Moving house around Brisbane means packing in heat and humidity and sometimes dodging an afternoon storm. So the box you pack in matters more than most people expect. Reusable plastic crates and cardboard boxes both get the job done. They just do it in very different ways.
Here is an honest side-by-side look at how they compare on setup time and strength, weather, cost and waste. We also cover the situations where cardboard may still be the smarter pick.
Crates vs cardboard at a glance
| Hired plastic crates | Cardboard boxes | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Arrive assembled with attached lids. No tape needed | Need to be built and taped and sometimes reinforced |
| Strength | Rigid plastic that stacks and resists crushing | Can crush or tear under weight and lose strength if they get wet |
| Weather | Weather-resistant with secure lids | Vulnerable to rain and damp |
| Cost | Hire fee for a set period | Free if you can find them or a purchase cost if you cannot |
| After the move | Collected from your new address | Flattened and recycled or dumped |
| Best for | Local moves and heavy items and tight timelines | Interstate moves and long-term storage and odd shapes |
Setup and packing time
This is where crates pull ahead most clearly. Cardboard boxes arrive flat. Every one needs folding and taping before a single item goes in. For a three bedroom home that can mean dozens of boxes and a lot of tape.
Move Mate crates are delivered ready to pack. The lids are attached so you fold them closed when you are done and they also include dollies for easy movement! Move Mate crates are up to 50% faster than cardboard and the simple logic holds though: no building and no taping means you start packing the minute the crates arrive.
Less time building and taping means more time packing.
Strength and protection
Plastic crates keep their shape. You can stack them high on a dolly and wheel them to the truck without worrying about a bottom giving way. That matters for heavy items like books and tools and kitchenware.
Cardboard works well for lighter loads but it has limits. A box that gets overfilled can split at the base. A damp box can go soft. A collapsing box on a staircase is a familiar moving-day moment.
Move Mate hires three crate sizes so you can match the load to the container: a small 45L crate (530 x 320 x 320mm) for books and bathroom items and a medium 72L crate (610 x 500 x 320mm) for kitchen and bedrooms and a large 135L crate (700 x 500 x 550mm) for pillows and blankets and cushions. Move Mate is the only heavy duty moving box supplier in Australia that rents 3 different sizes. Keeping heavy items in small crates and light bulky items in large ones is a good habit with any box.
Brisbane weather and storm season
South East Queensland summers bring heat and humidity and fast-moving storms. A moving day that starts dry can turn wet by the afternoon. Crates with secure lids are weather-resistant so a passing shower is far less of a worry. Cardboard left on a driveway or a truck ramp in the rain is a different story.
Weather-resistant is not the same as waterproof though. If you are moving in the wet months it still pays to start early and keep a backup date in mind. We cover that in more detail in our guide to moving house during Brisbane's storm season.
Book an early start. A dry morning can turn wet by the afternoon.
What does it cost?
The honest answer is that it depends on what cardboard costs you. If you can collect free boxes from shops or neighbours then cardboard will cost less than hiring. Free cardboard wins on budget but buying new heavy-duty boxes can end up costing more than hiring crates.
Move Mate prices by home size. For a two week hire the Studio/1 Bedroom package starts at $150 and the 2 Bedroom package starts at $275. The 3 Bedroom package starts at $350 and the 4-5 Bedroom package starts at $475. If you only need a few extras the Heavy Duty Moving Crate can be hired individually from $5 for a small crate for two weeks.
Prices change from time to time so check the product pages for the current figures and your hire length.
Clean-up and waste
After a cardboard move you are left with a mountain of boxes and packing paper and tape. Most of it can be recycled but you still have to flatten it and haul it out. With crates you unpack and stack them up. Move Mate collects them from your new address once you are done.
Because the crates are reused across many moves there is also less single-use packaging going to landfill.
When cardboard is the better choice
Crates are not the answer to every move. Cardboard is probably the better pick when:
- You can get free boxes. If cost is your biggest concern and you have time to collect them then free cardboard is hard to beat.
- You are moving interstate. Local crate hire usually works on delivery and collection within one area. Move Mate delivers and collects across Brisbane and the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast and Ipswich.
- You are packing things for long-term storage. Neighbly notes that cardboard breathes while sealed plastic can trap moisture over many months. If something is going into a shed or storage unit for a long time then cardboard or breathable storage can suit it better.
- You are moving odd shapes. Lamps and framed art and long items are sometimes easier to pad in a custom-sized carton.
The best approach for many households: mix and match
You do not have to choose one or the other. A common approach is crates for the heavy and fragile and fast-to-pack items and cardboard for odd shapes and long-term storage boxes. Fragile kitchenware is a good example. Move Mate also hires specialist boxes like the Glassware Moving Box (holds 24 glasses in individual compartments) and a Heavy Duty Wardrobe Moving Box with a built-in hanging rail for clothes.
Use crates for the heavy and fragile and fast-to-pack items and cardboard for odd shapes and long-term storage boxes.
How hiring crates with Move Mate works
- Choose a package. Pick the size that matches your home or build your own mix of crates and supplies.
- We deliver. Your crates arrive at your current address up to five days before your selected date.
- You pack and move. Fold the lids closed and stack and wheel them onto the truck.
- We collect. Once you have unpacked we collect the crates from your new address. Collection can happen on the final hire date or up to five days after.
The standard hire period is two weeks and you can add extra weeks before your scheduled collection (additional hire fees apply). Someone needs to be home for delivery and collection. You can check the delivery areas on the Delivery and Collection page.
So which should you choose?
If your move is local and you want to skip the taping and keep heavy items under control then hired crates are a strong choice. If you can get plenty of free cardboard or you are storing things long term then cardboard still makes sense. Many people end up using a bit of both.
Frequently asked questions
Are plastic moving crates better than cardboard boxes?
For most local moves they are easier to use because they arrive assembled and stack well and do not need tape. Cardboard can still be the better choice when you can get free boxes or you are moving long distance or storing things for a long time.
Do I need to tape Move Mate crates?
No. The crates arrive fully assembled with attached lids. You fold the lids closed once they are packed.
Are moving crates cheaper than buying cardboard boxes?
It depends. Free second-hand cardboard costs nothing. Hiring crates can work out well against buying new heavy-duty boxes and it saves you the time of building and taping them. Check current Move Mate prices on the package pages.
Are the crates waterproof?
Move Mate describes its crates as weather-resistant with secure lids. They are not described as waterproof so keep an eye on the forecast during storm season and start early.
What happens to the crates after my move?
Move Mate collects them from your new address once you have finished unpacking. You do not need to flatten or dispose of anything.
Ready to skip the tape?
Pick the size that suits your home from our residential moving crate packages. Delivery covers Brisbane and the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast and Ipswich.
See the crate packages