Beer shipping supplies

I usually use the box within box approach and get the inside box for free from local liquor stores. The outside box I usually get at walmart which seems reasonably priced. Bubble wrap? Not sure of cheaper alternatives but I always hope to reuse the bubble wrap within incoming boxes. This is not always possible as sometimes the wrap is taped too much. One reason why I encourage people to use rubber bands when securing bubble wrap so it is easier to be reused by the next person. Otherwise I just get the bubble wrap from staples but there might be cheaper alternatives out there. You can always use old newspaper for packing, etc. If you need shipping peanuts I usually get a bag from a local uhaul store which has them for $5 which I've found to be a better deal than staples. Good luck!

Also, here are a couple recent posts which might have additional helpful information on this topic

http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/packing-and-shipping.151578
http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/packing-peanuts.118437

 

Walmart boxes are some of the cheapest I've found. The "regular" Duck boxes I generally use for shorter distance shipments, and I buy the "heavy duty" Duck boxes when I'm sending coast-to-coast.

 

I am fortunate enough to boxes from the dock where I work and recycle. For the other supplies such as rubber bands, baggies, contractor bags, packing tape and bubble wrap; Walmart is the go to. I have found them to be cheaper there than anywhere else. That got me started. I always recycle what I get back in a trade. That's what makes rubber bands so important in trading. If you can't use rubber bands, use painters tape (Scotch Blue). Peels off easily and lets you reuse shipping supplies, even newspaper. Local "mailbox" store in my area sells big garbage bags of packing peanuts for 9 bucks. I am sure you can find those for a reasonable price in your area.

 

Home depot double walled boxes run $1.50 a piece, large rolls of bubble wrap reasonably priced as well.

 

Bubble wrap, tape and garbage bags from Costco

Beer boxes or whatever for inner box - pack in a trash bag.

14x14x14 boxes from Walmart $.68 - outer box

Pad inner box with newspaper or whatever

 

Newspapers are great. I usually pack the box with anything I can find. In the past I've added carpet tile, a plastic painting tarp and grocery bags as padding.

Always reuse the box you receive in trade. I haven't bought packing materials since my first trade 15+ months ago.

 

Please don't use (or at least don't buy) polystyrene/styrofoam packing peanuts if you can avoid it. Aside from screwing up the environment, they cling to everything when they get a static charge, are dangerous to pets, and in general can be a huge pain-in-the-ass to deal with. If you need to use peanuts, go with the starch-based kind, which don't have the static cling problem, won't hurt pets, and can be disposed of down the drain when they break down, instead of going into a landfill.

(Or better yet, just use wine shippers and skip the peanut thing altogether.)

 

If pretty much traded all of my supplies away, and now I use styrofoam sheets from Home Depot, in the insulation section, and custom fit them to bottles and in the box. 8 big sheets are $6.95. Best thing ever, besides actual wine shippers.

This last winter, and even now I guess, the styrofoam insulation helps maintain temperature.

Of course, free padded envelopes from Fed Ex drop boxes help.

One of the most important, and definitely overlooked packing material, is rice or popcorn. You going to want to put something in the box to help cover up the sound of liquids. Especially when shipping whales, 20 cents of rice is better than a missing box. You can put the popcorn/ rice in the box, or in a dry 1 gallon water bottle, which helps take up space as well.

So when its carried, its like "shake, shake, shake. . .shake, shake, shake. . . shake your baby, shake your baby"

 

Company my buddy works for called Uline has everything f you could ever want. Great supplies.