Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with packing

"Why is our mail sticky and ginger-scented?"

troika — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:46:23 -0800

Is it feasible to mail caramels? Or will the recipient end up with a weird melty lump? I want to mail some caramels (these ones, recipe found on askmefi!) to Florida (from DC) as a thank you, but I'm worried that the temperature change would cause some horrible unforeseen reaction and result in some really nasty mail.

Do you have any experience in mailing caramel? How did you do it?

Thanks!

Advice before I fly the coop for a year?

adamk — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:02:37 -0800

I (26/male) am leaving Los Angeles in January for at least one year of backpacking solo around Australia, NZ, SE Asia, and possibly some other places! Other than enjoying my remaining time before I leave (going to favorite restaurants, hanging with friends, etc.), what pre-trip activities should I be thinking about, and what preparations should I be making (especially while I have good insurance)? What do you wish someone had told you before you left for a trip of this length and scope? This is me! I have a few months left before I take off and start my working holiday visa in Australia. Obviously I'm heading to a first-world country to begin, and should be able to buy plenty of things that I may want while I'm over there.

I did my research and bought a great backpack, and plan on packing lighter than I ever have before. I've been trading in some of my must-have things (camera, laptop, etc.) for smaller and lighter versions. I'm planning on keeping my website updated with my past/future/current whereabouts, and posting blog entries, pics and video as the opportunity presents itself. I'm considering printing up some Moo MiniCards to pass out to people I meet, to make it easier for them to track me down. And I may get one of those recently announced Amazon Kindles with international downloads, instead of my usual approach of lugging around a small library.

In addition, I have about 10 more weeks of good medical/dental insurance from my current job, which I'll be leaving just before Christmas. I'm planning on getting a physical, and asking about immunizations for some of the less developed countries I may end up visiting. Beyond that, I'm not sure if there's anything I should be taking advantage of while I have the chance. Once my coverage runs out I'll have travel insurance with emergency health coverage, but nothing as nice or comprehensive as I have now.

For the past two months I've been aiming to get rid of 3-5 pieces of personal property each week, either by selling, giving or throwing things away. I'll be selling my car before I leave, and anything remaining will go into a small storage unit. Then I'll be living out of my backpack. Crazy.

I'll probably do occasional freelance programming work (old clients and new) to keep some money rolling in while I'm away, so I'm looking into gadgets/software that'd make my computing life easier... I've seen some external USB WiFi antennas that have received excellent reviews.

Any advice relevant to my specific situation would be appreciated, or any tips that are applicable in general. Thanks so much!

A bag for all seasons

AnnaRat — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 05:02:06 -0800

I am looking for a new bag - hopefully, you can help me find one bag that will do my international business trips, day hikes, and weekends away. The bag needs to serve as carry on luggage, to-the-office luggage, day hike, or overnight trip luggage.

I want something that can fit a laptop, preferably in a compartment/sleeve for that purpose. My own laptop is a 12 inch Apple, but when travelling for work, I have to carry a larger laptop (15 inch?). I usually put their laptops in my checked luggage, so as not to cripple myself in the airport, but then need to carry it between the hotel and office while away. I find it too heavy to use a messenger bag or shoulder strap bag.

I accept that the only way I can do this sensibly, given the brick laptops from work, is with a backpack (despite a visiting consultant snootily remarking that she doesn't think people should have backpacks for business - fine for her, as an independent, she has bought a 10 inch laptop). Wheels will be a pain for the other uses and the main office I visit overseas is in a country where there aren't nice smooth surfaces to drag the bag along.

But it needs to look somewhat professional (not bright colours or too sporty looking). Also, I am female and small, so not too large, should be comfortable for me to wear.

I would like an easy to access compartment to put my passport and travel docs when moving through the airport. But not heaps of little compartments inside.

For day hiking, waterproof/resistant is good, and I would like a water bottle holder on the outside.

I want it of a size that I could fit a change of clothes and small toiletries, if I am going somewhere just for a few nights.

I am in Australia, but will consider online possibilities also (oh, I have a MEC membership!). No particular cost restrictions - I think you get what you pay for with luggage. Having said that, my last bag that I used for these purposes was maybe US$50 and has lasted for 12 years or more (zip broken, and waterproof lining has deteriorated).

Tell me your favourites!

I know I don't know you that well, but wanna help me move?

desjardins — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:45:41 -0800

Can you tell me where to find cheap packing material for moving - bubble wrap, newsprint, peanuts, whatever. I've already seen this thread on where to get moving boxes, and if you have anything new to add, that'd be great. In case it matters, we're moving a standard 2 bedroom apartment across town in the far northwest Chicago suburbs. Nothing particularly valuable.

How much clothes to pack for a 10 week internship?

anthropomorphic — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:22:05 -0800

How many outfits should I a (24f) pack for an 10 week internship in San Francisco? I'm working over the summer at an office for which there will probably be, say, one business casual event per week but the office itself has no dress code. I'm asking I guess because I don't know how often your average girl my age repeats clothes. Sigh.

Why does packing tape smell like vinegar?

rawredmeat — Tue, 26 May 2009 22:47:25 -0800

Why the heck does plastic packing tape smell like vinegar? Has anybody else noticed this? We're talking plain old clear plastic packing tape, which has a VERY distinct vinegar smell when you use it. In roll form, it is apparently odorless, but as soon as you tape a box, WA-BAM! Vinegar smell! Has anyone else noticed this? Any thoughts?

Size matters. Seriously.

eunoia — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:14:31 -0800

What size backpack do I need for a 17 day trip that will include four different flights, train trips & hostel/apartment stays? At the end of May, we'll be flying to Milan from New York then traveling by train through Italy for a little less than a week (and probably staying at hostels) and ending up in Rome. From Rome, we'll fly to Barcelona, stay for 4 days in a furnished apartment and then fly to Paris and stay for four days in another furnished apartment.

I would really really like to be able to bring along only one piece of luggage, preferably a backpack. I'll be bringing my laptop (~6.5 lbs/16"), but because the Barcelona apartment has a washer, I'll only be bringing about a weeks worth of clothes.

I also don't want to check this [hopefully] one piece of luggage. All of the European airlines have the same carry on baggage requirements: It can measure no more than 55x40x20cm and there is no weight limit. I despise those rolling suitcase things so anything of that sort is not an option.

If I do go with a backpack (and at this point, I can't think of any other alternative), how many cubic inches (ballpark) should I be looking at, keeping in mind that I plan to pack as lightly as possible (aside from the laptop), but want to be able to pick up a souvenir or two?

Where can I buy cheap boxes of multiple sizes?

krisak — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 19:12:55 -0800

Comic and card boxes seem to get listed cheaply, then have absurd shipping charges. I could use shoe boxes, shipping boxes, office boxes, whatever - I just want to know how to get them cheaply. I can buy a 50 lbs car part and get shipping for $20. But I try to buy 20 lbs of cardboard boxes, and shipping is $50 (I assume they're making up for cheap prices by gouging on shipping). I've also seen online stores where shipping is cheap and the boxes are expensive.

Either way, it just seems like a lot of money to spend on cardboard boxes...

What I need are a few different size boxes for storage, but lots of them. I don't really need anything bigger than 24x12x12 (the standard Office-Max/Depot $17 for 5 kit). But I also need some smaller ones. I don't need anything smaller than 6x6x6.

My goal is to organize my life by storing a lot of my bits, pieces, odds, ends, and parts in labeled boxes. I don't really care what the boxes are made of, as long as I can slap a label on them and stack them in shelves. (I have the shelves, so I'm not really interested in building a storage system with drawers and such.)

Comic and card boxes would actually be ideal, but I can't find anywhere to get them at what I think is a reasonable price. Am I doomed to spend way too much on what should be cheap, recyclable products, or is there a solution I haven't found yet?

For what it's worth, I'm in Las Vegas, and willing to drive around the valley if there's a store I haven't heard of yet. (I've checked the big name stores - all over priced.)

Is there a Movr website to help my sister move?

jessamyn — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:46:38 -0800

Is there a good schedule/list site that can help you move houses? My sister sold her house, hooray! She's moving about 45 minutes away into another house. She's got all the money and paperwork stuff down but she could probably use a little help on scheduling and organizing the blocks of time in the two months before she has to be out of the house she's lived in for ten+ years. She's doing a combination of self-move and getting movers to handle all the big furniture stuff. She has a LOT of stuff, some stuff stored at her place by friends and some stuff that probably just needs to be freecycled.

I've seen neat checklists like this one but I was wondering if there's a website that can be a little more in-your-face like sending you reminders over email or with some sort of simple 2.0-type calendar interface about what is a good idea to do when? A book with a similar timeline would be good too, but she's someone online a lot like me, so the more she could, say, get something that interfaces with her inbox, the simpler it would be. Any "oh we wish we'd known this" tips about moving houses would be helpful.

Again, this is about the logistics of moving mostly not about financing or finding a place or dealing with realtors for the most part. Thanks very much.

Packing clothes for Mexican vacation

seekingsimplicity — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:13:58 -0800

I am a 49 y/o woman traveling for Xmas to Akumal (near Cancun) with my family and my extended family. We are staying in condos right on the beach and I want to pack comfortable clothes/shoes but still look good. What besides swimsuits and cover-ups and hat should I take? What shoes? I have Keen water sandals but they do fill up with sand on the beach and are probably mainly for river shoes when you need to walk on rocks. I also have black teva flip flops. Not the most flattering at all! We will be snorkeling, reading on the beach, walking, sightseeing going to restaurants, playing with young nieces and nephews. Thank you!

Too Much Stuff!

divabat — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 16:03:32 -0800

Less than six months before moving internationally - how do I manage all my stuff? I just completed my degree and am waiting for graduation in March. I'm doing some uni research work over the holidays - I don't know yet how long the work will go for, but it typically lasts till Dec/Jan. I might then go home for a short while and return for graduation, or just stay in Australia until graduation day, when my visa stops being valid.

What do I do with all the stuff I acquired? Specifically, what's the best plan of action I can take that won't add extra stress (with this research work and all) but also won't leave me with too much to do before I have to leave the country?

The complicating factor here is that I've suddenly been evicted from my earlier room rental and have to find somewhere else to stay in a week. (I'm currently at my boyfriend's place.) This makes it harder to go through my stuff thoroughly, as I'm only back at the ex-house for a few hours a day (I don't trust the houseowner much anymore and feel unsafe there). So I have about a week to pack everything up, including things I likely won't need, and chuck it somewhere. There is a possibility of me moving back to college till February, or else there's private rental.

I have tons of books, some clothes, some electrical goods (fan, iron, kettle), accessories, toiletries, and other miscellania. Also LOTS of paper.

* What do I absolutely need to keep? Certificates, bank statements, anything else?
* I've been trying to get rid of some of my books through BookMooch, but they're not all going and I end up getting more. I've tried selling them to a second-hand bookstore and got measly returns. What else can I do?
* My friend might organise a garage sale soon, and I was thinking of selling off some things. I know the electric goods would go OK, and perhaps some of the books/clothes/media, but how about half-used toiletries (shampoos, creams, etc)? Magazines? Shoes?
* How do I get rid of any leftover dry food?
* I'm thinking of sea-frieghting some of my things back to Malaysia. However, I'm worried that Malaysia Post will lose them (it has happened), and I'm not sure if registered & insuring them will be worth the cost. What are some good strategies to ensure my things get home?

If you've had to move back home after international (or just outstation) work/study/travel, how did you deal with your things? What was your goal with your things? Did you get any return? Is it worth trying to get money, or am I better off just giving things away (and to who?)?

Where can I buy boxes in the Netherlands?

MentokTheMindToker — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:50:54 -0800

I'm having great difficulty finding a supplier of boxes and packing materials in the Netherlands that doesn't require buying in bulk I have two colocated servers (Dell PowerEdge 2950) sitting in a datacenter in Amsterdam that I need to ship back to Australia. The datacenter got rid of the original boxes so I have to supply my own. My first option was to get the shipper (FedEx) to pack them for me, but the dimensions of their large 25kg boxes aren't big enough. Second option is to find a local packing supply company and order a few boxes to send to the datacenter and they will pack the servers for me. I stumbled across a couple of sites like this one which have everything I need, except that they require purchases of 20+ boxes at a time. Does anyone know a .nl packing and supply company that would be able to help me out? All I need is a couple of boxes suitable for shipping 2u servers and some foam and/or bubblewrap.

How do I get my blade home?

iona — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:06:14 -0800

Long time listener, first time caller: Any globetrotting rowers or shipping pros out there? I need to transport a rowing oar overseas, and I don't want it damaged. I'm planning to check it on my flight as 'sports equipment', but any advice or alternate suggestions are welcome. More details inside. I have a trophy oar (a 'blade') in England, and I want to bring it home to Canada with me when I fly back in a few weeks' time (on Air Canada, if it matters). It's a wooden macon, ~3.5m long, and comes apart into two roughly equally-sized pieces. The oar was well-used before becoming a blade, so it's already a bit roughed up and I don't mind a few more dings on the main body of the oar. However, the blade face has been custom painted and varnished, and I definitely do not want anything to happen to it - scratching of paint or varnish, snapping of blade face, etc all would be very bad.
My tentative plan is to wrap up the two pieces separately, with bubble wrap and a cardboard shield around the blade face, and check them as baggage on my flight. I'm worried if I try to wrap the two pieces together they'll jostle and bang into each other and cause damage. I'm very keen not to incur any damage to my blade, but I can't spend a fortune on this (otherwise I'd build some fancy custom wooden crate) - so any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Traveling Light

netbros — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 06:59:22 -0800

When packing for two seasons, how can I avoid airline baggage fees on size and weight? In a few weeks, I am flying (Delta Airlines) to an area that will have chilly autumn mornings followed by very warm desert afternoons. As a result, I will have different clothing requirements depending upon time of day. I will be packing for two seasons. The trip duration is six days and I will have no access to laundry facilities. To avoid extra airline baggage fees, I want to keep size and weight to a minimum.

What are your suggestions for what I should take and what I should leave at home, as well as any useful packing techniques? Thanks as always for your assistance.

I really don't want to take it all with me.

tip120 — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:04:27 -0800

What is the most secure and cost effective way to start moving a small number of things to the US from France? Last year, I moved to France for a job. Hooray. I'm not renewing my contract and moving back to New York. Yay!

I brought more clothes that I should have, and I have some books and things I would like to send back before I move home. I will be traveling a bit before returning to the States and don't particularly relish the idea of lugging my crap around with me.

While I will be doing some local pruning of the clothes, I know there will still be stuff to send back. What is the best way to send it back from France?

All the other posts on Ask that I saw dealt with moving from the US, not to. They also typically dealt with furniture and larger amounts than I am dealing with.

Is my best bet to load up a few boxes of clothes at La Poste and ship them back? Or is there another, cheaper yet just as safe alternative?

My God, I have a lot of crap.

Asherah — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:54:37 -0800

This is my first real (cross-country) move. What are your best packing/moving strategies that I should adhere to? I've found this previous thread, but am hoping for more tips and tricks for a successful move. I'm moving from Southern California to Baltimore for a few years, however I'm not taking any large furniture. I'm shipping 6-7 medium/large boxes of household goods via FedEx ground (with added insurance) and need to know where to start, how to make sure I'm not forgetting anything crucial, and obviously would like everything to get there unharmed.

I'm leaving a fair amount of my belongings at my current home, so its not seemingly as easy as the need to pack everything. I need to discern what I will and what I will not need/use. Just starting the packing is a bit overwhelming, would a master list be helpful in some way? Should certain items be packed with others in a convenient way for added protection?

Any strategies would be much appreciated!

What to pack for one year?

Flying Squirrel — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:16:50 -0800

How to pack for one year? I am very ignorant of the logistics for what I'll need, despite having read onebag.com and other travel resources. I'd love to hear advice from anyone who has been in a similar situation!

My question is -- what type of luggage, and how much should I bring for one year?

I'm traveling to New Zealand in a couple days with my boyfriend. We're from Canada. We both have one year working holiday visas, no jobs yet. We're stopping in Fiji for 5 days on the way over, then flying to Auckland, where we have a hostel booked for 2 days. After exploring Auckland, we're going to travel around the north island for a little bit, and make our way to Wellington and decide which city we want to settle in. Since we will be in one place for an extended period of time, I'm not sure what type of luggage to use and how much to bring.

I was originally planning on bringing a suitcase on wheels, but got horrified reactions from everyone who has actually done this type of travel. (I have never traveled for more than 2 weeks). So I got a good, large, backpack, and despite my cringing at the thought of looking like a pretentious would-be mountaineer, I'm willing to do whatever is the most practical.

Do I try to fit everything into my 60L backpack? I'll also have a small carryon daypack as well. Is it a ridiculous idea to also bring a small suitcase for additional items to store somewhere until we get a permanent place?

Here's what I'm thinking about right now:
- I know I can buy everything I need. But New Zealand is more expensive than Canada for many things, and I don't know if I want to replace a lot of shoes, clothes, etc.
- I'm not concerned about the extra baggage charges (if any) for taking an extra suitcase. We're allowed two pieces of 20kg luggage before extra charges.
- how many pairs of pants, shirts, shoes, socks, underwear, etc. is right?

I'm sorry this question isn't more articulate -- I'm getting a bit frazzled in these last few days. I'd love to hear from anyone who has packed for a year -- what is the most feasible?'

Is a backpack really the way to go? This is the model I just got, although I may take it back if a suitcase is more reasonable.

This is the first trip of this kind I have ever been on, so please excuse my ignorance and I appreciate all your help!

What should I pack for a trip to Honduras?

toomuchkatherine — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:48:30 -0800

I'm going to spend a week in Copán Ruinas, Honduras. What should I pack? I'll be there for the first week in August. How hot/cold is it going to be? Will I need to keep modesty in mind? What am I going to want in terms of OTC medicines, bug spray/sunscreen (I'm pretty fair), etc? Should I get money changed before I go? Anything else I'm not thinking of?

decoding 10bit video

shino-boy — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:14:58 -0800

Decoding a 10bit video file ain't easy... I own an HD camera mod that records uncompressed 8bit and 10bit video files directly to a Mac's HDD. The camera company provided software to capture and render the video files. The rendering software never worked correctly with the 10bit files and we were waiting for an updated release. The company was sold and the rendering software was *not* updated and is now no longer supported.

:(

I wondered how hard it would be to write a Quicktime component under OS X 10.4 to directly read both the 8bit and 10bit files.

I bought some red, green and blue felt from the art store and recorded 8bit and 10bit clips of each color on an overcast day.

Starting with the 8bit files, I used a hex viewer to examine the "red" video file, and saw numbers like this (converted to decimal):

114 31 32 112 29 32 [...]

Well, that was easy. A quick check of the "green" video file confirmed that the byte order of each pixel is stored R G B. And indeed, my codec can now open successfully open an 8bit file. Hooray! But wait...

Using the same hex viewer I peek at the 10bit "red" video file, which was recorded using the same exposure as the 8bit file so I kind of know what numbers to expect, and I get this (again converted to decimal):

212 245 129 137 120 123 44 130 156 32 142 136 71 200 34 [...]

The italics are mine, they are (kinda) the R G B values I'm looking for, I just didn't expect them to show up like that. I've seen examples of how 10bit DPX image files are packed but the pattern I see in my files just doesn't make sense to me.

Do they make sense to anyone else? I really want to use these 10bit files, and if I can figure out the R G B pattern I'll be good to go.

For the record I did email the rendering software's developer asking for a hint. He did not reply.

Take My Stuff - Please!

lunasol — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:29:06 -0800

Which is the best shipping service to use for moving? USPS, Fedex, or UPS? I would like them to come to my house. Specifics: I'm moving most of my non-furniture stuff about 1200 miles.

- Time is not an issue. I won't need this stuff for a month or so.
- I will have about 6-8 boxes holding clothes, books, and some kitchenware.
- I have one larger item - a TV - which I'd like to have someone come to my house, pack it up and ship it for me. I'll pack everything else myself.
- Budget: I'm willing to pay for pickup, but I'd rather not pay for speed, since I don't need the stuff to get there quickly.

A lot of the info I've found about these options online is sort of confusing and assumes a basic familiarity of shipping classes that I don't have. From what I can tell, USPS only does this for express and priority mail, which is more expensive than I need. Fedex picks up, but all fedex shipping is super-pricey. It seems like my best bet is UPS but I'm wondering if I might be missing something.

Also, will any of these entities send someone to pack up my TV?

From DC to Dallas.

SNWidget — Tue, 27 May 2008 08:20:38 -0800

My girlfriend and I are moving across the country, from DC to the metro Dallas area. I've never moved cross-country on this scale, so what tips/advice/warnings can you give me about this sort of move? The Background: My girlfriend and I are moving to the Dallas are so that I can begin graduate school in Denton, TX. She'll be working in downtown Dallas, so we'll be trying to live some place that splits the distance.

The Equipment: We've got 1br worth of stuff, with our largest item being a leather sofa that she got cheap and isn't too keen to part with. I have a pick-up truck that we'll use for the drive, and we can get some, but not all, of the small stuff in there.

The Question: How do we do this? I've read past questions on cross country moving to get an idea, but I'm still a bit overwhelmed. Should I get a pod, a portion of a truck, or just get a Penske truck and drive it to Dallas?

The Bonus Question: Any suggestions on where to live in Dallas? I'm a Texas boy originally, but from the Rio Grade Valley, not the big city. We were looking in Carrolton, Flour Mound, or Lewisville. We're generally looking for nice apartments (generally, 1br+study/extra room) and are willing to spend basically up to $1200 to get something.

Et cetra: Beyond any of this, any general cross country moving/driving/packing tips are more than welcomed. I'm in the dark, generally, so I throw myself to the mercy of the Hivemind.

packing lightly

nyu2 — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 02:42:16 -0800

i'm trying to pack conservatively for a one month backpacking trip through south east asia. what items should I leave at home and purchase easily/cheaply while I am there and what items should I be sure to pack that I cannot get while abroad?

plastic bottles. with caps. always.

knowles — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 17:03:51 -0800

What stuff should I bring with me on tour? OK, I'm leaving for tour on the 28th for a full US tour (with one or two dates in Canada). I'll be on the road until around April 10th, so it's a long haul away from home. I have probably everything I am going to need, gear wise, but I'm looking for some other suggestions on what to bring. My bags are 1 hiking style backpackfor clothes, 1 messenger bag for laptop etc, and 1 backpack for misc gear. What am I forgetting? What can't I live without? What would be nice to have? What came through for you in the clutch?

As far as the tour goes, it's in a 15 passenger van, six dudes, with trailer. Time wasters are good. Things that make driving easier are better.

thank you.

What's the best way to ship a 42" plasma TV?

The Deej — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 14:38:12 -0800

How do I ship a 42 inch flat panel TV for repair without getting hosed on shipping rates or service? (Asking for a friend.) My 42 inch flat panel TV ( pdp4210ea viore) that I won in a drawing at a trade show has been great up until recently where everything took on a greenish tint, a not so subtle hint that something required repair. Need to ship it a few states away and would like to pay someone to pack, ship and insure it but don’t want to get totally screwed on shipping and service rates. Note that the original box is unavailable.

Option 1: find a box, pack it myself and find someplace to ship it for me (but where?)
Option 2: find a reputable place to do it all.

Anyone have any experience with this?

Prior AskMeFi threads and new answers on the subject of a restless kid moving to Brooklyn?

rmrudy — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:06:26 -0800

Help a nervous kid sort through all the helpful AskMeFi threads already out there to answer this question: I'm moving from the Bay Area to Brooklyn - how can I do it effectively? I'm not quite sure what I need to do to make sure I do this right. What loose ends need to be tied up, what to pack, how to pack, how to ship it, how to job-hunt, how to apartment-hunt? Basically, I'm more than a little clueless, but I've got to do the foolishly young New York adventure while I'm still foolish and young. This is my first question for AMF, so I'm sorry if I don't have the right etiquette down yet. Thank you in advance, hive mind.