If you have a business that does a lot of shipping and receiving, you should save some of the cardboard boxes you receive. That reduces the number of boxes you have to buy. However, you should store your boxes carefully. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Don't save everything.

Space is limited in most shipping and receiving areas, and to respect yours, don't save every box that you receive. Focus on the boxes that are in the best shape, and keep an eye out for the shapes and sizes you need. Recycle the rest of the boxes.

2. Break down boxes with a knife.

Breaking down boxes is the art of flattening them. Always use a utility knife to cut through the tape. If you rip it with your hands, you are more likely to get loose edges and long tails of tape. They can catch on other boxes, potentially ripping then. They can also get in the way when you are trying to keep your piles of boxes organised.

3. Store boxes off the floor.

Ideally, you should have large shelves that allow you to stack your boxes neatly upon them. Don't store boxes on the floor, On the floor, they may get damaged by wet mop water or anything that spills onto it.

If you don't have shelves where you can stack your boxes, stack them on a pallet. If you want to organise them vertically, use plastic storage bins for small boxes and wide TV boxes to organise large boxes.

4. Don't store boxes outside.

Outside, boxes can easily get damaged by rain, and that can cause them to mold. Even if they don't mold, their structural integrity may not stay intact in the presence of rain.

5. Store boxes in a busy area.

If you don't do a lot of shipping but you want to save boxes for the random occasion when you need to ship something, you should still store them in a relatively busy area. Don't store them in a basement storeroom that no one ever goes into.

Unfortunately, over time, cardboard boxes can dry out and become a fire hazard. In addition, they can provide a place for spiders to nest, or their binding can attract certain types of roaches and bookworms. To ensure you don't have these issues, you should keep your boxes somewhere you can monitor them a bit. If you need to buy boxes online, visit Store-It-Safe.