Packing Boxes

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Selling and moving this spring. Question 1: Where's the best place to pick up packing boxes? Probably have to move to temporary storage, then again when I buy a new place.

Question 2: Only semi-related as I off-load stuff. I have a complete collection of National Geographic magazines going back to 1968. Yes, including the famous Afghani Girl in the 70's. I had about decided that these were going to have to be donated to a school/library since it is all available online. Then my daughter said, "Don't be crazy! Other people will go crazy!" OK - maybe. I'll be having an estate sale (sorry, no guns or tools :)) A locally advertised estate sale may not be the best way forward. Not sure how to advertise this stash that would fill a pickup, or if it is worth the effort. I have all the maps, but they are unfortunately separated from the magazines, and it would be quite the effort to re-insert them in the proper edition. Open to advice... ;)
 
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I am not sure there is a market for magazines or books anymore. But, if you do go through with it, sell them a year at a time or decade at a time. If you let folks cherry pick the issues, you will be left with the pits.

As for moving boxes…just moved 2.5 years ago. Get the small sized boxes from Lowe’s, HD, Menards etc. Anything larger will get very heavy when you load it. Strapping tape, with the filaments in it, holds better than the clear stuff.

Kevin
 
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No cherry picking on the Geographics. All or nothing. Although I do like your idea of selling parcels. That would probably yield the highest dollars, but, hey, I'm more interested in getting rid of stuff than maximizing dollars. Plenty of other things to do.
 
Selling and moving this spring. Question 1: Where's the best place to pick up packing boxes? Probably have to move to temporary storage, then again when I buy a new place.

Question 2: Only semi-related as I off-load stuff. I have a complete collection of National Geographic magazines going back to 1968. Yes, including the famous Afghani Girl in the 70's. I had about decided that these were going to have to be donated to a school/library since it is all available online. Then my daughter said, "Don't be crazy! Other people will go crazy!" OK - maybe. I'll be having an estate sale (sorry, no guns or tools :)) A locally advertised estate sale may not be the best way forward. Not sure how to advertise this stash that would fill a pickup, or if it is worth the effort. I have all the maps, but they are unfortunately separated from the magazines, and it would be quite the effort to re-insert them in the proper edition. Open to advice... ;)

Unless you want to buy banker’s boxes, liquor stores have always been willing to let me have as many boxes as I want.

Your National Geographics may prove disappointing. You collected them one month at a time, not all at once. That’s a manageable pace. You don’t get overwhelmed as you would if you acquired them all at once.

There was a time when it seemed like every garage sale had a bunch of National Geographics. That’s less common now that it’s all online. If there are copies you want to have in hard copy, you can order them straight from National Geographic.

If you offer them for ten cents per copy you may unload some, although not all of them. I think it unlikely anyone will buy them all.

Check to see if the local schools or libraries will take them.
 
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I just helped a friend and his wife load a small rental trailer for a move and they bought small, medium, and large cardboard boxes from Home Depot and they were very good quality with punch outs areas to aid in carrying.
 
Back in 1987 or so, my father's Nat Geos going back to 19-something were donated to Stanford University along with all my father's papers and published works. He had the complete set going back to the first one published. Nobody would pay for them, but several places (libraries) would accept them if free. I halted my subscription and sent all of mine to a recycler.
 
In my town everybody and their brother looks for outlets for donating Nat Geo's and they don't exist. I had about 6-8 years worth in the binders plus another stack when I thought to myself "Why?". I have two years worth from the Covid years next to my easy chair and when I get around to ever reading them I'll feed my recycle bin.
 
For moving boxes check local ABC stores or as posted Lowes or Home Depot. Have found other boxes not to be very good. Guess I’m lucky as had a SIL that worked for Chic-Fi-Lay and their boxes are tough. A Huge issue is that boxes from grocery stores and other similar place have roaches in them or roach eggs. By chance you use such Unload boxes and put them outside in the Trash. You DoNot want those boxes to stay in your house/ apartment. BTW Im moving too and its hard on a 73 year old….
 
I have learned to buy the boxes new. They come packed flat and get the strapping tape and a taping machine. The tape machine takes practice and is the devil's work. but having small boxes of a uniform size and a a few medium boxes and a wardrobe box or two makes the job much easier. We found you could rent a truck (we liked Penske) and hire a crew to load and unload it and save a ton of money. Plus you do not get the cockroaches hitchhiking on food and liquor boxes
 
Most libraries refuse donations of books/papers/magazines due to the risk of introducing mold or insects to their entire collection. Attempt to yard sell the or rent a dumpster to pitch them and any other unwanted items in.
 
Might want to consider one of the “Pods”. You load it with your boxes. They haul it away and store it for you and then will deliver it to your new home. A lot less hassle than loading boxes, toting them to store, unloading them, and then going back, reloading them, moving them to your new home and unloading them again��
 
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