Pack it tight.

April 2, 2006 9:21 AM

What's a person to do with 25 cubic feet of packing peanuts?

A friend recently came across a large supply of packing peanuts and wants some ideas. Extra points if it results in him losing his virginity

...not really.

posted by cloeburner to Grab Bag (18 answers total)

Do what I did: make a huge (think recliner-sized) beanbag form out of old fabric, then stuff with the peanuts. The peanuts crush down and eventually disintegrate, making the chair an unstoppable recycling machine.
posted by Vervain at 9:29 AM on April 2, 2006

Work in a cubicle farm? Fill a guy's cubicle with 'em.
posted by slater at 9:30 AM on April 2, 2006

OK, I'll help you out. But, listen to me goddamnit! You're gonna do it my way every step of the way, or not at all! If I hear the word 'but' outta your mouth just one time, I'm walking! You hear me?

OK...now here's what you do:

1. Fill something with them.
2. Jump into them.
3. Repeat.
posted by jimmythefish at 9:31 AM on April 2, 2006

If not a cubicle, someone's car, dorm room, filing cabinets, toilet, or any place that produces the classic "This generally open space is filled with some form of voluminious material! How wacky!". But seriously, do that.
posted by potch at 9:33 AM on April 2, 2006

Readymade had a packing peanuts challenge in one issue, and I think the winning design had used them to make hanging threaded curtains.
posted by philscience at 9:33 AM on April 2, 2006

I second the filling of someone's cubicle.

Or, if you're feeling destructive, dissolve the peanuts into gasoline and make your own napalm.
posted by fenriq at 9:34 AM on April 2, 2006

Please note that 25 cubic feet of packing peanuts is not enough for most of these suggestions. In particular, it won't even come close to filling a cubicle. It's only enough to fill a 2.5'x2.5'x4' box.
posted by musicinmybrain at 9:44 AM on April 2, 2006

Packing peanuts do dissolve in acetone (e.g. nail polish remover), and large quantities of packing peanuts can be converted into a small quantity of goop that way. It's entertaining if you enjoy seeing huge quantities of packing peanuts seemingly vanish, or if you enjoy goop.

I can't think of anything reallyentertaining to do with them, though.
posted by musicinmybrain at 9:46 AM on April 2, 2006

Fenriq, I like how the site you linked to specifically says to avoid using packing peanuts when making napalm.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 9:50 AM on April 2, 2006

You wanna know what I do with such quantities?

Yeah?

I take them to Mailboxes Etc. to be reused as they see fit, rather than having to throw them away. Call ahead.
posted by Aknaton at 9:51 AM on April 2, 2006

... snorkel...
posted by trinarian at 9:54 AM on April 2, 2006

When I was a kid, my father worked at a university. For my birthday parties, he would get huge card board boxes, fill them with peanuts, put prizes in them and have us dive in to try to find them.

Sounds like you might have enough to fill a kiddie pool for some one's happily shrieking brats.
posted by allan at 10:08 AM on April 2, 2006

If you're trying to find some way to get rid of them, take them to a UPS store.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 10:12 AM on April 2, 2006

Oops, did a too-fast scan of it, Mr. Encyclopedia. I was remembering it from the Anarchist Cookbook.

This recipe should work.
posted by fenriq at 11:16 AM on April 2, 2006

I second trinarian.
posted by brundlefly at 1:32 PM on April 2, 2006

If you're trying to get rid of them (without giving them to UPS or the like), see if freecycle operates in your area. There's always someone that need packing supplies...
posted by inigo2 at 2:29 PM on April 2, 2006

25 cubic feet isn't really all that much, as musicinmybrain points out. It's enough to fill a small coffin, but that's about it really. If it was, say, 1000 cubic feet, THEN we would be talkin!
posted by antifuse at 1:48 AM on April 3, 2006

My partner has a deal with a local store that does mail order. She takes in packing peanuts (which she also collects from friends), and she gets a small discount. She also gets to feel righteous for recycling.
posted by QIbHom at 9:37 AM on April 3, 2006