Boxes look cheap one at a time. The total is what surprises people, especially once you add tape, paper and the trips to go get them.
Typical per-box prices
- Small box: $1.50–$2.50
- Medium box: $2.00–$3.50
- Large box: $3.00–$4.50
- Dish pack with dividers: $8–$15
- Wardrobe box: $12–$20
What a full house actually costs
For a three bedroom home you're looking at roughly 45 boxes across sizes, two or three rolls of packing tape, a dispenser, a bundle of packing paper and a couple of markers. That lands between $150 and $250 for new supplies.
Used box bundles resold locally run $40–$80 for a mixed set, and free boxes cost nothing but two or three evenings of collecting.
The costs nobody adds up
- Assembly time — roughly 30–45 seconds per box, so about half an hour for a house.
- Disposal — flattening and hauling to recycling after you're already exhausted.
- Failure rate — a few boxes always give out, usually the one with the dishes.
- Storage — assembled boxes take over the house for weeks before the move.
Compared to renting bins
Our 20 bin package is $79 for a week and the 40 bin package is $129, both including delivery and pickup. There's no tape to buy, nothing to build, and nothing left over.
For most full-house moves in Franklin and the surrounding area, renting comes in at or below the cost of new cardboard — and well below it once you count your own time.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are used moving boxes worth it?
- They can be, if you get a matched set from one household. Mixed used boxes with soft corners are hard to stack and more likely to fail under weight.
- What's included in the bin rental price?
- Delivery, pickup, and the bins for a full week. The only add-ons are extra weeks and the $10 tote dolly.