What to Do with Your Store's Extra Cardboard Boxes

If you have a small store, you are already aware that cardboard can start to build up in your backrooms quickly, especially during the holiday season. That's why it's important to have a plan for dealing with the boxes over time. Here are some solutions that might work for you.

Cardboard-Box Shredder

Having a professional shredder for your store's boxes is a great idea for a number of reasons. For one thing, the shredder allows you to maximize space as soon as you shred the box into tiny shreds. You don't have to wait or put them aside; you can shred them as they come in.

Another reason that cardboard-box shredders are helpful is that you can recycle the boxes into filler for your own deliveries. Shipping some products off to customers? Just shred some boxes and use the shreds to protect the items inside. You'll also be saving money because you won't have to buy as many other filler materials.

If you have time, you might round up some shreds every week and take them to the nearest farm or riding stable. Shredded cardboard can make comfortable horse bedding. Not only is it soft for the animals, but it will also biodegrade well over time, and that is good for the soil.

Give Them to Online Sellers and People Who Are Moving

A lot of people are constantly looking for boxes; why not offer them yours? Online sellers and those who are moving need a lot of boxes and don't like the idea of having to pay for them. In fact, many online sellers need boxes on a regular basis. You can place an ad in your local paper saying that you're willing to set aside boxes and give them away at a certain time or on a certain day. You may be surprised by how many people contact you about your boxes. When they come in to pick up their boxes, you can chat with them. You might even get a few new customers that didn't know about your store before.

Now that you've got some great ideas about how you can handle all the extra cardboard boxes coming into your store, start using the information shared in this article to help you find a good secondary use for them. Ask your employees and acquaintances in the industry for more suggestions about how to best use the boxes that your store no longer needs; you might hear ideas that surprise you.