Is It Better to Move with Boxes or Totes?

Plastic totes are popular for storing seasonal items, but are they appropriate for use during relocation? Their tape-free lids and handles are enticing, and you can utilise totes throughout the house if you buy them for your move.However, cardboard moving boxes are the industry standard for a reason. To determine the safest solution for your relocation, compare cardboard moving boxes to reusable plastic totes.

Comparing heavy-duty plastic storage boxes with lids and cardboard containers

Boxes and totes are very comparable when moving across town. However, when moving great distances and stacking and loading containers for many miles or days, it's critical to utilise the best packing materials possible to keep your belongings safe.

U-Pack has been assisting clients move across the country since 1997, and our experience has led us to recommend moving with boxes rather than plastic containers. This is why:

Size

Plastic totes are typically quite large, which can make packing difficult. If you stuff too much into one tote, it will be difficult to lift or stack. However, heavy-duty plastic storage boxes with lids come in a variety of sizes, allowing you to select the proper one for each item. To select the best-sized box and packing strategy for everything in your home, use these packing suggestions.

Stacks easily

Tubs look wonderful on shelves in your garage, but they can easily collapse over in a moving truck. They frequently have lids with lips and handles, making stacking difficult. To save space, though, heavy-duty plastic storage boxes with lidscan be stacked squarely edge-to-edge.

Durability

Because of the angled form of a plastic tote, the full weight of the tub sits on the centre of the lid below it when stacked, which can cause the plastic to cave in or shatter. Double-walled corrugated cardboard is used to make moving boxes.

Environmental friendliness

It can take hundreds of years for the plastic used to build storage tubs to disintegrate fully. Reusable plastic moving boxes are available from some companies, although they aren't ideal. You'll have to clean them before using them, and then unpack them quickly before returning them. Wham Bam heavy-duty plastic storage boxes with lids are recycled upcycled.

It's simple to locate and ship

Depending on the season, finding enough plastic moving totes to move your home might be difficult, and because they don't fold, shipping them can be costly. Moving boxes can be purchased from moving or office supply businesses, as well as through a variety of internet merchants. They are simple to ship because they fold flat.

Storage

A plastic bucket can be an excellent option for storing seasonal decorations or off-season apparel in your garage, attic, or closet. Plastic totes, on the other hand, can hold moisture and cause mildew or mould on things when used for long-term storage. Cardboard provides for airflow, while packing tape can completely seal boxes, keeping pests and rodents out.

Cost

Although packing materials might be expensive, having adequate packing paper, tape, and boxes on hand to preserve your valuables is essential. Boxes are often less expensive per carton than plastic tubs since they come in large bundles.

What if my belongings have already been packed? Can I move using plastic totes?

·         If you're going to move with plastic totes, we suggest:

·         To protect the contents within, use packing paper and Bubble Wrap®.

·         Filling the bin to prevent items from moving during transportation

·         Taping the sides of the lids so they don't come undone

·         Heavy things should not be stacked on top of heavy-duty plastic storage boxes with lids

·         Stacking them only 2-3 high is sufficient

Using totes made of plastic

Plastic totes may appear to be a good idea, but they frequently buckle and split when subjected to standard loads. It's preferable to use moving boxes, which are better at absorbing weight and keeping the load secure.