Americans like to pick sides in arguments. Whether you’re talking about choosing between chocolate, vanilla or strawberry ice cream or arguing who’d win a battle between Batman, Superman or Spider-Man, we all have an opinion. One area where you could run into a variety of opinions is the disagreement over packing boxes for storage. There are several popular methods people use for packing. Three choices are bubble wrap, packing peanuts or newspaper. A.B. Richards isn’t going to tell you what to choose, but we’re going to let you know the pros and cons of each of these methods. There may be disagreement about how to pack boxes, but we’re the clear choice when it comes to storage. Our portable storage containers can help you get organized whether you need it for home or a business.
The Pros and Cons of Bubble Wrap
We’ll start by looking at bubble wrap. It was invented in 1957 and was originally intended to be a type of wallpaper, according to Mental Floss. It is made from polyethylene, the world’s most common plastic. Bubble wrap is reusable and recyclable, according to the website Enlighten me. Its benefits include being inexpensive and lightweight. Many types of bubble wrap are not biodegradable, although eco-friendlier bubble wrap has come on the market.
It also comes in different sizes. Smaller bubbles tend to be used when you’re packing smaller items, larger bubbles for larger items. It’s also easy to obtain. Bubble wrap can be found at most moving and packing businesses. There are some storage difficulties, as bubble wrap’s plastic air bubbles take up unnecessary space, according to Ehow.
All About Packing Peanuts
Space is less of an issue for those who use Styrofoam packing peanuts. These products first became available in the mid-1960s. Packing peanuts have the advantage of being very lightweight, according to Enlighten me. They were originally made from polystyrene which is reusable, they can be recycled but aren’t biodegradable. The shape allows it to interact with other peanuts to create a cushion.
In the mid-1990s, biodegradable starch-based packing peanuts came on the market. They can be dissolved in water and composted, and unlike the polystyrene peanuts, they don’t cling together because of static. The biodegradable peanuts are costlier and don’t regain their shape as easily as the polystyrene peanuts do. Another drawback of packing peanuts is that the contents of your box can shift to one side if you don’t pack enough of them, according to the website, gizmodo. And let’s not forget that anyone who’s ever spilled a box of packing peanuts knows they’re difficult to clean up.
Newspaper and Other Packing Papers
Which brings us to the “old school” way of packing boxes, stuffing them with newspaper. If you still buy and keep newspaper regularly, this is probably your cheapest option. But there are drawbacks. Newspaper ink can be messy. The Glass and Pottery Sellers Association don’t recommend using newspaper for packing because ink can run off onto items and newspaper is not a great shock absorber.
Newspaper can help provide cushioning when it’s lined at the top and bottom of boxes, according to Enlighten me. They recommend using packing paper instead of newspaper and using it in large quantities. Paper is easily recyclable, but not recycling the paper will have an effect on the environment.
A.B. Richards is the Place to Store Those Boxes
Whether you’re using paper, bubble wrap or packing peanuts, you’re going to find advantages and disadvantages. But if you’re looking for a place to store your boxes, we have you covered. Your first call should be to A.B. Richards.
We can rent you storage containers for almost any need and we’ll make the process easy. We’ll deliver your portable storage unit and we’ll pick it up. Contact A.B. Richards today.
