Cardboard boxes?!
What’s that got to do with a travel blog, I hear you wonder.

Well, the combination of planning medium-term travelling and living in a rented house share may result (like in my case) in having to move out and put all your belongings into storage. And eventually move home.
So you need cardboard packing boxes!

Did you save any from your last house move or large items purchase? Are they in a reusable state and you don’t need any more? Great! You are done. No need to read further :-)

Do you need more boxes and are trying to save money? Well the good news is that you don’t have to pay for them, you can get them for free! No, I am not suggesting stealing them from the nearest self storage company, don’t get me wrong.
Hunting for free cardboard boxes can make for a fun afternoon, so here are a few tips on where to go:

# Large chain supermarkets. Just go and ask if they have any spare boxes, they don’t usually need them after the goods have been delivered and will be able to give them to you. Funny enough as I walked into the big supermarket here looking for the Customer Services desk, I spotted a big sign saying “Cardboard boxes” which I had never noticed before. Unfortunately no cardboard boxes under the sign so I left.

# Your local supermarket or off licence shop. This is another option to get boxes. Explain to them what size you need and you are most likely to find something you can take home and use. The owner of the little Asian shop round the corner from my house was more than happy to get rid of a few boxes kept in the back room. Different experience at the small supermarket down the road as they leave all free boxes outside: “Go and help yourself” I was told, and so I did. It felt like Christmas !

# Shoe shops, book stores, clothes’ shops. All good especially if you are looking for small boxes. I didn’t have much luck though: as I arrived, a man carrying lots of spare boxes was leaving the book store I had targeted, so nothing left for me. Is everyone moving home?!

# The local wine shop. They usually have good sturdy boxes.

# Freecycle. People who have already moved may want to get rid of their boxes and are happy for you to pick them up. You can then do the same when you are back from travelling and no longer need storage etc.

Slowly getting there!