot of water for a day or so often your stuff will stay dry whereas a cardboard box will just be a soggy mess. However they will sometimes crack and let water in. Same with mice getting in - they usually are rodent proof but if the lid doesnt seal tight (which happens) mice can get in.
They are easy to store. If they are the same size/shape you can stack them together and store them in your attic and they take up little room. As I said I’ve got tubs from 12 years that we still use.
They have handles making them easier to carry around.
Strength. No worry about a heavy load breaking a box.
And now the negatives:
Finding lids that match said size tub. Different tubs have different size lids and it can be impossible to find that one stray lid that fits one certain tub. So then its basically an open top tub. Avoid this by buying way more tubs than you think you will need all of the same size and shape.
You can trust them too much and say leave them directly on a floor which gets flooded and that tub has a crack in the bottom and your stuff is ruined.
Clear tubs. Sure its great when you can see what inside the tub but I notice clear will crack and break easier so unless its short term storage, its better not to use clear tubs.
Moving house is the biggest pain in the ass that I never hope to ever do again. To the extent that plastic tubs contribute to the idea that moving is not all downside, I would consider that a disadvantage.
I think U-haul is a high priced source of boxes. Go to the companies which sell boxes to business.
(the traditional method was to go to a local business which received boxes holding their merchandise and pick up those discards–but I doubt if that works anymore)
they are not rodent proof, they are rodent resistant. mice can chew through wood to enter a building. if they want in then they can.
they are good for storing. not so good for moving. you can easily fill a larger one, for moving, that is too heavy for the plastic and maybe for you. when you store stuff you fill them less if you want ease of using stuff.
if you are in a big city look for a box seller (commercial customers). i went to a place and got double walled cardboard boxes (about the capacity of a moving box for books) for $0.50 per box (these were made for a bottle maker down south). i’ve used for multiple moves.
tubs are better for storage.
boxes pack and stack better for moving. with well packed boxes i’ve stacked them 5 high.
My issue with boxes is life. Most cardboard starts to fail around 12-15 years ----- the tubs seem to last forever. And some of the stuff I’ve stored has been stored for 20+ years.
Plastic container do fail eventually. I’ve had some older ones get brittle and start to crack. Some movers rent plastic bins with hinged, interlocking lids for use during a move. but they’re expensive to buy.
I keep most of my stuff in about 150 translucent plastic bins with hinged interlocking lids. They still get old and break, and are not clear enough to see, so they must be labeled. But it is definitely the way to go.
This still works for bookstores, but you may need to tape them up again unless you get there right after a shipment comes in (they get broken down before they are tossed).
I use the plastic tubs for moving, and storage. Plus the extra strong compactor trash bags for clothing and linens.
For kitchen packing, go to the liquor store and ask for their old boxes. They have lovely cardboard divisions already there for your glasses and smaller dishes. The price of bubble wrap is ludicrous.
Family stuff that can be passed on or thrown away after I die. And some odds and ends of my youth I don’t need (or need displayed) but aren’t ready to dispose of. Not much – 8 small/medium totes maybe.
Yes, it does - at least once a week when I’m stocking shelves at work a customer asks me for the empty boxes. Since we mostly bale them and ship them out for recycling that’s OK with us.
I have storage boxes for winter gear that I’ve had for 20+ years - the stuff gets used half the year, not the whole year. So yes, I’ve used them to store the same things for a couple decades but I’ve also used those things during that time span. See how that can work?
I have a couple other things of sentimental or heirloom value, but they are small in volume.
Downside to tubs is that they take up the same space whether they’re empty or full. If you actually have places for all the stuff you are moving, you end up with a heap of empty tubs. If you use boxes they can be flattened and stored until needed again.
This was my solution when I moved last year. Rental tubs, the company drops them off and then picks them up at your new place. I hired movers, so it was easy for them to load up all the tubs, which saved time during the move.
My suggestion, that I’ve made here before, is to go to a produce store and ask them to hold boxes for you. Tell them you’ll stop in at the end of each day and pick them up. They’re usually happy to not have to break them down and deal with them and they’ll have a stack waiting for you.
If all you’re doing is moving (not storing), this is usually the best option. I always tell people to use banana boxes. They’re big, they stack, they have handles, very strong and they have a hole in the top so you can see what’s in them. One note though, inside each one will be a folded up brown paper type thing, you can sort of see it here, fold it down like it is in the picture, don’t throw it away, it’s covering another hole in the bottom.
Apple boxes are nice too, but they don’t have handles (usually) and you can’t see into them, OTOH, they might still have the layers and some padding in them, if you want that.
Don’t take citrus boxes, they usually have green and white mold stuck to the inside.
TL;DR, don’t buy boxes, just go ask a few stores first.
