How to Recycle Moving Boxes After Your Move

My background is in logistics, so I tend to see things in terms of efficiency and waste. And throwing away a pile of perfectly good moving boxes is just… incredibly wasteful.

It’s not just about the trees, though that’s a big part of it. Is cardboard recyclable? Yes, it’s one of the most recyclable materials we have. When you toss it in the trash, it goes to a landfill, where it just… sits. This is why using a junk removal service that recycles is a better option.

It takes up a massive amount of space. And when paper products break down without oxygen (which is what happens in a landfill), they release methane. Not great.

When you recycle it, you’re putting that material right back into the system. It takes something like 75% less energy to make a new cardboard box from old, recycled fibers than it does from raw wood pulp.

So, yeah, it matters. It’s the final step of a responsible move. Plus, and this is just the dad in me talking, I like the feeling of cleaning up my own mess. Leaving a giant pile for the landfill just feels… unfinished.

This is where most people get stuck. The questions start piling up almost as high as the boxes. “Do I have to take the tape off?” “What about the shiny boxes?” “Does cardboard go in recycling bins at all?”

Yes, but you have to do it right. The whole process of how do they recycle cardboard is pretty simple: they turn it into a giant, watery mush called “slurry,” screen out all the junk (like plastic and staples), and then press and dry it into new paper.

Your job is to make sure your boxes are “clean” enough to go into that slurry without causing a problem.

Okay, let’s pause. Recycling is good. Reusing is way better.

A moving box is designed to be used more than once. The best-case scenario is that your boxes get to live on and help someone else move.

This is, by far, the easiest way to get rid of them.

1. Facebook Marketplace: Take one picture of the stack. Post it with the title, “FREE Moving Boxes.” I am not kidding, you will have 10 replies within an hour. People are always looking for free boxes.
2. Nextdoor / Craigslist / Freecycle: Same concept. Post it for free. Someone will come to your porch and take the entire pile off your hands. You don’t even have to leave the house.
3. U-Haul Box Exchange: Many U-Haul locations have a “take a box, leave a box” bin right in the store for other customers. Just drop them off.
4. Local Charities & Food Banks: Call up a local food bank, church, or thrift store. They are constantly moving donations and supplies and are often desperate for sturdy boxes.

My wife also saves a few of the big ones for our sons. They build forts, make “robots” (which our Lab, Max, finds very suspicious), and it keeps them busy for at least a weekend. After that, they’re ready for the recycling bin.

After you’ve dealt with Box Mountain, you’ll probably swear, “never again.” And you can make it easier on yourself for the next move.

This is something we think about a lot at National Movers. It’s one thing to say you’re “green,” it’s another to actually do something about it.

If you’re hiring a moving company and this is important to you, you have to ask specific questions. Don’t just ask, “Are you eco-friendly?” Everyone will say yes.

Ask this instead:

1. “Do you offer reusable plastic bin rentals as part of your service?” This is the #1 sign they’re serious.
2. “What kind of packing materials do you use? Do you offer paper-based options instead of bubble wrap?”
3. “Do you have a box buy-back or recycling program?” Some companies will actually buy back used boxes if they’re in good shape, or at least partner with a recycler to handle them for you.

Their answers will tell you everything you need to know. If they sound confused by the question, they don’t have a plan.

Look, moving is a beast. I’ve done it more than enough to know. That final pile of cardboard feels like the last boss in a video game you’re just tired of playing.

Don’t let it beat you.

Make a plan. Put on some music. Give yourself an hour. Flatten, clean, and stack. Then decide: post ’em for free or haul ’em to the recycling center.

When that last box is gone… that’s when your new place finally starts to feel like home. You’ve got this.