Storage Tips

When I put my things into storage, I like to make sure everything is well packaged before letting it sit on its own over the course of multiple months. I find things to always be messy, confusing, broken, damaged, or worn down by the time I get them out of storage if I did a half-hearted job when boxing it all up.

Of course, this should be pretty apparent information, but considering that a lot of people don’t put things away in storage as often as they used to, it’s worth reiterating for those that do think about it from time to time. Whether it’s books, technology, old or seasonal clothes, holiday decorations, or just plain shoes, there’s a solid way of packaging everything up for storage and then there’s a wrong way to go about it.

For this article, I’m going to focus on my video game consoles and games and what I do to ensure they’re in tact and still in great condition the next time I want to play them.

The first thing to understand is that having the right packaging supplies is key. If you want a quality packaging job done right, you need to have quality supplies in the first place. There’s no point trying to tape up your boxes with scotch tape unless you want them to come unbound as soon as you pick them up. That’s a no go.

You want to make sure that you’re using strong packaging tape (aptly named for its amazing role in keeping cardboard boxes bound tight). Just as well, don’t store nicer things or any of your valuables in dilapidated cardboard boxes. If you can get sturdy cardboard, that’s your best bet. But if you’re unable to find any corrugated cardboard and you don’t care for top quality, new cardboard that’s sturdy enough will do the trick so long as you aren’t too worried about the box’s condition over a long period of time.

I’m also a big fan of using labeling tape on my storage boxes in order to keep everything organized and easily located. If you’re using blank cardboard boxes, it’s fine to write with a sharpie on them directly, though if you plan to use that box multiple times for different storage items, writing directly on the box isn’t the best idea since it could confuse you with its contents after a while.

Still, I think it’s quite important to have a great setup for your storage system so that things remain in good condition while weathering the test of time.

Spring Related Office Decorations

I’m a big fan of keeping my office constantly changing with the seasons in order to stay motivated, interested, and comfortable in my office. Without decorations, different trinkets, and even other things to match whatever holiday is near, I feel a bit bland and bored in my office, which I’ve come to find affects my mood and my level of productivity.

So, with that said, I’m super excited to welcome my favorite season back to the northern hemisphere, and that’s spring.

Opposed to other holidays and seasons, spring makes it pretty simple to celebrate and decorate with. Anything green and lush, like plants (fake or real) will always do the trick.

But what other items could you use for the season of renewal? Check out what we’ve compiled below.

Figures

These can range from eggs to birds to rabbits. Anything reminiscent of wildlife or the outdoors will suffice here. The good thing is that you can pick any of these up as decor from your local craft shop (or even department store). So long as you’re not going overboard with the size or quality of the figure, you won’t be breaking the bank on these.

Plants

I’m a huge advocate for real plants, though fake plants are much cheaper and easier to take care of. If you’ve got even a little bit of access to natural lighting, though, I’d highly recommend getting a plant for your office. There’s nothing like some fresh greenery to adorn your workspace, and taking care of it can give you a sense of responsibility.

Spring/Holiday themed supplies

I like buying new office and packaging supplies to match the holiday or season I’m currently experiencing. It’s fun to have pencils, pens, erasers, and even tape that is themed. It’s a great way to have a little fun without spending hardly anything and still getting use out of your packaging supplies. Heck, I’m even more motivated to use my supplies knowing that there are cute little critters or designs on them that match the season.

Desktop wallpaper

I always change this up every other month to make it feel new and fitting of the weather or holidays that are around the time of year I’m currently in. Considering I log onto my computer every single day, it’s nice to be greeted with something thematic and festive before I get down to the grind.

Freshening up your office now that spring is here

Shrink Wrap It Up, I’ll Take It

Some of the most versatile packaging supplies available on the planet are the various types of shrink wrap. Shrink wraps are made of plastic which is manufactured from natural materials like oil, natural gas, coal, minerals, and even plants. Plasticity is the ability of a material to deform its shape without breaking. Plastic wrap for instance comes in a rolled film, but can be wrapped around anything and take most any shape. With the ability to shrink the utility value of shrink wraps as a packaging supply is off the charts.

Although it’s manufactured from natural materials the widespread usage is having adverse effects on the environment such as physically littering the oceans. There are many eco-friendly and cost-effective manufacturing methods being developed to mitigate the negative impacts. This guide will discuss the various shrink wrap packaging options available to assist product developers in choosing the best packaging supplies for their new product(s).

Types of Shrink Wrap

• Shrink banding is a PVC based shrink wrap used on bottles of such things as aspirin or hot sauce. The primary purpose of shrink banding is verification that a product hasn’t been tampered with. The products aren’t warranted by the manufacturer if the shrink branding has been broken.
• Shrink sleeves are also PVC based and are primarily used as labels on things like condiments and drinks. They are the film that is on the outside of a 2liter bottle of soda that says Coke or Pepsi. They are pre-printed with product information and fit directly over bottles than shrank with heat to apply.
• Shrink bags are PVC based as well. Just as the name implies shrink bags have 3 sealed sides with an opening at the top to put product into. The open end is then sealed with vacuum or without. Everything from notebook paper to dog treats to DVDs comes in this sort of packaging.
• Shrink bundling film is very thick compared to other types of shrink wrap. It is the wrap that holds cases of water or bundles of firewood together. It can also be used as an exterior wrap to palletize a wide array of heave products in warehouse environments.
• Shrink tubing comes in hose like rolls and is also PVC based. It has a wide array of uses it can be sealed or taped loosely and is used to package softlines.
• Centerfold shrink film comes in 12inch wide rolls and is a 24inch piece of film folded in half. It is widely used by automated packaging systems due to its versatility.

 

The versatility and minimal cost of shrink products make them a viable material for packaging a wide array of products and materials. Advances in product development should work to minimize any negative environmental impacts of the use of shrink wraps in the future. The immediate focus for manufacturers and distributers that use a large amount of plastics should be to minimize the impact by having robust recycling programs in place.