Shipping protection or whatever
 

I've never shipped anything before. Especially a huge box filled with different things - 1 or 2 breakable things. What do I use to protect my items? Anything at all? I was just going to use the styrofoam peanuts but I had no idea where to look today. I'm shipping a bed so I had to get a big box but I know there's going to be a little extra room in the box and I don't want everything jumbling around and getting broke or damaged.

Thanks ladies! :rolleyes:

If I do need to use the styrofoam peanuts, where do I get them?!:confused:

Hope everyone's having a great time with the GE!

You could use bubble wrap or shredded paper. I know you can get bubble wrap at any office supply store and Wal Mart. Just stuff enough paper or bubble wrap in the box so that everything does not move around.

I used lots of bubble wrap.. peanut get EVERYWHERE especially not good with dogs. Just a thought! Good luck! :)

I should have just gotten the bubble wrap then, they had it at Wal-mart today when I got my box. I'll just have to take another trip to the pain in the butt store! Thanks!

Another option is crumpled up newspaper or pages out of a magazine.

I always wrap anything fragile in a lot of bubble wrap and tape it closed...I also use packing peanuts on the bottom of the box, before filling it and then on top...OR just use tissue paper on top.

I would do the bubble wrap though...

I normally wrap everything (small) indiviadually in tissue paper --- I am not sure where to get peanuts...I thought you could get them at the office stores in the shipping aisle?

Peanuts are a pain! I don't like for my dogs to get them. The easiest and cheapest thing is just to use newspaper like someone suggested. I try to pack the breakable items in the middle with the non-breakable ones on the edges. A couple of times I wrapped each item in tissue paper. This time I just put them in the box and it was full. Try newspapers wadded up...that is the cheapest way.

I'll probably just use old magazine pages or tissue paper, I don't have any old or new newspapers laying around :( and I don't feel like running somewhere to get one. All I have is 1 breakable item and it's a candle and it's still wrapped in the bags from where I got it, so it all should be fine. Hopefully it'll all get to it's destination in one piece!:rolleyes:

Another question! I feel so stupid asking so many questions haha!

Do I need to ship UPS or USPS? I don't know where a Fed-Ex is. Which would arrive faster?

I'd be so lost without you guys haha :rolleyes::p

Bumping this so I can get an answer! :cool:

You can go to all 3 of those sites online and compare prices and time to arrive. If you don't know the exact size and weight, estimate and then use the same figure on all 3 sites. Also, on the fed ex site you can look for a location near you.

You can always go to Mailbox, etc. or a shipping store -- they have all the supplies on hand for you and they can provide assistance.

I usually go to the post office - it's usually cheaper and I can do all the GE steps with insurance, delivery confirmation, etc. The other thing, if you are considering time - Fed Ex doesn't deliver and isn't open on Mondays. UPS is closed & doesn't deliver on the weekends.

I went ahead and checked USPS and UPS website. The USPS here is small but they all should do the same thing, right? The UPS station that I was going to use is inside of Staples. I'm not sure yet though, I think they'll both be around the same price. Thanks for helping though, I didn't think anyone was going to respond!

Yep, the post office should be able to do everything regardless of size

I seriously need one of those Dummies books. Like... "The How To: Ship Book For Dummies". :rolleyes::rolleyes::cool:

I keep thinking of these questions and they probably wouldn't bother a normal person but I'm the queen of all worry warts!

Do I need to make my own shipping label? Like, just print out the address and name of my buddy and tape it to my box or will they do that? Anything else I need to know so I can stop hounding for answers.

Let's just say, I'll be very prepared and well educated in the shipping department if I ever need to send anything and when I participate in future GE's! :eek:

it depends how you ship it. I usually write it out myself, but they have labels you can write on. I like to o it nice and big. Sometimes I write on the box, other times, I use a big piece of paper - even the back of something I would otherwise recycle, write it on the paper and tape it to the box -- but if you are going to go with UPS don't tape up your box -- I think they still want to see in your box -- I could be wrong on that if they have changed their policies again

Maybe following the links here USPS - Mailing & Shipping Guidelines can replace Mailing for Dummies ;)

Well looks like you already got good advice ....:thumbup:

I wanted to say ....

1. AirPouch
2. shredded Paper
3. Newspaper
4. Plastic Bags
5. Bubblewrap

When I get a Box I always keep the inside stuff and reuse it .... :thumbup:

Great ideas!!:thumbs_up
I love those AirPouch things!!!!!

I usually ship everything in a Priority box, BUT make my own label on my computer w/ our picture and the GE Buddy picture....and decorate it. BUT you do what you want to do...everyone does it differently.

Just remember....you need to get delivery confirmation and insurance --- check the rules stickied at the top of the page -- #8, I believe.

What's a priority box? I think I got too big of a box but I was scared I wouldn't be able to fit the bed I'm making in the smaller one, that's why I'm thinking I'm going to have lots of extra room to fill.

Thanks for the reminder, I already have my list of what I have to have before I can ship it so I don't forget anything. :rolleyes:

A Priority box is one marked Priority if sending by US Mail - they give these out free. But you can send something Priority without the box too. They have Priority stickers you or they can decorate the box with :)

Look at some of the threads of people receiving their GE pkgs - lots of people take pictures of their boxes (usually not of the label/address though -- too easy for others to get more info about YTers

Emily, you are making yourself uptight over nothing. It is really very simple. Priority Mail is a way of sending mail faster. It goes by plane in an average of 2 days. First Class Mail is cheaper but it is listed as 3 to 5 days and goes by ground. I too got a box that was too large at WM. I went to Office Depot and got a smaller one. That is the one I used for you. I did send your box Priority. They measure the box and it costs extra if the box is over a certain size. Your box was just fine. I think if you just wrapped any breakable items in newspaper or magazines and put them in the middle of the box they would travel just fine. Put the unbreakables around the edge of the box. I printed the address label and the letter Lucy wrote to you and Lilly out on the computer. It is really very simple. I put insurance and tracking information on your box. All you have to do is pack it, tape it and put the label on it. Then take it to the Post Office or UPS and they will take care of the rest. It is really an easy process so just stay cool. The hardest part is the decisions you make about what to send your buddy. After the shopping it is downhill all the way.

I know Belinda, I always worry to extremes over EVERYTHING! Thanks for taking the time to explain it and calm me down, I'm probably going to have to get another box that's smaller! Thanks girl!