Best way to package items

Flyonthewall

Hi

Normally the items I post are media (games, books, dvds etc). However, I have some rather awkward heavy items that I think I may end up having to post.

My first problem is that I have no boxes and really don't want to be paying to get some. What/where is the best way/place to get them free? For most things I need rather big boxes, but I do also need one thin (ish) rectangular one.

Second problem is how do I make sure these items are safe? Is there anything else I can use other than just using bubblewrap? I do have a lot of bubblewrap but would rather not use it all up on these items lol.

The items are all toys. I have 2 pushchairs - one is like a proper pushchair/pram that does fold up (rather heavy) and the other is a very basic light weight pushchair that does not fold. I also have a plastic rocking horse. Got some other toys as well but these are the main problem. Is there anything I need to watch out for with such items?

Third, is what is the best way to send these items? My local Post Office is just down the road so I always just go there for other items. As far as I know, I don't have any courier depots nearby to drop things off at.

Basically just want to make sure I've thought of everything before listing the items to post lol. Thanks.

campdave

Supermarkets usually have boxes they're happy to give away. you could pad the boxes out with newspaper to stop the items moving in transit lol.

Flyonthewall

campdave wrote: »

Supermarkets usually have boxes they're happy to give away. you could pad the boxes out with newspaper to stop the items moving in transit lol.

Good point. Never thought about newspaper lol. I thought of polystyrene, but most of what I have is a few small sheets and very small cube pieces.

mgdavid

boxes - several scavenge opportunities - if you work, do you have a goods inwards or despatch bay? they will often have loads of waste packaging materials. When you shop, go into service yards behind shops, you'll find loads of waste packaging, boxes, pallets, all sorts. Ditto small business estates. Finally, ask at your local Council Amenity point (tip), they should let you take boxes.
Couriers - almost all will pickup from you, no need to drop off. I try to use the same one all the time so the regular driver knows where I leave stuff ready even when I'm out. Get quotes from parcel2go.com (other parcel brokers are available)

Flyonthewall

mgdavid wrote: »

boxes - several scavenge opportunities - if you work, do you have a goods inwards or despatch bay? they will often have loads of waste packaging materials. When you shop, go into service yards behind shops, you'll find loads of waste packaging, boxes, pallets, all sorts. Ditto small business estates. Finally, ask at your local Council Amenity point (tip), they should let you take boxes.
Couriers - almost all will pickup from you, no need to drop off. I try to use the same one all the time so the regular driver knows where I leave stuff ready even when I'm out. Get quotes from parcel2go.com (other parcel brokers are available)

Thanks. I don't work and none of my families/friends workplaces have that. I live near 3 shopping centres/towns and I can't think of a single place where I'd find stuff like that. I used to work in a shop in one of them towns and I'm sure even they needed permission to go and throw stuff in the bins due to location.

Noticed on there that the Parcelforce quote is more than through the RM website. Think Parcelforce might be best, in which case I can just go down to the PO as normal. Probably going to have to be taking other stuff down there anyway at the same time.

paddyrg

Any supermarket or corner shop will have boxes and they will be glad to be rid of them as they have to pay for disposal.

theonlywayisup

We have boxes made to measure but when we first started up I would keep the boxes from my deliveries and cut them flat and use them as a cardboard roll. That way you can make the card fit your parcel.

Flyonthewall

theonlywayisup wrote: »

We have boxes made to measure but when we first started up I would keep the boxes from my deliveries and cut them flat and use them as a cardboard roll. That way you can make the card fit your parcel.

I have some boxes saved in case I need them, but not a single one is big enough for even the smallest of the items I have even though originally they had fairly large items in

Got more than enough smaller bits of cardboard/smaller boxes but obviously that's no good for big items.

mgdavid

Flyonthewall wrote: »

......... I live near 3 shopping centres/towns and I can't think of a single place where I'd find stuff like that. I used to work in a shop in one of them towns and I'm sure even they needed permission to go and throw stuff in the bins due to location.
............

you won't until you start looking, it's not the sort of thing people go around actively looking for (ebayers excepted).

Flyonthewall

mgdavid wrote: »

you won't until you start looking, it's not the sort of thing people go around actively looking for (ebayers excepted).

There isn't anything behind any of the shops. Most have roads or carparks right behind them. The only ones that have space out back are ones that are fenced off and you can't get to their bins where all that would be kept.

Thinking about it, I worked at another shop as well. All stuff like that was kept in an empty room upstairs. I don't even think we had a bin. I can't think where one could have possibly been, there was no room behind the shop and a busy street in front of it.

martindow

It can also be worth looking on Freecycle. People who have recently moved house are often happy to give away the boxes they used. Flattened out you can get a lot in a car to take home.