I’ve moved! Hence, the hiatus.

This move was very tough in trying to stay low waste. I hate using cardboard boxes, so I took to the internet to find the best reusable option. In Chicago, the best option was Redi-Box. I can’t say enough about how easy this process was.

WHAT IS IT: Redi-Box is a box rental company in the Chicagoland area. You choose your apartment/home size (how many bedrooms), and they suggest the correct amount of boxes for you (mine was 30, and I have to say they had it just about right). They drop off your boxes, and two weeks later they come and pick them up. I believe my cost was only about $180 which saved the hassle of purchasing the cardboard boxes and having to dispose of them.

WHY IT’S GOOD FOR YOU: These boxes are super easy to use; they self close, they’re all the same size and have handles. They also get picked up and dropped off which is super convenient. They also have a $10 off coupon! They prompt you right when you enter their site.

WHY IT’S GOOD FOR THE EARTH: They’re reusable! They’re made out of heavy duty plastic and they are continually reused. Mine were in great condition. I didn’t have to use any packing tape and I wasn’t worried about my impact on the environment.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

• The two week time frame was just enough for packing and unloading. I definitely recommend trying to schedule your move to make sure you give yourself about 4-5 days to unpack at your new location (depending on how much stuff you have).
• They give you stickers to write on to put on the boxes so you know exactly what’s in there. Not the most low waste, but pretty minimal compared to the other option.
• They do free delivery and pick up if you’re within their pick up radius. The place I moved to was a few miles out and ended up paying an additional $29. Totally worth it.
• Learn more about Redi-Box here.

OTHER NOTES ON MY MOVE

• I used towels, blankets and sheets to cover all my large furniture items to avoid any damage. My movers weren’t super excited about it but it’s much better than having to deal with that green plastic wrap and plastic coverings for your mattress. I did use duct tape to secure them, which is not as low waste as I’d like, but you can get this recyclable and plastic free tape here.
• I had kept a lot of my packing paper from my last move, so I was able to reuse that. I used newspaper to pack all of my smaller items instead of bubble wrap or packing peanuts (and only one small mug broke).

Hopefully these tips help you on a personal and environmental level for your next move!