Where to Rent Moving Supplies

You need a lot of supplies when you’re moving. And if you’re like most of us, you probably don’t just have most of those supplies on hand. Fortunately, there are plenty of places that allow you to rent moving supplies—just use them while you need them, and return them when you’re done. It’s a much better alternative to having to shell out cash for supplies that you might only use a few times, especially considering that some of these items can get quite expensive.

Whether you’re prepping for an upcoming move or looking to keep this information in your back pocket just in case, here are all of the best places to rent moving supplies.

Moving supplies 101: What you might need to rent

Before we get in to where to rent moving supplies, let’s go over what you might need to rent in the first place. Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list of all the moving supplies that you may need, but a run down of the items that you can easily rent (barring a rental truck, though we make that easy to do here).

Plastic moving boxes: An affordable and eco-friendly alternative to cardboard moving boxes.

Furniture pads and/or moving blankets: To provide protection for large items during transport.

Dollies: Appliance dollies, furniture dollies, and utility dollies (also called hand trucks) for easily moving heavy boxes, large furniture, and appliances.

Towing equipment: For latching your car onto your rental truck or trailer.

Cargo straps: Also called safety straps; useful for securing items in the truck so that they don’t shift around in transit.

Ramps: If you’re moving with a truck that doesn’t have one.

Trailers: For towing items on the back of your car.

Other items that you may need but don’t just have lying around, such as packing paper and packing tape, can’t be rented, but we do have some tips for how to save money on them.

Companies that rent out moving supplies

Now that you know what you need, how about where to actually get them? There are quite a few options for where to rent moving supplies, so it mostly depends on what is convenient for you and what individual company’s pricing best fits your budget. When you’re doing research for your specific moving supply needs, be sure to call around and ask questions about cost and availability so that you can be sure you make the most informed choice.

Hardware stores

Hardware stores—including Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards, and many local stores—offer rentals of moving supplies for individual consumers. You might not find the smaller items like moving straps available for rent here, but you’ll find plenty of the big stuff, including trailers, dollies, and ramps. Rentals are generally available for various set time limits, ranging from several hours up to several weeks, and can be reserved online for in-store pick up.

Truck rental companies

When you call to rent your moving truck, you can also ask about renting moving supplies. Most truck rental companies, including the big names like U-Haul, Penske, and Budget, also offer a wide range of moving supplies for rent, such as furniture pads, dollies, towing equipment, cargo straps, and more. As an added bonus, you may be able to get a deal by bundling these items with the rental of your moving truck, and many times some of the items—like a stack of moving blankets—will be automatically included with your truck rental.

Specialty moving supply companies

If you’re looking to rent plastic moving containers, your best bet is a specialty company. These companies (which include our six favorites) rent out plastic moving boxes that are better for the environment than traditional cardboard moving boxes, and will drop off the boxes when you need them and pick them back up when you’re done. And because the boxes come with interlocking lids, you can skip the packing tape as well.

How much does it cost to rent moving supplies?

The price you’ll spend to rent moving supplies depends on what you need to rent, how much of it you need, and how long you need it for. You may also face price discrepancies based on availability—for example, you will probably spend more on weekend days, when demand is higher. Based on pricing from the companies above, however, here is what you might expect to spend:

Plastic moving boxes: Prices are based on a set number of boxes and go by the week. For ten boxes for a week, you’ll likely spend about $20 to $60.

Furniture pads and/or moving blankets: About $5 per half dozen.

Dollies: For a one-day move, expect to spend about $10 to $15 to rent a dolly, with a bit of an extra surcharge if you’re going to be dropping off the dolly at a different location than where you picked it up from.

Towing equipment: Around $50, with prices going up depending on how far you’re driving and how long you need the equipment for.

Cargo straps: About $8 to $10 for a full day.

Ramps: About $15 for four hours and $20 for a full day.

Trailers: About $15 for four hours and $20 for a full day.

Tips for renting moving supplies

Renting moving supplies is a relatively uncomplicated process—just pick up what you need and return it when you’re done. But to make sure you have the best (and most budget-friendly) experience possible, be sure to follow these tips.

Rent as far in advance as you can

Ask for bundle deals

Shop around

Take pictures of each rental item when you pick it up

For everything else

You can’t rent everything that you need for your move, but you can acquire what you need easily with our free tool for getting the best deals on packing and moving supplies. In addition, you can use our online packing calculator to help you determine exactly what you’ll need and how much, including how many boxes, rolls of packing paper, and rolls of packing tape it’s going to take to get all of your belongings from point A to point B.