Plastic Bins vs Cardboard Boxes - what's better for packing?

When you are moving, you want to make sure that your belongings are safe and protected. Thatis why the material you use to pack is so important. The most common packing materials areplastic bins and cardboard boxes. They both have their pros and cons, and it's crucial toconsider your needs and preferences when choosing. Read on to find out the advantages anddisadvantages of plastic bins vs cardboard boxes before you rent moving supplies.

Plastic Bins

Pro: Plastic bins vs cardboard boxes - plastic bins are water resistant

When it comes to durability, plastic bins have an advantage over cardboard boxes. They arewater resistant, so you can store electronics and any important papers or documents you mighthave. Moreover, they are resistant to insects and mold. As long as you put the lid of the bincorrectly, you can store your items for many years. Additionally, they can bear much moreweight than cardboard boxes. You can be sure that the bottom of the bin will not break if you putheavy things inside.

You can know that your items are safe from flood damage if you use plastic bins.

Pro: Plastic bins are reusable

During a move, a cardboard box might get damaged, and you won't be able to use it again. Plastic bins, however, are much less likely to break. This means that you can use them for moving more than once. Moreover, there are many uses for plastic bins around the house. They are great for storing items in the basement or the attic since they resist mold and dew. Additionally, you can use them to put away toys or seasonal clothing and decorations.

Pro: Plastic bins vs cardboard boxes - plastic bins are colorful

While cardboard boxes usually all come in one color, plastic bins can be much more diverse.They come in many different colors. This is helpful when moving because you can choose the color of the bin for each room of the house. This way, you don't have to label each box, you canjust look at the color. They also come in different shapes, so that you can store different sizeditems inside.

You can sort the items using plastic bins of different colors.

Con: Plastic bins are more expensive

Since these bins are made of plastic, they are the more expensive option compared tocardboard boxes. Also, while you might find cardboard boxes for free in local stores, you won'thave such luck with plastic bins. However, if you can find another purpose for plastic bins, theymight end up saving you more money than cardboard boxes.

Con: Plastic bins vs cardboard boxes - bins are worse for the environment

One of the biggest reasons people opt for plastic bins is due to their durability. This comes fromthe fact that they are made of a durable plastic material, which takes a long time to degrade.However, this is exactly why these bins are not environmentally friendly. Unless you recyclethem properly, plastic bins can pollute the environment for many years.

Cardboard boxes

Pro: They are the cheaper option

While you might need to splurge in order to buy plastic bins, you can find cardboard boxes fora much lower price. Almost every professional moving company sells them. Moreover, you caneven find them for free. Many local stores and even supermarkets will let you have their usedboxes. Furthermore, you can find free boxes on websites such as Craigslist. When it comes toaffordability, cardboard boxes win over plastic bins.

Save money on the move by using cardboard boxes.

Pro: Plastic bins vs cardboard boxes - boxes are easily recyclable

With today's political climate, environmental consciousness is at its highest. Recycling is a bigpart of reducing the effect of global warming. That is why you should consider using cardboardboxes over plastic bins. The cardboard is biodegradable and can be recycled more easily thanthe durable plastic. Additionally, after the move, you can use the boxes to cover your floors. Thisway, you protect them during a move and reuse old materials. You can also give them away forrecycling after you are done.

Pro: You can label them

Unlike plastic, cardboard is very easy to write on with a regular marker. It's very importantto label your boxes and write what is inside. When you do this, you save yourself theunnecessary stress of rummaging through boxes to find something you need. Moreover, you canstill recycle the boxes even if they have writing on them.

Make unpacking easier by putting labels on each box.

Pro: Cardboard boxes and stacking

Many moving companies charge relocation by truckloads. So when you pack and load a movingtruck, every inch of space counts. This is where cardboard boxes come in handy. They fit closelynext to each other, unlike plastic bins. Moreover, this prevents them from moving around on thetruck. You can also stack them on top of each other more easily than bins because the plastic ontop of the bins might break.

Con: Your items might get damaged

Even though the cardboard used for moving boxes is more durable than regular cardboard, it stilldoesn't fully protect your belongings. Water can damage the boxes easily, along with thethings inside. Furthermore, you shouldn't put fragile items in cardboard boxes, as they can bendeasily and your items might break. Also, many insects such as silverfish, termites, roaches, andbeetles can damage the boxes. You might even bring them from your old home to your new one.To prevent this, you should use plastic bins instead.

Con: You need to assemble the box yourself

When you buy or rent plastic bins, you already get them set up and ready to pack. Cardboardboxes, however, come unassembled. You need to take the time to put them togetherbefore youstart packing. Moreover, you need to spend money on other materials as well. For example, youneed to buy heavy-duty duct tape to seal the openings. Additionally, you can't use them as manytimes as plastic bins, as they start to break apart. So, when you are considering plastic bins vscardboard boxes, keep in mind what you will be using them for. It all depends on your personalneeds and preference.