Cardboard Fun

When you have an excess of cardboard laying around, what do you do with it? Is it like anything else you have extra of and you just throw it away? Or does it pile up and get in your way eventually?

The thing is, it’s sometimes better to repurpose old, everyday items. People create some pretty extraordinary things out of ordinary items, so why couldn’t you, too?

Well, shipping boxes are one of those everyday materials that we find just sitting in a corner of the house more often than not. Rather than dedicate them to the same old use in storage as you always have, why not try getting a little crafty as a bonding experience with your children?

Check out our crafty ideas below for art projects with your family. They’re cheap or pretty much free, so why not give them a try!

School diorama

A lot of the time, old shoeboxes work for smaller dioramas. But slightly bigger shipping boxes could increase the possibilities of such a project. The thing about dioramas you need to keep in mind is that you have to get creative with other household items. Cotton balls worked well as clouds or maybe even fog, actual sticks made for the perfect trees. While going to your local arts and crafts store would likely yield much more specific or niche items, try to get your creative juices going and round up a handful of formerly useless things around your house that won’t cost you a thing.

Cardboard playhouse

This one never gets old. Of course, you’ll need some furniture boxes or home appliance boxes for these to be big enough for your kids to play in for the day. Don’t you want to help create the same experience for your kid that you once felt when you were their age?

The trick to these is having fun and getting creative. Don’t just draw on windows with marker from the outside. Cut out square holes, create a “door” by reusing the door cutout and even giving it a hinge of sorts. You could even paint the entire outside to make it seem far more imaginative and fun for your kids. Plain brown cardboard houses are boring -- spruce it up with some color.

Just remember to be creative. These two ideas aren’t much, but you can do a heck of a lot more with cardboard. While boxes are one commonplace item, you want to extend on that idea and gather as much as you can in other everyday resources to really make the most out of your cheap project.

Making Sure Your Package Gets There Intact

Sending something out in the mail often requires a lot of advanced preparation. You need to make sure that your prized cookies get to your father for his birthday on time. You want to be sure an important document arrives at the right destination. From shipping items you've sold online to sending out wedding presents, it's all a matter of trusting the mail service. One way to help the delivery people is to properly prepare your items for the trip.

The Right Boxes

Before you do anything else, you need to find the right sized shipping boxes. Your boxes should be large enough to contain the items you're shipping with a little bit of room to spare. Allow at least an inch on each side. This will help provide a cushion as the box get moved from place to place as is in transit. Make sure the boxes can be closed easily. You don't want to have tie the entire package together with tape.

Filling The Void

Your goal when shipping to create a dense, stable inner core inside the box. Then, you want to surround the box with a layer or layers of materials that keep the core in place as the box is shipped. Fortunately, there are many varied choices when it comes to filling this inner core area. Certain materials can help make sure the items inside the box don't shift.

Your Choices

In general, there are three different types of packing material that most people use to fill in any gaps: bubble roll, peanuts and packing paper. Each form of filler has pluses and minuses. Bubble roll is a good choice for items that may be in transit for a long time. It can be reused and fitted against a package using tape. But if the bubbles get punctured, it may not work. Peanuts are lightweight and make it easy to cushion things. However, they can also very messy when putting items in the box and taking them out. A good alternative for both options is packing paper. Packing paper can be fitted against any item easily. It's also far less messy than peanuts and easier to remove once the package arrives.

Other Options

Certain items will need special care as they are being shipped. If you are shipping delicate items such as crystal or china, for example, put a fragile sticker on the outside of the box and make sure that have enough padding inside it to fully protect it. Careful attention to detail is also important when shipping heavier items such as furniture. You don't want it to shift or the surface may suffer damage. Make sure they are stabilized so they don't move. Many experts recommend using heavy boxes with lots of support on the bottom and lots of packing tape.

Important Documents

If you are shipping a really important document such as passport, it's best to use the right mailer. You don't want it to get damaged in transit. In that case, many experts recommend using a heavy mailer. The mailer has padding that keeps the document flat. It also helps protect it against the weather. Other good mailing options for important documents include a mailing tube or a flat cardboard envelop.