The setup
Two-bedroom apartment in Montrose moving to a house in Pearland. Two adults, a normal amount of stuff, hourly movers at $150/hour for a 2-person crew. About 40 boxes' worth of belongings.
Option A: buy cardboard
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| 25 medium boxes @ $2.28 | $57 |
| 15 large boxes @ $2.98 | $45 |
| 4 rolls packing tape + dispenser | $22 |
| Markers, labels | $8 |
| Two trips to the store (gas + 2 hours) | $20 + your Saturday |
| Assembling 40 boxes (~1.5 hours) | your Sunday |
| Breaking down 40 boxes + hauling to recycling | another evening |
| Cash out of pocket | $152 |
That's the best case. Free boxes from a grocery store or Facebook cost $0 and are worth roughly that: mixed sizes, soft corners, and a real chance of roaches or their eggs riding along. In Houston humidity, a box that's been in a garage for a month has already lost half its strength.
Option B: rent bins
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Just Right: 40 bins, 2 dollies, labels, zip ties, 2 weeks ($169 if you only need one) | $219 |
| Delivery to Montrose | $0 |
| Pickup from Pearland | $0 |
| Sales tax | $18 |
| Assembly, breakdown, trips to the store | none |
| Cash out of pocket | $237 |
The part everyone forgets: the movers
Uniform, lidded bins stack four high on a dolly and roll straight into the truck. Movers we've talked to estimate 25–40% faster loading versus mixed cardboard, because nothing has to be carried one at a time or restacked to keep it from crushing.
On a 4-hour move at $150/hour, saving one hour is $150. That alone closes the gap between the two options.
When cardboard still makes sense
- You're shipping boxes long-distance and won't be back in Houston for pickup.
- You're storing things for months. (Though you can buy our bins outright for $18 each.)
- You genuinely enjoy tape guns. No judgment.