Sending a get-well package: what to put in it and how to ensure it arrives intact
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
Sending a care package to someone who's sick at home? Here's how to choose the contents, decide between letterbox or parcel delivery, and prevent leaks, breakage, and melting during transit.
A 500-gram jar of body scrub, a bag of licorice, and a set of playing cards in one box, without any packing material. What arrives is a box where the jar has rolled around loosely, the lid has unscrewed half a turn, and the cards are covered in a layer of scrub. The gift was well-thought-out; the packaging was not.
Someone who is sick at home, recovering from surgery, or unable to leave the house for a while won't benefit much from a package that arrives damaged. Below, we discuss what to put in it, how to choose between a letterbox package and a parcel, and how to prevent things from going wrong during transit.
What to put in it — and what not to
The best get-well-soon package consists of three types of items: something to use, something to eat, and something to pass the time with. More than three or four items are rarely necessary; it doesn't make it more enjoyable, and the box only gets bigger.
To use. Practical and neutral works better than something with a strong scent, as scent is personal and often extra sensitive after a hospital stay. Vaseline Original 100 ml (€7.95) is one such item that almost everyone uses: for dry lips and chapped hands after frequent washing. Disinfectant hand gel 100 ml (€2.95) is handy if many visitors come. A body scrub in a 500-gram jar (€5.95) is nice for those who are already recovering, but keep in mind that such a jar is heavy and takes up volume.
What you'd better leave out: anything where you have to guess if it's allowed. With a diet, an allergy, medication, or a recently operated stomach, food is not a safe choice. In that case, simply ask a housemate or send something without food.
Letterbox or parcel? First measure the tallest item
The choice is determined by the thickest item in your package, not by its weight. A letterbox package is usually no more than about 3 centimeters high: socks, cards, a flat bag of candy, and a tube will fit. A jar, a bottle, or a game box will not.
For soft contents without sharp edges, a bubble envelope of 22x17 cm (€0.90) is sufficient. It is light and protects on all sides, but offers no resistance to pressure: a glass jar does not belong in it.
Preventing leaks, breakage, and melting
Three things most often go wrong with these types of packages, and all three can be prevented.
Leaks. Tighten lids, tape a strip over the rim of a jar, and put jars and bottles separately in a bag. This keeps the rest clean if something still leaks out.
Melting. Chocolate and gelatin sweets soften in heat. In warm weather, choose dry snacks instead, or send them at the beginning of the week so the package doesn't stay in a sorting center over the weekend.
Seal the box with strong packaging tape of 50 meters x 48 mm (€3.00) — over the seam and around both sides. Taping gift wrap under the label is not a good idea: it tears, and the label doesn't stick well to it. If you want to make it festive, do so on the inside.
The card is more important than the content
With a get-well-soon package, what matters most is that someone thought of the other person. Write a handwritten card and keep it short and to the point: what you hope for, and when you'll visit or call again. Avoid well-intentioned advice about recovery — the recipient is already getting enough of that. A C6 envelope of 114x162 mm (50 pieces, €4.00) fits in almost any box and doesn't wrinkle.
Place the card on top, directly under the lid. That's the first thing the recipient sees, and it saves searching through the packing material.
Shipping: the final check
Before you drop it off, do four things: shake the box (nothing should rattle), check the address including the house number addition, stick the label smoothly on the largest flat side, and include your own address as the sender. Without a sender, an undeliverable package will not return anywhere.
If you're sending to a hospital or rehabilitation center, first inquire whether they accept packages and how long someone will be staying. A package that arrives on the day of discharge is a package that can no longer go anywhere.
Brief summary
Three or four items are enough: something to use, something to eat, something to do.
Omit food if you're unsure about diet, allergies, or recovery.
The thickest item determines whether it's a letterbox package or a parcel.
Jars separately in a bag, glass in bubble wrap, fill until nothing moves.
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