How big is it actually? This is how you estimate the size of a party or gift item before you order it
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
A 3 cm pin, 105 cm wings, and 220 x 6 mm straws: this is how you read dimensions and quantities on a product page and prevent an order from being larger or smaller than expected.
A pin fills your entire phone screen, a garland looks like it spans half the room in the photo, and those decorative hearts look like coasters. Then the package arrives, and it turns out the pin is 3 centimeters, the garland half a meter, and the hearts smaller than a coin. Not because there's something wrong with the webshop, but because a product photo doesn't have a scale. Almost every item does have a size in the title or description—you just need to know how to read it. Below is how to do that, with examples from our assortment.
Look first, then click: where to find the size
In this assortment, the size is usually listed in three places. In the title, such as with the Rainbow Placemats 32x42 cm (€ 8.95). In the description, if it's a set with different components. And in the variants, if you can choose between two sizes or lengths.
Also pay attention to the unit. For the Plastic Treasure Chest Transparent Gold 90 x 63 mm (€ 7.95), the size is in millimeters: that's 9 by 6.3 centimeters, about the size of a palm. If you see two numbers with an 'x' between them, it's almost always width by height or length by width. For long, thin items, the second number is the thickness: Paper Straws Flexible Colored 220 x 6 mm - 10 pieces (€ 1.95) are 22 centimeters long with a diameter of 6 millimeters—narrow, so not suitable for a thick milkshake. For that, there are the Paper Milkshake Straws 230x8 mm - 10 pieces (€ 1.95).
Compare it to something you know
Centimeters mean little until you compare them to something on your desk. An A4 sheet is 21 by 29.7 centimeters; almost everyone has that size at home. Lay that sheet down and hold the size from the product title next to it, and you'll know what you're dealing with within ten seconds.
The second source of confusion is the difference between a size and a quantity. "10 pieces" says nothing about how big each piece is, and "set of 6" says nothing about how many people it can serve. Therefore, always convert back to persons.
For anything over a meter, the question is not only whether it fits, but also where it will go afterward. Wings of 105 centimeters or a two-meter inflatable item are great in a photo and awkward in a hallway. Three rules of thumb help.
Measure the space, not the item. If you know the clear width of your doorway or the length of your party table, choosing becomes easy.
Large inflatables are shipped flat. That saves on the box, but you'll need time or a pump to inflate them—factor that into your planning.
Decide beforehand where it will go afterward. Does it fit folded into a storage box, or will it still be in the hallway in January?
And does it fit through the letterbox?
The last size you think about is that of the shipping, while it can save you the most time. A pin, a set of straws, or a pack of playing cards fits in a letterbox package; as soon as something 15 centimeters high is included, it becomes a parcel. If you are shipping items yourself—for example, to club members or colleagues—measure the thickest part and choose your packaging accordingly. Small items such as Cable Protectors - Set of 4 (€ 1.95) lay flat and are not a problem; with something like the Wedding Hat with Veil 9 x 19 cm (€ 4.95), the question is which of the two dimensions becomes the thickness once it's in a box. What the maximum height for letterbox mail is varies by carrier and changes occasionally; check that on the website of the carrier you use.
Checklist before you click order
Look for the size in the title, description, or variant—if nothing is there, send an email.
Check if it's millimeters or centimeters and convert once.
Place the size next to an A4 or a pen on your desk.
Translate quantities to people: how many per guest, how many guests?
Check the largest size against your space: door, table, cabinet.
Decide how it will be shipped or stored before checking out.
Know the size before you order
Most mispurchases of party and gift items are not due to quality but to misjudged sizes. So take that half a minute. If you want to browse around yourself: in Party Items and Pins & Badges, the dimensions are often already in the title, and for the shipping side, you can find size overviews in Letterbox Packaging and Boxes. If the size you need is not on the page, or you doubt whether something fits in a particular box? Send an email to info@verpakkingdeals.nl—we'll measure it for you.
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