Moving Up
Moving made easy: 3 local companies that make packing, moving and storage a breeze
Every season is moving season in Austin, but the fun especially heats up in late summer, when college kids are transitioning into their new near-campus digs and many Austinites face the dreaded end of a lease. If you’ve got a move — big or small — on the horizon, check out our roundup of three local companies that make will make it a breeze.
Whether you’re looking for boxes, a full suite of moving services, or a simple storage solution for extra belongings, these creative Austin-based organizations have you covered.
Reusable moving boxes from Bronko Box
Gone are the days of hoarding cardboard boxes (or worse, buying new ones) in preparation for an upcoming move. Austin-based Bronko Box, founded in 2013, aims to make moving easy by removing cardboard from the equation and providing you with reusable — and rentable — boxes that require no packing tape or reinforced bottoms.
Bronko Boxes arrive at your doorstep as a set of fully assembled, stackable containers. Pack them at will and, once you’ve moved and unpacked, the reusable containers will be picked up from your new location. The boxes are rented on a weekly basis, and packages are available for studios — priced at $30 for one week, $45 for two weeks — through four-bedrooms — $120 for one week, $180 for two weeks. Delivery and pickup of the containers is free for orders over $50.
The best part? No cardboard collection cluttering your new abode or impending trips to the dumpster.
Eco-friendly moving from Green Gorilla Movers
Founded by eco-conscious husband and wife team John and Sheila Flores, Green Gorilla Movers makes hiring movers a green decision. The company, founded this year, pulls out all the stops to make a local, state or national move as easy on the environment as it is on you. Its fleet of vehicles runs on 100 percent biodiesel and the company uses eco-friendly packing materials and zero-waste boxes.
Green Gorilla Movers' options range from traditional moving services (you pack it, they move it) to having the company's trained movers do all of the packing for you. Its full suite of moving services includes the use of zero-waste bins, Geami GreenWrap for packing, and biodegradable tape and stretch film.
The company's eco-friendly mindset doesn't stop at your move. For every move it completes, Green Gorilla Movers plants a tree with the Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion campaign; the company also donates a portion of its proceeds to The Gorilla organization.
SpareFoot
With the help of SpareFoot you can forgo storage wars and find a perfect space for precious belongings that just don’t fit into your home. The Austin-based startup originated as a person-to-person storage website for private residences and has evolved into the largest marketplace on the web for self-storage. Simply logon to the website and you'll access an online directory of storage units complete with real-time availability and pricing.
Search by zip code, unit size and amenities (climate controlled, drive up access, 24-hour access) to find the best local storage solution, then reserve the unit through SpareFoot. Once reserved, you'll work directly with the storage facility to set up billing and other pertinent information (no transactions take place via SpareFoot).
Storage bonus: SpareFoot offers Yelp-style reviews of facilities and helpful moving/storage tips on its comprehensive blog.