Sending a parcel abroad: box, filling material, and customs form
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
5 min reading time
A package sent abroad requires a sturdier box, tighter padding, and a customs declaration if the shipment leaves the EU. This is the order in which you handle it.
A parcel to an address in the Netherlands usually goes straight from your hands to the recipient's doorstep. A parcel to another country does not. It is reloaded, sorted on different machines, sometimes opened for inspection, and sits idle for longer during transit. The same box that fares perfectly well within the Netherlands often arrives at the other side of the border dented — or not at all, because a piece of paper was missing.
Below are the steps in the order you should best follow them: first find out where it's going, then pack it.
Step 1: Inside or outside the EU?
This distinction determines almost everything that follows. If your parcel goes to Belgium, Germany, or Spain, you don't need to include customs papers. If it goes to the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, the United States, or Canada, the shipment leaves the EU customs territory and a customs declaration must be attached to the outside of the parcel.
Postal and parcel carriers use forms CN22 and CN23 for this purpose. Which form you need depends, among other things, on the weight and value of the contents, and these limits can change. Therefore, always check your carrier's page on customs forms — PostNL explains on postnl.nl which form belongs to which shipment and how to fill it out. Fill in the description concretely ("cotton T-shirt, 2 pieces" instead of "gift") and state a realistic value; an unclear form is a common reason for a parcel to be held up.
Step 2: Choose a box smaller than you think
The temptation is to grab a spacious box and stuff the rest full. For international shipments, it works the other way around: the less empty space, the less can shift, and the less you pay for volume. Measure your contents, add one to two centimeters of padding per side, and then find a box that fits.
Do you regularly send small, flat items? Then letterbox boxes in bundles are cheaper per piece than individual boxes. The Recycled Letterbox Box 180 x 115 x 28 mm (A6) goes for €17.95 per 100 pieces and the A5+ of 255 x 160 x 28 mm for €24.00 per 100 pieces. Please note: the letterbox parcel is a Dutch regulation. This form often does not exist abroad, so don't count on the shipment being delivered through the letterbox there.
Step 3: Fill it so nothing can shift
The test is simple: gently shake the closed box. If you hear or feel something moving, there's not enough padding. Wrap fragile parts separately and then fill the corners, as that's where the impact usually occurs if it falls.
For those who send something occasionally, a small roll suffices: Green Bubble Wrap 50 x 500 cm (€ 5.00). If you send regularly, a large roll pays off: the Bubble Wrap Roll 500 mm x 500 m (€ 12.95) lasts a long time and saves a lot per package.
If you're sending something small and non-fragile — a piece of jewelry, a set of cards, a spare part — a bubble envelope is lighter and more compact than a box. The Metallic Bubble Envelopes 22x17 cm cost €0.90 each, the 33 x 23 cm size €0.80.
Step 4: Tape it up as if the box will fall twice
For international shipments, the box is often lifted from the wrong side. Therefore, don't just tape the seam, but also the short sides of the flaps – the so-called H-method. Use wide packaging tape, not office tape: Tape Rolls 6 Pieces 48x66mm (€21.00). Those who prepare multiple packages per week save time with a dispenser such as the Kinzo Tape Dispenser with 2 Rolls (€9.95).
Never tape over the barcode of the label or over the customs form, and completely remove old labels from reused boxes. Two barcodes on one box is asking for a detour.
Step 5: What you better not send
Each country has its own list of prohibited and restricted goods, and these really vary by destination. Liquids, aerosols, loose lithium batteries, food, and cosmetics often fall under separate rules. Check your carrier's list for the specific country before packing — not after the package is rejected and returned. For shipments within the Netherlands, we previously wrote about what can and cannot be sent by post; for international shipments, country-specific restrictions apply in addition to those.
Step 6: Expect longer transit times
We are now in August, and that's precisely when it's quiet enough to get your shipping materials in order. Shipments to outside the EU can experience delays of days to weeks in November and December due to high volume and customs checks. If you want a package to arrive before the holidays, plan well in advance: order your packaging materials in September or October, and ship earlier than you're used to. Carriers publish the last shipping dates per country each year — make a note of them as soon as they are announced.
In summary
Find out if the country is inside or outside the EU.
For a destination outside the EU, arrange the customs declaration and fill it out concretely.
Choose a box that is just slightly larger than the contents plus padding.
Fill the corners, shake the box, add more filling until nothing moves.
Tape with wide tape using the H-method and keep labels clear.
Check the list of prohibited goods for the destination country.
Everything you need for this is gathered in Packaging & Shipping, Letterbox Packaging, Bubble Mailers, and Tape. Not sure which box size suits your product, or would you like a price for a larger quantity? Email your question with dimensions and weight to info@verpakkingdeals.nl — we'll help you find the most cost-effective combination for your shipment.
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