America is having a love affair with the cardboard box. Maybe it's time to think outside the box
Do you ever look at a cardboard box and think, "That’s a nice one — I should keep that just in case?" I know I do, and when I asked my social media following the same, there was an outpouring of corrugated love.
As more commerce has moved online, we are interacting with more packaging than ever. And, from time to time, you probably have to ship back an item, too. Having that perfect box on hand is an unlikely modern necessity.
Some of my social followers shared that they have a particular affinity to the boxes with handles on the sides, ostensibly for easy carrying.
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Others commented that the weight of the box — particularly a sturdy cardboard — seals the deal for them. For others, it’s the ones that fold and seal with the inserts that’s a winner.
And some have an affinity to boxes from certain brands — having a brightly colored carboard is a plus.
Why keep the boxes? Some of us have our reasons and some of us just like to be prepared for whatever may come our way and require a box.
Some practical folks keep them in case they move homes or jobs. Others use the boxes to organize other "stuff" that they may need sometime in the future for unknown reasons, such as those cords and cables from electronics from over the years that nobody will ever use again.
For those with a side hustle that involves shipping, a stash of good boxes is a must.
One person uses them in his garden for weed control and conservation, another to soak up oil under a truck, although these are "good box" adjacent behaviors, if we are being particular. I can imagine recoiling in horror as a good box was broken apart and sacrificed as a car oil absorbent.
It’s not only humans who love these simple structures, it’s pets, too. I heard from many a cat owner on how their furry family members often have more fun with a box than whatever toys and treats were shipped inside them. A few people mentioned that their actual children also can find unique and creative ways to play for hours with a box.
One poster shared that they were unpacking from a move with their 7-year-old, and every box that they threw out was "an unforgivable betrayal because he had plans for it."
Where to store all these boxes? That’s an art itself. One poster said they had a special place allocated in their garage for the "favored boxes." Another commented that their wife stacks them like Russian nesting dolls.
Throw a nice box away? Well, you will invariably have to ship something to an aunt or a cousin within the next three days and you will be kicking yourself.
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Fear of not having a good box when needed is apparently a widely held sentiment. Social media creators The Holderness Family created a viral song called "You should probably keep that box."
Although, in some families, box hoarding can be a point of contention. One poster noted to me that, "my husband would keep them all if I let him."
Another poster commented that they realized in keeping their boxes they were becoming their mother.
With box love being real, many Americans will be sad to find out that Amazon, one of the biggest users of nice boxes, has plans to ditch their signature cardboard. Instead, they plan to send things in the manufacturer’s original shipping boxes when possible, which may be to the chagrin of closeted box enthusiasts across the country.
With that, make sure that if you come into possession of a box that seems good and useful, keep it just in case. Of course, there’s always that nice Ziploc bag …