Each time new items are bought, cardboard boxes are made available. The question now is, what do we normally do with the cardboard after unboxing the item? Resell, recycle, or thrash?
In any case, if a heap of cardboard clutters your homes and businesses and packs the landfills. You can always reduce the mess in your stockroom and help the environment by reselling or recycling those old cardboard boxes.
In this article, we’ll list many places where you can sell cardboard boxes and make passive income. Who knows, this might be a worthy side hustle.
Before we go on to list where you can sell cardboard, it’s expedient to list many places where you can find cardboard boxes in large quantities. Obviously, you can’t sell what you don’t have.
Table of contents
Where Can I Find Cardboard Boxes?
The best of all is the thicker boxes that are stronger and able to serve their purpose. You can find thick cardboard in varying sizes at liquor stores.
Also, larger boxes are more valuable than smaller boxes because of their thickness and comparatively limited supply. Gaylord boxes, which are the biggest cardboard boxes, are the most valuable and the hardest to find.
Here are a few other places you might consider looking for cardboard boxes:
1. Look Around the House
Start by searching in your own house. Big boxes are easier to resell and are worth more so keep the smaller ones for your own storage needs. You can resell a wardrobe box with a metal rod for more than $2.
It’s okay if the boxes have writing on them, but they need to be in good structural condition, and not damaged.
2. Ask Family and Friends
You can also check with your family and friends to see if they have any unwanted cardboard boxes in good condition. They would always cherish the chance to get rid of large boxes that were taking up space in their garages, basement, or attics.
3. Check Craigslist’s Free Section
Browse through Craigslist and you can find a good number of people wanting to get rid of their used boxes for free. Look through the Free section on Craigslist for people giving away their moving boxes.
There is a free section for each city. Search for free cardboard boxes in your city, and then simply pick them up from the curb.
4. U-haul Box Exchange
This is an online forum created by U-haul to allow people who exchange boxes with each other. But people also give away their boxes for free.
5. Freecycle.org
On Freecycle.org, you’ll get access to people who want to give away free stuff.
6. Grocery Stores
Grocery stores is perhaps the best place to get cardboard boxes owing to the fact that most of their commodities come in boxes.
7. Liquor Stores
They have lots of tick boxes that go to the trash after it takes the bottles out of them.
8. Starbucks
They receive a few shipments each week and most products come in packed in boxes. So, they can be a good collection point.
9. Book Stores
Another nice place to find good boxes as they usually bring in books packed in boxes.
10. Local Restaurants
Your local restaurants also generate a lot of cardboard because of every product comes in a cardboard box. The best time to pick up their unwanted cardboard can be right after the lunch rush before they have time to make a trash run or at the end of the week when their trash compactor or cardboard box bin are at capacity.
11. Local Factory
A local factory can also be an excellent place to ask because it can ship the raw materials in cardboard boxes. They can all be a consistent size and quantity which can make it easier for you to resell too.
If you want to sell Gaylord boxes, a local factory will be your best option.
Where to Sell Your Cardboard Boxes for Reuse
For the common box sizes, you can expect to make 50 cents to $1.50 from sales per box. Additionally, Gaylord boxes can sell for a minimum of $4 per box or even higher depending on demand.
Selling to people that reuse the cardboard instead of a cardboard recycler will be more profitable. However, as we move forward in this article, we’ll discuss where you can sell your cardboard to be recycled.
Now that we know where to find cardboard, let’s look at where we can auction it and make money!
1. Craigslist
Selling cardboard boxes on Craigslist or an alternative site might be ideal because the buyer comes to wherever you are to access and pick up the boxes.
In addition to selling on Craigslist, some local businesses that buy cardboard and used pallets will also list their buying services. Instead of waiting for them to call you, give them a call, and see whether they might want cardboard boxes.
2. BoxCycle
BoxCycle is one of the most distinct cardboard selling platforms. After listing your boxes for sale, BoxCycle will agree with all potential buyers. You get paid once the buyer picks up the boxes.
BoxCycle lets you sell the following packaging materials:
- Moving boxes
- Regular boxes
- File boxes
- Narrow boxes
- Electronics boxes
- Mailers
- Wine Boxes
- Bulk cargo boxes (Gaylord boxes)
- Box kits
- Pallets
- Sheets and pads
- Packing supplies
SEE ALSO: 15 Ways to Make Money from Recycling in 2023
3. U-Haul Box Exchange
On U-Haul Box Exchange, you can sell your old boxes to other families. You can also get free cardboard boxes on U-Haul Box Exchange as some sellers will be willing to give out boxes for free.
4. eBay
On eBay, you can list your cardboard boxes. Just go through the normal process and do the needful like putting the seller fees and shipping charges into account before arriving at a selling price.
If you have a large lot that’s too costly to ship, you can also opt for eBay’s local pickup option too.
RELATED POST: How to Make Money on eBay without selling anything
5. Container Exchanger
Container Exchanger lets you trade used Gaylord boxes that you might pick up from a local factory. On Container Exchanger, you will need to be able to sell at least 200 boxes at a go. Depending on the size and condition of the box, each box might be worth $35.
There are two ways to sell your Gaylord boxes through Container Exchanger. One way is to list your inventory with their “Sale Ads” feature. The second is to comb the “Want Ads” to match your inventory to the wants of a prospective buyer.
Once you’re ready to sell, contact Container Exchanger to list your boxes for free. The Container Exchanger support team will communicate with you by phone when they receive a serious offer. And when your boxes sell, you ship them using a designated carrier, and payment is sent your way!
6. UsedCardboardBoxes.com
You can sell shipping boxes and Gaylord totes at UsedCardboardBoxes.com. To initiate the selling process, you need to submit the size and quantity of your most common box size along with a picture of your inventory.
UCB can be an attractive option because they do not require you to package your boxes in order to sell.
7. Boxsmart
On Boxsmart, you can earn up to 91% more on your unused cardboard by selling your boxes directly to companies. When Boxsmart locates a buyer, they normally coordinate the sale logistics, so you only have to load the truck and get paid.
8. Duffy Box
Duffy Box pays more for reusable boxes and gives them a second life. Duffy Box has been buying and selling used cardboard boxes since 1930! With over 200 trailers, Duffy Box can pick up your used cardboard and sending it to a buyer while you sit back and make your money.
9. Quincy Recycle
Quincy Recycle concentrates on buying and reselling Gaylord boxes across the United States. They also offer B2B (business to business) corrugated cardboard and paper recycling as well if you live near one of their Midwestern recycling facilities. You will need to have a full truckload or less-than-truckload inventory to sell to Quincy.
10. Rebox
Rebox buys a variety of boxes from American and Canadian sellers — mostly companies that have a high amount of cardboard boxes. To get a quote, leave a comment that includes all the necessary information about your catalog in addition to your personal contact information.
If a box is too damaged, you might only be able to sell it to a recycler. Here’s a list of recyclers you can utilize.
Where Can I Sell Cardboard To Be Recycled
Ideally, all the cardboard you sell can be reused at least once more before the box reaches its maximum lifespan. However, when your cardboard isn’t salvageable, you can still exchange it for cash via a recycler. You won’t earn as much as when you sell it for reuse, but it’s still money in your pocket.
Scrap cardboard prices can differ greatly, but you can expect to earn between 50 cents ($1,000 per ton) and $1 per pound ($2,000 per ton). Also, note that the loose price will frequently be less than the baled price. If you have access to a baler, it will be a plus-plus.
#1 Recycler Finder
Recycler Finder is a free database that lists your local cardboard and paper product facilities within 50 miles of your zip code. So, If you cannot find a buyer to reuse your boxes, use the Recycler Finder.
You can also use Recycle Finder to sell your old furniture, and your old appliances for cash as well.
RELATED POST: 13 Best Online Selling App for Old Items
#2 Recycler’s World
Recycler’s World is an online classified website that lets you list cardboard boxes. You can even find local buyers from the website as well that list their current in-demand items.
#3 RecycleINMe
RecycleINMe is an unpaid service that unites you with local scrap cardboard recyclers all over the world. On the website, you can also post a sell offer to see if you can make extra money or save a little time by not calling each individual recycler.
#4 Padnos
Padnos offers local, regional, national, and international buying possibilities as you can sell your cardboard straight to a paper mill. Your cardboard can sell at the spot or contractual price depending on the current market demand. To sell to Padnos, you will need a large stock of readily available cardboard boxes.
#5 Look for a Local Recycling Center
In addition to the aforementioned platforms, you can also search for the keyword “Recycling Centers Near Me” on Google to find a local recycling center. Once you find one, you can go ahead to contact them and initiate the business process.
#6 Your Local Landfill
Lastly, you can always take your cardboard to your local landfill where it can be worked on.
Even though you won’t profit directly from the sale, county landfills use the proceeds from selling recyclable items like cardboard to offset the operating costs of collecting and burying your everyday trash. In turn, your monthly garbage collection bill can remain as low as possible, and your landfill will not be filled up with recyclable cardboard.
Some municipalities even offer recycling rewards programs. For each item you recycle, you can get a statement credit.
Last Words
Cardboard is one of the most recycled items out there as many people and businesses are either recycling or thrashing their cardboard and not getting paid for it. Therefore, this is an ideal opportunity to make some extra cash while reducing the amount of cardboard waste in your local community.
References
- wellkeptwallet.com – 17 Ways to Sell Cardboard for Cash
- moneypantry.com – Recycling Cardboard Boxes for Money: 5 Sites That Pay Cash!
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