A home shipping supply: what you should have if you send a few packages monthly
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
Shipping two or three packages a month without having to buy supplies individually every time: here's what you need to keep at home, in what quantities, and what it costs.
On a Sunday evening, there's a sold jacket on your table, a return needs to go back to a webshop, and a birthday gift for your sister in Groningen is waiting to be sent. What you don't have: a box that fits, tape that still sticks, and ten minutes to drive to a store in the morning. For households that send a few packages monthly, having a small, steady supply in the cupboard is cheaper and less stressful than buying items individually every time.
This piece isn't about webshops with a hundred shipments per week, but about individuals: two or three packages a month, with an occasional peak around the holidays. How much do you need then, and what does it cost?
First: what do you actually send?
Make a list of what left your house in the last six months. For most households, this breaks down into four types of shipments:
Flat and light — clothing, books, games, jewelry. These fit through the letterbox if they remain thin enough.
Small and sturdy — electronics, a mug, a small gift. Must be sent as a package, but fits in a small box.
Fragile — glass, ceramics, anything with a screen. Requires padding, not a larger box.
Returns — arrives in the webshop's packaging and often needs to be returned in it, but not always intact.
These four types together cover almost everything. So you don't need ten sizes; two to three packaging sizes plus padding and tape are enough.
The basics: two box sizes and one envelope size
For flat and light items, letterbox boxes are the cheapest route. The recycled letterbox box of 180 x 115 x 28 mm (A6) costs €17.95 for a bundle of 100 pieces, the larger A5+ of 255 x 160 x 28 mm is €24.00 per 100. That seems like a lot for a household, but per piece, it comes out to €0.18 to €0.24 — and such boxes don't get damaged in the cupboard. You can share a bundle with someone who also sends regularly. Note the height of 28 mm: this is deliberately kept low for letterbox mail. Always check your carrier's website for the maximum thickness and rate they use, as this varies per provider and changes occasionally.
Most damage occurs not because a box is too thin, but because the contents can move. For home use, a roll of bubble wrap measuring 50 x 500 cm for €5.00 is a perfect size: five meters is enough for dozens of packages, and the roll takes up little space. If you send more frequently and larger items, the bubble wrap roll of 500 mm x 500 m (€12.95) is much more economical per meter, but expect a substantial roll in your utility closet.
The difference between ten minutes and three minutes of packing lies here. A roll of packaging tape, 50 meters x 48 mm, costs €3.00 and, with a bit of care, is good for dozens of boxes. If you prefer working with one hand, the tape dispenser with 2 rolls (€9.95) is worth the investment — especially if you're sealing ten packages back-to-back at Christmas.
Furthermore: a set of 8 utility knives for €4.95 (put one with the boxes and hide the rest), and a set of permanent markers, 5 pieces in 3 colors for €4.95 to cross out old texts and write the contents on the box. If you're sending something valuable or second-hand, VOID security seals, 60 pieces for €9.95, are an inexpensive way to see if a box has been opened en route.
What does such a stock cost?
A starter supply for a household that sends a few times a month looks something like this:
Item
What you buy
Price
Letterbox boxes
Bundle of 100 A6 pieces
€17.95
Small package box
Cube 15 x 15 x 15 cm
€1.99
Padded envelopes
Per piece, 22 x 17 cm
€0.90
Filling
Roll of bubble wrap 50 x 500 cm
€5.00
Tape
Roll 50 meters x 48 mm
€3.00
Knife and markers
Knife set and markers
€9.90
For under €40, you'll have a cupboard stock that will last for months, with a cost per shipment far below that of a single ready-made shipping package from the store. The biggest gain, by the way, is not in the money, but in the timing: you pack when it's convenient, not when the store is open.
Where to store it
Keep everything in one flat place: boxes lying on a shelf or under a bed, film upright, tape and knife in a container on top. Cardboard that gets damp loses strength, so a shed or unheated garage is not a good place for your letterbox boxes. And restock as soon as you get to the last five boxes, not when you have zero — then you'll never have to order in a hurry.
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