In times of austerity moving home to a cheaper place is a choice many people have to make. Removal firms are expensive, and many people choose the self-drive van option.

Unfortunately, the average householder has no idea how much stuff they actually own. After having spent several years in the same house or flat, things have been accumulated that would be heart-breaking to part with… favourite memories are attached to them!

So one day before the van is due for pick-up from the hire firm, one usually gets into a panic because there is no way one can fit all those lovely things into the small cardboard boxes the local newsagent was so obliging in providing. Over-packing cardboard boxes, which then break the moment one tries to pick them up and carry them to the van, is just one of the hazards. Even if one is careful during packing, once the van arrives, the vehicle is invariably too short or not high enough to transport all one’s belongings in one journey.

Obtaining stackable, sturdy boxes is therefore essential. Most people can only afford to hire the van for one day and most van hire places close their offices at mid day on Saturdays – leaving only half a day or less to complete the move, if one doesn’t want to pay for a whole weekend’s van hire. Most large stationery shops sell archive boxes or large cardboard boxes and bubble wrap, but both of these options are neither environmentally friendly nor very practical. After use the boxes either have to be taken to recycling – and some brands cannot be recycled but end up in landfills – or stored away for possible future use. Unfortunately, once the flat-packed cardboard boxes have been assembled and used for moving home, they rarely can be flat-packed again.

Green, recyclable boxes are an environmentally friendly option for moving home. There are many brands and designs on the market now and some removal firms rent them out to their customers and some commercial storage unit providers also sell them to their customers. Their size prevents boxes from being over-packed, becoming too heavy for being carried. Their lids fit tightly, keeping items stored inside safe from condensation in storage facilities and safe from breakage during transport. Even better, many designs of green, recyclable boxes allow the boxes to be collapsed after use, so they can easily be stored away for future use.

Before hiring a van it is a good idea to measure larger items of furniture such as sofas, beds and wardrobes to ensure the length and height of the vehicle is suitable for the type of household items requiring removal. It is also a good idea to recall how the sofa or wardrobe entered the house in the first place – did the furniture company have to take the windows out to be able to deliver the sofa into the living room? Did the wardrobe enter the bedroom via the balcony or staircase?