The short answer: Renting plastic moving boxes from Elephant Trunk Moving Supplies in Dallas costs $140 for a one-bedroom home and $235 for a three-bedroom home, with free delivery and pickup included. Buying cardboard boxes, tape, and packing materials for the same moves typically runs $125–$175 and $215–$340 respectively — before you spend time hauling cardboard to the recycling center after the move. For most DFW home sizes, renting is cheaper. For all home sizes, it is simpler.
Elephant Trunk Moving Supplies is a Plano-based reusable plastic moving box rental company founded by John and Mollie Hancock. The company has served local residential moves throughout Dallas-Fort Worth since 2015 and has helped divert more than 250,000 cardboard boxes from North Texas landfills.
Quick Answer: What Does Renting Moving Boxes Cost in Dallas?
Elephant Trunk Moving Supplies offers rental packages based on home size. Every package includes plastic moving crates in two sizes, labels, free delivery before your move, and free pickup after unpacking. No tape is required
Two-week rental pricing by home size:
1-bedroom (35 boxes): $140
2-bedroom (50 boxes): $170
3-bedroom (75 boxes): $235
4-bedroom (100 boxes): $310
5-bedroom (125 boxes): $385
Three-week and four-week rental periods are available at higher price points. Customers who need more than four weeks can call 214-755-4675 to arrange an extended rental.
Key takeaway: Elephant Trunk's two-week rental starts at $140 for a one-bedroom and $385 for a five-bedroom. Free delivery and pickup are included in every package.
How Much Do Cardboard Boxes Actually Cost in Dallas?
Cardboard moving boxes at retailers like Home Depot, U-Haul, and Lowe's run $2.50–$5.00 each depending on size. Most people also underestimate how many boxes they need and forget to budget for tape and packing materials.
Realistic cardboard moving costs by home size:
1-bedroom (30–35 boxes needed): $125–$175
2-bedroom (45–55 boxes needed): $165–$250
3-bedroom (60–75 boxes needed): $215–$340
4-bedroom (80–100 boxes needed): $290–$450
5-bedroom (100–120 boxes needed): $360–$560
These estimates include boxes, three to four rolls of packing tape ($15–$20), and basic packing paper or bubble wrap ($20–$40). They do not include the time to break down and haul boxes after the move — typically one to two hours — or the cost of a second hardware store trip when you run short mid-pack.
Key takeaway: A cardboard move for a three-bedroom Dallas home realistically costs $215–$340 in materials alone, before post-move disposal.
Is Renting Moving Boxes Cheaper Than Buying Cardboard in Dallas?
The table below compares Elephant Trunk's two-week rental price against a realistic mid-range cardboard spend for the same home size.
Moving box rental vs. cardboard — cost comparison for Dallas-Fort Worth moves:
| Home Size | Cardboard (Buy) | Elephant Trunk (Rent, 2 Weeks) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bedroom | $125–$175 | $140 |
| 2-bedroom | $165–$250 | $170 |
| 3-bedroom | $215–$340 | $235 |
| 4-bedroom | $290–$450 | $310 |
| 5-bedroom | $360–$560 | $385 |
At the low end of cardboard pricing, the two options are close in cost. In practice, most families land in the middle or upper range of the cardboard estimate because they miscalculate the box count, buy tape separately, and spend time on post-move disposal. The rental price is fixed. Delivery and pickup are included. There is no tape run, no box-count miscalculation, and no post-move cardboard pile.
Key takeaway: For a three-bedroom move in Dallas, renting plastic boxes from Elephant Trunk costs $235. Buying cardboard typically runs $215–$340. The rental wins on price and eliminates tape, assembly, and disposal.
What Does the Rental Price Include That Cardboard Doesn't?
The dollar comparison is only part of the story. Elephant Trunk's rental packages include several things that cardboard does not.
What is included in every Elephant Trunk rental:
No tape. The plastic crates lock closed with interlocking lids. No tape purchase, no tape runs out the night before the move.
No box assembly. Crates arrive ready to pack. No cutting, folding, or taping bottoms.
No box failure. Cardboard boxes, particularly in a North Texas summer, absorb heat and humidity and can give out under weight. Elephant Trunk's durable plastic crates do not collapse, soften, or buckle.
Free delivery. Boxes arrive at your door before moving day.
Free pickup. When unpacking is done, you schedule a pickup. The boxes disappear. No breakdown, no recycling run, no cardboard mountain in the alley.
Uniform sizing. Every crate is one of two consistent sizes — 27 x 17 x 12 inches (large) or 21 x 15 x 12 inches (regular). Uniform boxes stack cleanly in a moving truck, leave less dead space, and load faster.
"We built this around making the move easier from start to finish," said John Hancock, Co-Founder of Elephant Trunk Moving Supplies. "The free delivery and pickup aren't a perk. They're the whole point. You shouldn't have to manage the boxes before or after your move."
Key takeaway: Beyond the price, Elephant Trunk's rental removes tape, box assembly, box failure risk, and post-move disposal — none of which show up in the cardboard price estimate.
Which Package Is Right for Your DFW Home?
Each Elephant Trunk package is sized for a typical home at that bedroom count. Here is a practical guide for Dallas-Fort Worth homes:
1-bedroom package (35 boxes): Best for studio and one-bedroom apartments, or very lightly furnished homes in Plano, Allen, or Richardson.
2-bedroom package (50 boxes): Covers most apartment and townhome moves in Frisco, McKinney, and Allen.
3-bedroom package (75 boxes): The most common package. It covers a standard DFW family home including kitchen, closets, and a home office.
4-bedroom package (100 boxes): Right for larger homes or households with a lot of books, kitchenware, or storage.
5-bedroom package (125 boxes): Built for large family homes, executive homes, or moves that include a dedicated office or hobby room.
If you are between package sizes, the larger package is the right call. Running short of boxes mid-pack is more disruptive than having extras. Call 214-755-4675 and the team will give you a straight answer based on your specific move.
Key takeaway: The three-bedroom package at $235 for two weeks is the most common choice for DFW family homes. When in doubt, size up.
What Are DFW Customers Saying About Elephant Trunk Moving Supplies?
Elephant Trunk Moving Supplies carries a 100% recommendation rate on Facebook across 27 reviews. The patterns across reviews from customers in Dallas, Plano, Frisco, and McKinney are consistent.
On the crates: "The plastic bins are sturdy and are designed to stack on top of each other and close without the need for tape." — Verified Yelp reviewer, DFW
On mover time savings: "The boxes paid for themselves because professional movers could move boxes and stack the truck faster — cutting an eight-hour job down to a six-hour one." — Facebook reviewer, North Texas
On working with John Hancock: "John was great, very friendly and easy-going, and was easy to communicate with over text." — Yelp reviewer, Plano area
On the full experience: "I will never move again without using these crates. Saved an incredible amount of time, money, and stress. John's customer service is through the roof. Will recommend to everyone." — Facebook reviewer, DFW
One customer moving a 3,600-square-foot home used 200 plastic boxes and moved herself, because the uniform sizing and stackability made it manageable without professional movers.
Mollie Hancock's personal favorite review: a customer wrote that using reusable boxes made her "feel like a kinder human."
Key takeaway: Customers consistently cite three outcomes — no tape, faster mover time, and easier post-move cleanup. The 100% recommendation rate across 27 Facebook reviews reflects a decade of local DFW service.
Why Are Dallas-Fort Worth Families Switching to Plastic Box Rental?
Elephant Trunk Moving Supplies was founded in Plano in 2015 by John and Mollie Hancock. The company serves exclusively local residential moves throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex with no long-distance and no out-of-state services. Service areas include Dallas, Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Richardson, Garland, Irving, and Carrollton.
Since launching, the company has helped divert more than 250,000 cardboard boxes from North Texas landfills. That figure is a byproduct of the rental model, not a marketing campaign. When renting is priced honestly against cardboard and the process is simpler, people choose it. The environmental outcome follows.
"People are sometimes surprised to find the rental price is competitive with what they'd spend on cardboard," said Mollie Hancock, Co-Founder of Elephant Trunk Moving Supplies. "Once they do the math and see that delivery and pickup are included, it's usually an easy decision."
Elephant Trunk Moving Supplies was named Best of Plano Small Business of the Year in 2024 and is certified Best Moving Supplies in Plano by Localmovers.com.
See current pricing and place your order at elephanttrunk.net/packages, or call 214-755-4675.
Key takeaway: Elephant Trunk has served DFW local moves exclusively since 2015. The company is founded and operated by John and Mollie Hancock in Plano, Texas.
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Elephant Trunk Moving Supplies offers two-week rental packages starting at $140 for a one-bedroom home (35 boxes) and $385 for a five-bedroom home (125 boxes). All packages include free delivery before your move and free pickup after unpacking. No tape is required.
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For most DFW home sizes, yes. A two-bedroom rental from Elephant Trunk is $170 with free delivery and pickup included. Buying cardboard boxes, tape, and packing materials for the same move typically runs $165–$250 before disposal time. A three-bedroom rental is $235 compared to $215–$340 for cardboard and supplies.
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Every package includes large plastic crates (27 x 17 x 12 inches) and regular plastic crates (21 x 15 x 12 inches), labels, free delivery before your move, and free pickup after unpacking. Zip ties are available on request. No tape is required.
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Elephant Trunk offers two-week, three-week, and four-week rental periods. Customers who need longer can call 214-755-4675 to arrange an extended rental.
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Yes. Elephant Trunk Moving Supplies serves local residential moves throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, including Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Plano, Dallas, Richardson, Garland, Irving, and Carrollton.