Moving supply store in Sarasota, FL
Boxes, paper, tape, and covers, sized for a real move instead of whatever the hardware store had left. Call for current stock and pricing before you drive anywhere, since supply inventory moves with the season.
A typical three bedroom household move requires roughly 60 to 90 moving boxes across sizes, plus specialty cartons for dishes, wardrobes, and artwork.
The boxes that actually matter
Four sizes and three specialty cartons cover almost every household move. Buying more variety than that mostly creates confusion on the far end.
- Small, about 1.5 cubic feet: books, canned goods, tools, anything dense. If you can lift it easily it is not full enough.
- Medium, about 3 cubic feet: the workhorse. Kitchen, closets, decor, small appliances.
- Large, about 4.5 cubic feet: light and bulky only. Linens, pillows, lampshades, plastic ware.
- Dish pack: double walled with cell dividers. Plates go on edge, not stacked flat.
- Wardrobe box: hanging bar inside, so closets transfer on the hanger and skip the folding entirely.
- Picture and mirror carton: adjustable flat cartons for framed art and glass.
- Mattress bag: breathable cover, needed for both moving and storage.
How many boxes will I need?
Roughly 20 to 30 boxes per bedroom for an average household, so a three bedroom typically lands between 60 and 90 plus specialty cartons. Kitchens and garages break that rule constantly in both directions.
Buy about 15 percent more than your estimate and expect to use them. Running out at 9pm the night before the move is a bad way to spend an evening, and unopened boxes are usually returnable.
Do not skimp on tape
Use real packing tape, 2 inches wide, and run three strips across the bottom seam of every box. Not masking tape, not duct tape, and never folded flaps.
Folded bottom flaps are the single most common cause of a box failing mid lift, and it always happens on the stairs with the heaviest box. Tape is the cheapest part of the move and the one that prevents the worst outcome.
Free boxes: where they work and where they do not
Free boxes are fine for linens, pillows, towels, and stuffed animals. Weight and fragility are where they fail.
Grocery store produce boxes are often damp and frequently have no lid. Boxes that lived in a Sarasota garage have absorbed humidity and lost stiffness at the corners even when they look intact. Use new cardboard for anything heavy or breakable.
How it works
Call with your room count
We will tell you a realistic box count and which specialty cartons you actually need.
Confirm stock and price
Supply inventory shifts with the season, so we confirm what is on hand before you come by.
Pack, or hand it off
If the box count sounds like a bad month, ask about the packing service instead.
Moving Supplies: common questions
What size boxes do I need for moving?
Small boxes for anything dense like books and canned goods, medium for the bulk of a household, large for light bulky items only, plus dish packs for kitchenware and wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes. Buying heavy items into large boxes is the most common packing mistake and the most common cause of a failed box.
How many boxes do I need for a two bedroom apartment?
Usually 40 to 60 boxes across sizes, plus a couple of wardrobe boxes and at least two dish packs. Book collections and kitchens push that number up faster than anything else.
Do you sell packing paper and tape?
Call for current stock and pricing. Unprinted newsprint is what you want for wrapping rather than newspaper, because newspaper ink transfers onto dishes and glass and then you are washing everything twice.
Can I buy supplies without booking a move?
Call and ask. Plenty of people handle their own move and only need the right cartons, and there is no requirement to book a crew to buy boxes.
Where we do it
Moving supplies across Sarasota and Manatee counties, including both barrier islands. These are the areas we are booked in most often.