Once you’ve made the big move to your new house in Chicago, you’re probably wondering want to do with all of these moving boxes that made it possible for you to get your belongings to the new city. It’s usually the last step of the move, after purchasing them, packing them, having them moved, and unpacking in your new home, and they have likely seen some wear and tear from the process.

You don’t have to throw them all in the trash where they will end up at the landfill. Instead, use these tips below to recycle after your move, and one tip that will have you avoiding this problem altogether.

Give them to another family

One option to check first is to hand them off to another family that is getting ready to go through the same process as you. Offering them to another family that is about to move will save them money and give you a place to put them to good use.

 If you already know of a family that is about to move, then you can have them come to collect them once you are unpacked. Otherwise, ask around to see if there is someone looking for some at the same time you are looking to get rid of yours.

Try Craigslist

If you don’t know of any families, you can definitely check out Craigslist to find someone who wants them. There is a section that will allow you to both put out an ad to let people know you have moving boxes, as well as a section for those inquiring for boxes.

You can post pictures to show the condition, quantity, and size, as well as listing how to contact you and where they are located. Someone may need them for their move or for other purposes and just needs to find someone that is done with using theirs.

Sell or donate

If you like using Craigslist or Facebook’s Marketplace, you can easily find someone to donate your boxes too, but you can also use these sites to sell them to people. Depending on whether you want cash for them or think they are worth payment, you can list them for a price or just list them for free.

 Another site you can use specifically for moving boxes like yours is Boxcycle, which will connect you to people that looking to buy. You can also try Freecycle or look into local charities to recycle your boxes to someone else that can use them. If you prefer to drop it off yourself, you can go to 1758 S. Clark Street, 1150 N North Branch, 1519 W. Warren Blvd, and 6441 N Ravenswood for cardboard moving box recycling.

Kids crafts and DIY projects

Have you thought about reusing them for your own purposes? If you have kids, they will definitely love the idea of making their own fort. They can also use them to build things that they will want to play with. On the other hand, you may have a DIY project that you could accomplish with the boxes, such as a bookshelf or chair. You may even have pets that could use them as a dog house or area for your cat to hang out. 
Choose reusable green boxes

Some people just choose to call the moving company to see if they want to take them, but there is one option that will beat all of these options above. Simply choose to go green for your move and skip the regular moving boxes altogether. Instead, you can use the environmentally-friendly moving boxes from The Chicago Greenbox that will allow you to move your items in sturdy, plastic bins that will not be thrown away after only one use.

These protect your belongings while avoiding the hassle of assembling, recycling, and spending money on cardboard boxes and other moving supplies you’ll need.

Use these tips to recycle your cardboard boxes if you’ve already made your move to Chicago and to check out green moving containers for all of your future moves.