No printer at home? Here's how to get your package ready for shipping anyway
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
A missing or empty printer doesn’t have to hold up your shipment. Here’s how to prepare a package for shipping without printing a label yourself: from box size and padding to writing the address and taping it up.
You've sold something, need to return an item, or want to send a gift — and then the printer is out of ink, broken, or simply unavailable. For many, this is the moment the package sits in the hallway closet for a week. The problem isn't with the box, but with that single sheet of A4 paper.
Good news: a printed shipping label is no longer the only option. And you can prepare the rest of the package — box, padding, tape, address — yourself. Below, you'll find what you need, the order to do things, and where things usually go wrong.
First, the question: do you even need a label?
With most Dutch carriers, you can now register and pay for a shipment online without printing anything yourself. PostNL, for example, offers online franking where you don't need a printer, and with Scan & Go, you take a package to a point where the label is created on the spot. The precise conditions, sizes, and rates are available on postnl.nl and change regularly, so check there before you head out.
In practice, what you usually take with you is a code on your phone. Make sure your screen is bright enough and that you can display the code offline — mobile reception is often poor in many shops and parcel points. A screenshot is then handier than a link that needs to reload.
Are you receiving a return shipment arranged by the webshop itself? Then there's often a QR code or return sticker included with the original order. So, check the box first before creating anything yourself.
The box: choose based on content, not what's conveniently available
A rattling package arrives damaged; a package that's too big costs unnecessary money. Measure your product (length, width, height) and add one to two centimeters of padding per side. That's your internal dimension.
For flat, light items — clothing, books, small electronics — a letterbox box is often the cheapest option because the shipment doesn't have to travel as a parcel. The Recycled Letterbox Box 180 x 115 x 28 mm (A6) in a bundle of 100 pieces costs €17.95 and is intended for small items; the A5+ version of 255 x 160 x 28 mm costs €24.00 and fits slightly larger flat shipments. These bundles are only worthwhile if you ship more often — for a single shipment, an individual box makes more sense.
Do you have a more compact or taller product? Then a cube box works better than a flat box. The Cardboard Shipping Box 15x15x15 cm in white costs €1.99 each and has regular flaps, so you can tape it shut normally. For something small and flat, the Shipping Box Red 15 x 10 x 4 cm for €1.99 is a neat option if the package also needs to look like a gift.
For soft, non-fragile items, a padded envelope may suffice. The Metallic Bubble Envelopes 22x17 cm in 3 colors cost €0.90 each; for larger contents, there's the 33 x 23 cm version for €0.80. Note: padded envelopes protect against scuffing and light bumps, not against stacking pressure. A mug does not belong in one.
The address without a printer: writing is allowed, but do it well
If the carrier creates the label, you don't need to write anything yourself. But in two situations, you'll still need a pen: for a shipment where you apply the address yourself, and as extra security in case a label comes loose.
Write the address with a permanent marker, not a ballpoint pen or water-based felt-tip pen. Cardboard is porous, and rain on a sorting belt is not theoretical. A set like the Permanent Markers 5 Pieces in 3 colors costs €4.95; the Top Write Permanent Markers 5 Pieces cost €4.00. A marker is also useful for noting the address on the inside of the box — if the outside becomes unreadable, the carrier will still know where it needs to go when opened.
Practical rules for writing: use capital letters, keep at least two centimeters away from folds and edges, and never write over tape. Ink adheres poorly to tape and smears. Completely cross out old addresses and barcodes on a reused box — a scanner reads an old code just as well as a new one, and then your package will travel to the previous destination.
Sealing: tape, padding, and a seal
The seam you tape shut is where a package first opens. Tape the center seam and both short sides — the H-method. One roll of packing tape goes further than you think: the KINZO Packing Tape 50 meters x 48 mm costs €3.00 and is enough for dozens of boxes. If you ship regularly, the Tape Rolls 6 Pieces 48x66mm for €21.00 are cheaper per meter. A Kinzo Tape Dispenser with 2 Rolls costs €9.95 and mainly saves time and fiddling with the edge of the roll.
Padding is not a luxury. Space in the box means the contents move, and movement is what breaks things. A Bubble Wrap Roll of 500 mm x 500 m costs €12.95 and will be enough for now — cut off what you need and store the roll dry, otherwise it will stick to itself.
If you're sending something you want to be able to see if it's been opened en route, the Security Seal Stickers VOID - 60 pieces for €9.95 help: they leave a visible trace when removed. Handy when selling to strangers, where disputes about the contents might arise.
What usually goes wrong
You most often encounter four mistakes. The first: the package is registered with the wrong size or weight, causing it to be refused upon drop-off. Weigh and measure before franking online, not after.
The second: the code is in an email that you cannot open at the drop-off point. Save it locally.
The third: the package is neatly wrapped, but no one has opened it without touching the product. If you open packages yourself, use a knife with a short blade — a Warehouse Knife Set 8 pieces in yellow costs €4.95, and that bright color is exactly why you'll find it again.
Anyone who sends something a few times a year needs only a handful of boxes in two sizes, one roll of tape, a marker, and a piece of bubble wrap. That fits on a shelf and together costs less than one rush purchase at the nearest store when it's needed.
Want to see what fits what you're sending? Look in Packaging & Shipping for boxes and padding, in Letterbox Packaging for flat shipments, in Tape for rolls and dispensers, and in Envelopes for paper and padded varieties. If you're unsure which size fits your product, email the dimensions and weight to info@verpakkingdeals.nl — and we'll help you find the cheapest combination that arrives intact.
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