Boxes to Organize a home and kitchen?

This year was a big change for my family.  We decided to move from the inner city apartment life and move into our first home.  The change we decided to make was a bit of a crazy affair.  Instead of just moving into a really nice move in home in a decent neighborhood we decided to move into one of the best neighborhoods in our state and we purchased the cheapest home there.  The reason we did this is due to the location and also the financial benefits of buying into the lowest priced home at the lowest price the location had ever seen.  This all came at a cost though and we had to get created to survive to move into a wild unfinished home.  We ended up using some interesting organizational ideas based on warehouses to keep our home organized and safe.

The first time we walked into this house we knew every single room was going to have to be redone.  This was a complicated thought because our budget only allowed us to do the work.  We simply did not have enough money to pay other people especially professionals to do it.  So we ended up moving in and what we found was a lot of chaos.  Each room was undergoing some kind of construction and we had tools and products and our home goods strung about in insane ways.  This all actually worked in some madness and chaotic way, but it stopped working when it got cold out. 

See when the weather changed we no longer were able to do our work outside.  We had to instead do all of the work in the garage.  Or so that was the plan we had originally made.  The issue was our garage was full, our home was full and we had no space to work to improve our home once the weather changed.  So we decided to use all of the cheap moving boxes we had when we moved in to make our home into a warehouse. Experience from working at multiple companies had let us know that simple corrugated packages and cheap shelving systems make up the majority of warehouses in the country.  Especially, the big box stores who don’t spend unnecessary money.  That was the style we wanted to model after and this plan ended up to allow us to really gain a lot of space. 

So we put together all of the cheap moving boxes that we had left from moving in.  We taped them all up and got out all the sharpies we had.  The organization was the game and we wanted to make sure we could gain all the space we needed in the garage and in the house to work effectively.  So we decided to start in the garage and mark each box up to 4.  We found out we could stack 4 boxes high in our garage and home in any given location.  So we labeled the top box 1 with the idea that it had the most important products in it.  We also marked the basics of what was in the box, but if it was a 1 we knew to stack it on top because we would need to get into the most often.  We took this system and organized our entire home and really cleaned up about 30% of it.  So this helped us save space and I hope it may save you too!

Mailer bags

When talking about poly bags, it is essential to keep in mind that there are multiple different kinds of these bags. Today we are going to look at a kind of bag that is called a Mailers bag in the shipping industry. As the name would suggest, these bags are best used for mailing items, most of the time something small. These bags are a great alternative to cardboard boxes when shipping small soft items. Due to cardboard being somewhat expensive, it is good that these plastic bags are around to fill the space when needed. These bags are less expensive and much lighter compared to cardboard boxes. Not to mention that because of the lightness of these bags, shipping costs will be much lower. 

Even in this small category of these bags, there are even more to be talked about. The first kind of bag is the standard lay flat bag. These bags can vary in shape and size as well as thickness. The thickness of these bags is only one and a half millimeters to three millimeters, not a vast range of thickness. These bags are best suited for shipping small items like clothes. They can also be used to send fabrics and pre boxed goods like a DVD or videogames. Additionally, there are transparent bags that allow for the consumer to easily see through and look at the product inside. These are best for shipping printed items like books or magazines. 

Another kind of bag is a gusseted mailler bag or extension bags. These bags are best for shipping more bulky items such as a collection of books or bundles of DVDs and video games. These bags can also come in many different shapes and sizes. It really depends on the need the business has for it that will determine the size and shape of the bag in use. Additionally, there are bubble wrap lined bags. These bags I know I have seen a lot of, mostly from amazon orders that are not large but small in size and shape. These bags provide the best amount of protection you can get from a bag. These bags offer the best amount of protection for fragile things, such as a picture frame. 

The final mailing bag we are going to talk about is called returnable mailers. These bags are a unique kind of shipping bag the allows for it to be resent to the sender so they can reuse it. This is good because it means less is being made, which means fewer materials being used and, in turn, is better for the environment. These bags also come in a different size called an extralong mailer bag. These bags are long in shape and allow for items like a roll of wrapping paper to be safely shipped. 

With so many different kinds of mailer poly bags, it is essential to know the difference. I say this because you want your items to be shipped appropriately and arrive safely at your home or work. The kinds of these bags even goes further than we spoke of, but that is for another day. I would prefer if all of my small orders that I get arrive in a gusseted bag because these ones seem to be the safest of the bunch. 

Where to do your shipping shopping

I am part of a corporation that works with lots of e commerce companies and they are booming.  Yes they are really booming as it has created a huge shift in how business is done.  Now many people are not able to shop at brick and mortar stores or they are too frightened to do it.  This has caused ecommerce to become a major part of the economy and it has also created a whole new way for people to shop and work. Companies that were brick and mortar now closed down their store and turned it into a shipping factory with a warehouse.  Companies are hiring tons of staff back as shipping workers and not customer service salesmen.  It has made a huge shift in the way business works and we want to give some tips on how you can keep up with the times.

First thing is to hire a professional shipping manager.  This is a big area of business that people are not used to and so much money can be wasted by not getting the right staff in.  Shipping for a living is nothing like a brick and mortar store.  Processes for getting products, removing inventory and shipping quickly are extremely important.  Customer service is now about packaging and making sure that the items arrive without damage, and are the correct item. 

Looks are also important. You don’t want to ship items in just cheap moving boxes.  Instead branded boxes or bags, or things to go in them are expected in some cases. Amazon has let people know that a new box can be given for each item or shipment and this expectation is something that people notice.  If they order jewelry and receive it in cheap moving boxes or trashy looking bags it can ruin the entire experience for them. So the way things are now shipped are important.

The filling is also important. Having bubble wrap or paper to insure safety can save tons of money in the long run.  If you get 1 broken item in 10 it can destroy your bottom line.  Sometimes it is worth investing in a small amount of filling for boxes or bags to insure safely delivered products.  This makes customers happy, reduces returns, and eliminates on lost sales. An angry customer is so much worse than even a happy customer because bad reviews follow in person and online.  That is now where lots of damage can be done.  People can video a bad box or unbox it live and see a broken item.  That is the world we live in and packaging really does matter.

Now for those products I suggest buying at a packaging supplies store online.  A company that specialises in these items usually sells the best products and the best prices as well.  The discounts for bulk purchasing are pretty amazing and can save lot of money in the long run.  So do you shopping and also know what you are selling and how much.  This can allow you to purchase discounts for quantity and be able to lower your costs even more as ecommerce takes over. It can also help you stay competitive or have an advantage over the competition by being able to buy from the best store at the lowest price.

What is PCR Packaging

Getting the right kind of packaging for your items is vital for proper sustainability of all kinds, with packaging experts along with brands hunting down new materials that’ll help make their products impactful, sustainable, and also safe for consumers. PCR is a new alternative, but is it right for you? 

What it Is 

This is something that stands for post-consumer resin, made from plastics such as PET bottles and whatnot. Basically, plastic bottles or other plastic packaging gets recycled in this, creating PCR packaging options for you to try. 

There’s a bit more to this though, since it does require the need for other materials to make these stronger and durable, which is why a lot of HDPE along with PET bottles use PCR plastic, rather than new plastic materials. 

How this compares to Eco Friendly Plastics 

There are also other kinds of plastics out there that are classified as eco-friendly. PIR is one that’s made from processed waste, crates, and even factory pallets. There is also bioplastic, which is made from biopolymers and is made from plants. There is also biodegradable along with compostable plastics, and this is something that’s totally sustainable too. With many different options, this is one of the most popular kinds of plastics out there. 

The Benefits 

The biggest and most obvious benefit is that it’s good for the environment. Rather than using new materials and wasting them to process it, you’re using plastic that’s processed already. It also is considered eco-friendly, which is great for those brands who focus on this. It’s probably the best way to be sustainable, especially if you have to use packaging in your business. 

With more and more customers looking for different packaging and such, and also how brands are able to handle this type of consumer responsibility, a lot of them are looking to have something that actually commits to the idea of sustainability, and of course PCR packaging also offers that. 

It’s affordable too, and with more and more recycling being harder for businesses to have and utilize, PCR is not that hard to use, and is considered affordable, and has a good impact on those who want to also decrease the carbon footprints on this. 

The Limits 

It does have some limits, in that it can’t be used for medical supplies, or pharmaceuticals, since it does contaminate and is not consistent along different recycling places. It’s also very hard to mold, making it challenging for some kinds of products that are out there. There are some who have been able to work past this, using packaging that’s both PCR and other kinds of items, which helps avoid virgin plastic utilization. 

There are plenty of brands looking to use this, including Target, Campbells, Proctor & Gamble, and even Keurig is using this. For a lot of brands, this is a very popular and affordable means to make sure that you get the right type of packaging, and also one that doesn’t actually impact the future or any other major issues that come from this. 

For a lot of people, PCR packaging is a great way to properly and easily take care of the items that you have, giving them another breath of sustainability in your packaging process. 

If you’re looking for an easy way to ensure that you’re getting the right results out there and those that are possible with your packaging, then consider using this, as it can be great not just for brands that are big, but even for the smaller brands who want to be eco-friendly while being sustainable too. 

Can you use old boxes to move?

This year I have seen more family and friends move than I ever have before.  It is 2017 and even in this situation people are moving like crazy. I can not really understand the want to move when it is harder due to all the regulations but the price really is right.  The interest rates on homes is the lowest it has ever been. I don’t think it will ever be so low and the price of homes are going higher than they ever have before.  This is probably the reason that moving has become so popular and it is because people can get out of homes that were previously unsellable for a high price. So what type of equipment are you using to move.  Are you simply using cheap moving boxes to get from point a to point b?  If you are I think there are some things you need to take into account.

If you are planning on moving and are going to be using inferior products you may be putting your movers or family members at risk.  The problem with cheap moving boxes is that they are not new.  Yes, you say that is a given, but the issue is that they are used and flexible.  Boxes that have been used too much do not hold their shape and they don’t really hold their weight either.  This is a big issue when it comes to the process of moving.  If you are going to be putting your heavy and prized possessions into these boxes and they are flexible and even start tearing you are in for a sad surprise.

I have personally experienced this a few times and have used the same boxes for multiple moves and paid dearly for it.  The issue was that I put weight into these boxes and then had people start moving them.  I lifted one and it started to flex on me.  The flex led things in the box to shift and it moved out of my grip.  I ended up leaning my body and back over too far and the weight started to pull muscles in my body. 

I am not in bad shape, but the sudden twinge and shift ended up bringing me medical issues.  It has happened to lots of people.  Sometimes it is serious and injuries occur. Sometimes the box simply shifts and people drop it and things inside get damaged. This can mean a priceless or sentimental item gets destroyed.  Nothing is more sad and painful than having this happen because an old box was used.

There is an easy way to get new boxes and most hardware stores sell them. You can also buy whole moving packages online from packaging supplies stores and they are sold really cheaply too. If you told me for twenty bucks I could have all the boxes and tape I need and they would hold my stuff well it would have been an easy choice back then. I suggest looking into it for your next move because once I found out about it I tell everyone I know is moving to go and get it. It is so simple and could save so much pain and money in the long run it is simply worth it.