e are so many considerations to keep in mind when you’re planning a move to Mississauga. It doesn’t matter if you’re relocating across the street or across the country; you still have to plan for success. One of the biggest challenges faced by many people who are moving their households by transitioning into a larger or smaller space is how much to budget for boxes and moving supplies. Though the rule of thumb seems to be to spend as little as possible, that isn’t always the right decision. Here’s why.

Time and Energy Cost Money; Conserve Your Human Resources Carefully

For a long time, homeowners seemed to be convinced that paying anything for boxes or moving supplies was wasteful spending. Thus, they would spend hours and hours of their own time trying to hunt down boxes and other moving supplies to use. They’d beg friends, cajole businesses into giving them old boxes and even be willing to take empty boxes from the garbage. Though they felt frugal, they were not. That’s because they were setting themselves up to lose money:

Their time to find the necessary boxes and moving supplies was costing them in time. It’s important to remember that time is precious, not to mention finite, especially when your moving date is approaching. Every hour that’s spent tracking down a box or two could be better spent in other arenas.
They couldn’t verify the quality of the boxes and moving supplies. This can lead to issues later. Imagine the person who gets tons of cardboard boxes and wooden pallets from a grocer nearby. Though the items are supposedly free, they might carry problems. Bugs are notorious for hiding in the crevices of cardboard and wood-based products. Imagine the costs associated with paying for an infestation of your new – or old – home because critters were hitching a ride in a box.
They couldn’t find uniform box sizes. When you aren’t using uniform boxes and moving supplies, such as those that fit neatly together, you are wasting space in your moving van or truck. Every square foot that you waste is going to cost you somehow. You might have to buy a bigger moving truck, or you might have to make extra trips. You could even find yourself in the unenviable predicament of having to rent the moving van for an additional day.

Of course, just knowing that it’s important to pay for boxes and moving supplies isn’t enough. It’s also important to know how much to spend.

Figuring Out a Budget for Boxes and Moving Supplies That Makes Sense

As you start to set aside finances for all the aspects of your move to Mississauga or anywhere else in Canada, keep these rules of thumb in mind:

Set aside enough money to move the number of rooms in your home. Companies that rent plastic moving supplies and boxes, such as Blue Bins, will give you upfront pricing options.
In general, your boxes and moving supplies need to be a reasonable percentage of your overall move. This usually is in the 10 percent range – not including the price of your new home – depending upon how far you need to move, where you’re moving, how many bedrooms you’re moving, etc.
You should plan out all your moving expenses so you can see how your moving boxes and other items fit into the final amount. You’ll avoid any surprises this way, and will be able to determine which costs should be placed on a credit card, which you will want to pay in cash and which you can finance another way.

One final suggestion is to add “time spent” and “time saved” columns to every item in your moving budget. This will help you see clearly how much estimated time you’re saving – and therefore money you’re saving – by being practical and pragmatic.

Are you planning a move to Mississauga or somewhere else in Ontario? Call Blue Bins for exceptional customer service at 888-502-2467.