# What do you do with packing peanuts?



## Rosey (Oct 1, 2009)

What do you guys do with all the packing peanuts that some supply places send? Reuse them? 

Personally, I hate getting packing peanuts but now I have a butt load and I'm debating what to do with them.


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## dandelion (Oct 1, 2009)

I can't stand them either but don't know what to do with them.


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## carebear (Oct 1, 2009)

I clicked recycle, because that is how I think of reusing them.

So in fact, I re-use them IF they are pristine.  If not, into the garbage they go.

Rosey - people on freecycle are always looking for them around here.  Don't toss good ones!


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## Rosey (Oct 1, 2009)

That's what I'm thinking also carebear although i had never heard of that site. I may have to look into it.

They are pristine. I was thinking about recycling because one of the nurseries I buy from has a program to send them back the peanuts at their cost to reuse them.

I'm going to send a bunch of samples out to people and thinking about future things and wondering what's the best way to pad soap. I'm so clueless.


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## TessC (Oct 1, 2009)

Definitely list them on Freecycle, people snap them up like mad.


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## vivcarm (Oct 2, 2009)

Yep Freecycle came to my mind too! I always keep a few for when I am posting presents or stuff for ebay, I collect a few boxes too, drives DH mad!


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## AshleyR (Oct 2, 2009)

I have a GIANT box in my basement full of them that I've been reusing to pack orders from my website. I've gone through a lot of them already but the pile still seems never ending!

I kind of like getting them though, saves me money on having to buy packing supplies for my packages!


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## Deda (Oct 2, 2009)

Recycle here, too.  I take them to the UPS store down the street.  I tend to place my orders twice a month, it's no big deal to just save them up for a couple days until all my orders are here, then I just drop them off.

I'm trying to break the cycle and not use them at all.  When I ship I use shredded scrap paper.


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## TheSoapyEwe (Oct 4, 2009)

AshleyR said:
			
		

> I have a GIANT box in my basement full of them that I've been reusing to pack orders from my website. I've gone through a lot of them already but the pile still seems never ending!
> 
> I kind of like getting them though, saves me money on having to buy packing supplies for my packages!



I agree it saves money on having to buy them. I keep mine in big boxes and use them when I'm shipping out an order.


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## PippiL (May 21, 2012)

I put them in the button of my planting pots for drainage...


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## new12soap (May 21, 2012)

Thank you so much for the excellent suggestions! They mostly just sit in my garage, I can't throw them away but I will never use them all. I have a ups store close by that would be so easy to drop them off there...


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## Soapy Gurl (May 21, 2012)

I have noticed that a decent portion of mine are the cellulose kind.  I think that is what they are called.  They dissolve with water, which is a brilliant idea.  I do try to save the others for re-use, but they are a dog hair magnet.  So if i am not super, super careful they will attract it and I have to chuck them.


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## Bigmoose (May 22, 2012)

I reuse them.  A couple years ago when I needed them for shipping orders I would put an ad on craigslist asking for them and got wonderful response.  I go thru too many now that I buy them 40 cf at a time now.

Bruce


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## sudbubblez (May 22, 2012)

The kids have taken to putting little toothpick sails on them and building boats by sticking several together with toothpicks and racing them in the street runoff when it rains.

I have heard that there is a way to use them in potting soil.


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## soapylady (Jun 1, 2012)

I throw them out usually. I'll reuse them if i have something to ship that requires them, but i just don't have room to store them all. I just hate when they are used for things that aren't even fragile. The other day i ordered a tube of lip balm off of amazon. I assumed it would come in a tiny envelope or package. NO. It came shipped in a large (1 ft wide at least) box filled with packing peanuts. I was appalled at the wasteful packaging and the mess of packing peanuts.


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