To estimate how many boxes you need, count the storage spaces in your home, not the rooms, and buy a few extra. On 1 November 2026, Bunnings moving cartons ran from $2.71 for a 26L light-duty box to $9.85 for a 128L heavy-duty box. Free boxes cost only time, but check each base first.
If you would rather not buy and pack boxes yourself, a removalist who offers packing can add it to the booking as a separate service. Whichever route you take, underestimating the number of boxes is an easy mistake, and spare boxes cost less than a second trip mid-pack.
How to estimate how many boxes you need
Counting boxes room by room tends to miss what is hidden. A better method is to count the storage spaces.
Walk through your home and count the wardrobes, pantry and kitchen shelves and cupboards, bathroom cabinets, linen presses, garage shelves and other storage spaces. Choose one of these as a trial, pack it up, and count how many boxes it takes. Multiply that number by the total number of similar spaces. Spaces that are often missed include vacuum-packed linen, the back half of the pantry, the shelving behind clothes in a wardrobe and the bathroom cabinet.
Heavy items belong in small boxes and light, bulky items in large boxes. Each packed box should be easy for one person to carry safely, and a move packed mostly in large boxes risks heavy boxes that are unsafe to lift or stack. That means most moves need more small boxes than people first expect.
How much do boxes cost in Australia?
New boxes from Bunnings
Bunnings sells moving cartons in several sizes. These prices were checked on the Bunnings website on 1 November 2026:
| Box type | Volume | Construction | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 26L to 52L | Light duty | $2.71 to $2.87 |
| Medium | 72L | Light duty | $3.72 |
| Large | 104L to 107L | Light to heavy duty | $4.80 to $5.82 |
| Extra large | 128L to 150L | Heavy duty | $8.89 to $9.85 |
| Porta-robe (wardrobe box) | 257L | Heavy duty | $16.02 |
Prices and stock change, so check your local store or the Bunnings website before you buy. The cost of a set of boxes is the number of boxes multiplied by the unit price. For example, 20 of the 26L light-duty cartons at $2.71 each come to $54.20, and 10 of the 128L heavy-duty cartons at $9.85 each come to $98.50. Add the cost of tape and packing paper, which you can price at the same store.
Hired plastic crates
Plastic crate hire is another option. Hire providers set their own prices, hire periods and delivery fees, so ask for a written quote that states the number of crates, the delivery and collection charges, the hire period and the cost of extra days. Compare that total with the cost of cardboard boxes from the table above, including tape and packing paper, before you decide.
Free boxes
Free boxes are the most economical option and take the most effort. Places to ask:
- Supermarkets and grocery stores. Call ahead and ask which day deliveries come in, then collect that morning before staff break the cartons down.
- Liquor stores. Ask whether they have spare cartons.
- Hardware stores. Ask about packaging from appliances.
- Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree. People often list boxes for free after a move.
Before using any second-hand box, check the base for softening, check for musty odours, and check that the seams are intact. Do not use boxes that held raw food or anything that has leaked. A base weakened by moisture can collapse under load, and a box that fails mid-pack costs more time than it saves.
The biggest constraint with free boxes is time. Collecting enough boxes can take several days and multiple trips, so if your move is close, buying boxes is the safer option.
What to check before you buy boxes
Box condition. Test the base of a second-hand box to see if it holds its shape before packing it. If the base is soft, or the seams or corners are torn, do not use it.
Size distribution. Pack heavy items in small boxes and light, bulky items in large boxes. Getting this wrong leaves you with large boxes that are heavy and unsafe to move.
Specialty cartons. A porta-robe is a tall wardrobe carton for hanging clothes. Check what your local store stocks before you plan around any specialty carton.
Packing supplies. Allow for tape, packing paper and bubble wrap on top of the cost of the boxes.
For a room-by-room guide to the packing itself, how to pack every room in order lists what needs special packing material. For the timeline, when to buy boxes before moving fits box shopping into the weeks before the move.
A packing service from a provider can be added as a separate variation to the booking, and what affects a removals quote explains how Urgent Pro removals are priced.
FAQs
How many boxes do I need to move a house?
Count your storage spaces rather than your rooms. Pack one space as a sample, count the boxes it takes, and multiply by the number of similar spaces. Buy a few extra, because stored and out-of-sight items are missed by a room-by-room count.
What do moving boxes cost in Australia?
On 1 November 2026, Bunnings listed individual cartons from $2.71 for a 26L light-duty box to $9.85 for a 128L heavy-duty box, and $16.02 for a 257L porta-robe. Multiply the unit price by the number of boxes in each size, then add tape and packing paper.
Where can I get free moving boxes in Australia?
Call local supermarkets, liquor stores and hardware stores and ask what day deliveries come in, then collect before the cartons are broken down. People also list boxes for free on Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree after a move.
Are hired plastic crates cheaper than buying cardboard boxes?
It depends on the provider’s price, hire period and delivery fees. Get a written quote and compare the total with the cost of boxes, tape and packing paper.
Do removalists supply boxes?
A provider on the Urgent Pro network can offer a packing service as a separate variation to the booking. Whether the provider supplies boxes depends on the provider, so ask when you request your quote.
How do I know if a second-hand box is safe to use?
A good cardboard box holds its shape when pressure is applied to the base. If it has soft corners, torn seams or a musty smell, it has moisture damage and should not be used. A damaged box that fails while packed or in transit can lead to lost or damaged items.
What is the most accurate way to estimate box numbers?
Count storage spaces instead of rooms. Select one storage space as a sample, count how many boxes it takes to fill, and multiply by the number of similar spaces in the home. A room-by-room count does not capture stored and out-of-sight items.