Packing Supplies

**AdmiralAluminum** · 05-12-2014, 03:52 PM

I was thinking about gathering packaging materials to keep in the garage and I started wondering how you guys could come across cardboard, foam, etc. that I can usually grab from work cause we stockpile the stuff. That's when I thought of the cardboard dumpsters that are always beside the garbage ones! Since I regularly check a few here and there, I realized I can always grab packing material from there too! Hope this helps someone with their shipping needs.

This is a great new addition to the forum, shipping is actually easy if you know what your doing, it's really just some simple math and (haha) common sense. Whether I'm doing my day job shipping oddball sized freight all across Canada or shipping something I sold on Ebay, I will always pack something with the belief that the carrier will not care about my shipment near as much as I do and therefore placement, padding, and packaging are done with the assumption that the guys at the warehouse are going to play football with it (they probably do).

**happyscraper** · 05-12-2014, 09:36 PM

I don't know about Canada but in the US taking cardboard out of a cardboard dumster is stealing. The place of business is selling the cardboard. It's always best to ask first.

**numbers** · 05-12-2014, 10:39 PM

I have made friends with guys at the local Tru-Value hardware store. I ask them to save me the boxes that hold 4 to 6 one gallon plastic jugs. That size works well for me when I stack things on a pallet. They are happy to put those boxes to the side for me.

**AdmiralAluminum** · 05-13-2014, 09:14 AM

I apologize, I wasn't implying anyone should steal anything. I don't know about all of Canada but in Ontario companies pay for a bin to sit in their lot and have it emptied every week or two, so no one cares if you take cardboard, but yes, of course, you should always ask.

**foobar** · 05-13-2014, 10:39 AM

for me the best place is a local computer repair shop. they f go through plenty of computer parts, and those parts come in boxes with bubble wrap and other packing materials. since I sell a lot of computer parts on ebay, the shipping materiels I get for free are the perfect fit.

**Jonniebrass** · 05-13-2014, 11:13 AM

I asked at the tech support at staples if the had any packing or static bags , he looked at me like I had 2 heads. Guess he never heard of being frugal or reuse.

**Kochy** · 05-24-2014, 11:55 PM

I use new carpet pad that is left over from jobs, I get cardboard from my job and now since I just started this recycling job at an amusement park, I have unlimited access to all size boxes.. I also just use newspaper to pack my stuff, because newspaper is readily available, from my school and in my house and aswell as my new job.

**foobar** · 06-03-2014, 09:57 AM

99% of my shipping materials from Amazon get re-used.

We do a lot of grocery shopping at Sams / GFS / Aldi's. Those stores generate a lot of boxes, and always give you the option to take some to box up your groceries.

**saturninin** · 06-03-2014, 11:09 AM

grocery bags for us, family, friends..... boxes from anything that we buy that comes in a box.... also from gas stations/ supermarkets... just be polite and ask nicely.... is an added plus when u catch them out on sales floor... they will be like take all you want normally

**billygoat** · 06-18-2014, 07:39 PM

Freecycle and craigslist often have ads for free boxes, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and other packing materials.

**Sirscrapalot** · 06-18-2014, 07:52 PM

An far as cardboard...just ask any retail store. Most will be happy to give to you. Not all of them want to pay to back haul a load of cardboard.

I know every retail store I've worked..which includes..Toys R US, Borders Books an Music, Foodlion/Bloom, Petsmart, an every other one was glad to give someone cardboard if they asked. Book stores a great source for cardboard boxes of all sizes. If you have one local to you. Good sturdy boxes. An lots of funky sizes due to special orders.

Or you know..hit the regular dumpster. In happy's neck of the woods maybe everyone sells it..but not here on the sandbar or in Tucson, or in Northern Va. Most would throw their cardboard in the regular trash.

That being said..you should always ask. In my area I really don't need to for dumpster diving, but I still do in the few times I find one to dive.

An as billy said, you can find bubble wrap an other packing stuff on CL all the time for free.

As always..YMMV

Sirscrapalot - All music is folk music. I ain't never heard a horse sing a song. - Louis Armstrong, who never saw Mr.Ed it seems.

**jmerritt** · 06-19-2014, 02:26 AM

i have a ebay store. not for scrap but with remote control helicopters. so i reuse bubble wrap,packing peanuts and such.
like when i get package's from the post office,ups and fedex. i do ebay as well as haul junk cars and metal,aluminum and such.

**70w30** · 05-07-2015, 10:35 PM

Here's a new one. Was just boxing up some stuff and ran out of he normal packing materials, bags, styrofoam etc. when lo and behold I spotted my empty water bottles on the counter. Perfect fit and at least making a shot at repurposing them

**erewen** · 05-08-2015, 06:42 AM

I've found one of my local furniture stores has great selection of styrofoam block and planks that can be cut and fit together for packing nearly any item I sell. I always ask before pulling anything out of their very clean dumpster. All dumpsters should be so nice.

**ResourcefulRecycling** · 05-08-2015, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by happyscraper

I don't know about Canada but in the US taking cardboard out of a cardboard dumster is stealing. The place of business is selling the cardboard. It's always best to ask first.

Trust me, these business are not selling this cardboard. They are getting charged.

**MattInTheHat** · 05-08-2015, 12:18 PM

they are paying for dumpster service. dumpster company bails and sells it, or take a it somewhere that bails and sells it.

it is theft because in most areas items in a recycle bin belong to the service provided

**JohnC4X4** · 05-08-2015, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by Jonniebrass

I asked at the tech support at staples if the had any packing or static bags , he looked at me like I had 2 heads. Guess he never heard of being frugal or reuse.

Not Surprised
That type of store sells those items so of course they are not going to want to give them away for FREE cutting into the profits

**Rollyrogers33** · 05-08-2015, 07:13 PM

its time for back-to-college and retailers are getting ready. Just head to a store on Monday that does college dorm related products and tell them you need boxes and any bubble wrap and foam pellets. Tell them your kid is moving. By Friday you should have a lot.

**sledge** · 05-08-2015, 10:13 PM

There are times that when I used to work in an office.. I sort of miss.. namely when a box came in for say a VP or the Owner and all the packing material had to be discarded I got tons of it. Now since I did a life change and work in construction.. I get more scrap but have to buy all those packing supplies that used to just be "waste" to an office manager or company. I recently shipped off some hard drives and knew I needed some bubble wrap to wrap the drives.. even at Walmart I nearly choked having to pay $14 for the big roll. I was like "$14 BUCKS.. For Bubble Wrap?" Boy makes you want to hoard the stuff at that price rate!

**Rollyrogers33** · 05-09-2015, 03:06 AM

Ok, if you really need a monthly supply of good stuff, then listen up…

Call this retail store on Mondy in your area and ask them to hold boxes for you to pick up on Friday. Tuesday call around 2pm and ask to speak to the receiving manager/freight flow manager. Tell her/him that you forgot to ask for bubble wrap or peanuts. Be very apologetic and nice and get that their name. Friday, go to customer service and tell them who you are, what you are picking up and if you can speak to the receiving/freight flow manager to happily, personably thank them. When that person comes up with the boxes ask if they could help you out to your vehicle.

The receiving people are under a lot of pressure, stressed and have little time for nonsense. Keep it short and sweet and discreet. Tell them that you do a lot of ship outs, don't have a lot of money for supplies and other stuff like that. Hand him/her a business card with a $10 folded neatly underneath. Tell them that you need packing peanuts/styrofoam, boxes(preferred sizes) AND bubble wrap like once a month or so. Obviously with some sort of cheap payment Most of the time stores either recycle or throw out boxes, always throw out peanuts, styrofoam and bubble wrap/air cushions from incoming vendors that are keeping their products safe. Anytime I had friends moving or getting ready to move myself i can produce as many boxes as i could squeeze in my truck and bubble wrap packed in 55 gallon trash bags.

Once you make this connection, keep it. There is no room in the warehouse for anything to be out of place. We had people once come two days late for boxes and everything was already pitched. Also, don't expect that you can always make this connection with a larger store. you can always get boxes reserved, but having a connection is priceless!

Packing Supplies

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