The Best Boston Area spots to pick up Supplies for your Move!
So you’ve booked your movers and are ready to get packing! Or maybe you’ve decided to do your big move on your own. Or you’ve taken the in-between route and have rented a POD or Moving Truck (if you decide to take this route, just remember to let us know when booking.) Whatever your choice, it’s probably a good idea to maker sure you have the appropriate supplies for your move.
Let’s go through what you’ll need to grab to pack and protect your belongings for the journey ahead.
Supplies for your Move: Don’t think Outside the Box
First up, boxes: for dorms and smaller places, liquor stores often a pretty good option. They always have a good amount of boxes. And, if you ask politely, they are generally willing to give them to you for free. (Remember, in New England, we call them “package stores” for a reason.)
For larger moves, we recommend either any U-Haul store or Home Depot when getting supplies for your move. What’s great about those stores is that you can return any unused boxes for a full refund. It’s also common for people to sell or give away previously used moving boxes on Craigslist. (Please note that we do not stock or sell boxes. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, we do not provide packing services.)
If you have more questions about how to pack boxes, check out our guide to packing books properly.
Supplies for your Move: Let my Tape Rock ’til my Tape Pop
Of course, boxes alone won’t be enough supplies for your move. To safely transport your stuff, you’ll need tape for all of your boxes, both on the top and the bottom. It’s very important that the boxes don’t come apart under the pressure of their own weight. Folding the box-flaps into themselves simply does not work. If the contents of the box have a good deal of weight, that weight can force the cardboard flaps out. Then all of your precious belongings will fall out from the bottom. And, remember, your movers can’t tell if the bottom of a box is taped or folded just from looking at it.
The easiest places to grab tape for your boxes are Amazon, U-Haul, Staples, or Home Depot. Amazon will have a few free-shipping options, but if you live by the Home Depot in Somerville, the U-Haul store in Cambridge, or the Staples in Harvard Square, it might just be easier to grab it in person (you can still order online/make sure they have enough in stock ahead of time, though.)
One-way Move? Stock Up!
If you hire us for a move from one location to another, we’ll come with plenty of moving blankets. The blankets/pads protect your furniture, TV, mirrors, or anything else particularly fragile.
But, if you decide to hire us to load a truck that you’ll drive to your final destination, you should be sure to get enough blankets ahead of time. We need to get any blankets of ours back at the end of each job, and that’s obviously not possible when we’re packing up a truck that’s heading out of state.
Your best bets for moving blankets are US Cargo, an online retailer and wholesaler of moving supplies, or searching to see what’s available on Amazon.
And while blankets are great for furniture like desks or dressers, they don’t really help much on mattresses. For getting your bed wrapped up and prepared to be moved, no matter the weather, you can buy a mattress bag online at Amazon, Home Depot, or U-Haul.
Ratchets & Bungees: the Packer’s Pair
Lastly, you’ll need bungee cords and ratchet straps to make sure none of your items move around inside your container or truck during transport. Again, if you’ve hired movers to do your whole move, they should be fully stocked with these items (we know we are!). However, for simple loading jobs, you should be sure you get some ahead of time, as most movers don’t carry these items for retail sale.
Ratchet Straps are available from Harbor Freight over on Commercial Street in Medford, Home Depot, or Amazon.
You can buy bungee cords at the same places. Here are the links directly to bungees for Harbor Freight, Home Depot, and Amazon.
Ready to book your move? Click here and we’ll get a quote out to you as soon as we can.
Still have questions? Take a look at or Frequently Asked Questions or send us an email at info (at) saferesponsiblemovers (dot) com!
