Ode to really good boxes

Over the weekend, I said farewell to about two dozen really good boxes of all sizes that were overtaking my home office. It was comically hard. I mean, these were really exceptional boxes that maybe someday I might need. Perfectly good boxes, including bubble wrap and an assortment of packing materials. These were the cream of the crop of the multitude of boxes that have arrived at our house in the past few years. With my blessing, Bert broke them down and added them to our recycling bin. Sigh.

The infamous and unprecedented pandemic of 2020 altered shopping habits of most Americans, the Thoresons included. Amazon suddenly became the go-to for ease of shopping. Pre-pandemic Amazon delivered 1.9 billion parcels annually and in 2020 that jumped to 4.2 billion, some of those landing on my doorstep in really good boxes.

In the U.S., more than 80 billion cardboard boxes are used annually, with 80% of products sold in this country packaged in cardboard.

I found out I’m not alone in my fondness for saving really good boxes when my Facebook village weighed in. In fact, I think box saving is actually a widespread pastime.

Marcy Clutter: “I’ve been thinking about paring down my collection, too. Thanks for the nudge.”

Tina Swanson: “I just did the same thing. I had unworthy boxes as well as worthy boxes. Now they are all gone.”

Deb Wheeler: “My entire family has this attitude about boxes. Clearing boxes out of a garage to make room for the car is traumatizing. We find that talking about our shared family addiction does no good!”

David Townsend: “Saying goodbye to good boxes is always hard. It’s just part of adulting.”

Wendy Carroll: “I struggle not to keep every stinking box that comes into the house.”

Greg Prado: “We do the same. “That’s a great box, I may need to ship something someday, better save this one, too.”

Jenny Orr Thomas: “I hear you! There’s a corner in our store room overflowing with “good boxes.”

Lisa Wood Hunt: “It’s tough! I’m a box collector as well.”

Lynn Rinker: “I put mine on Facebook for free pick-up several times and people were on it in minutes. Everyone loves good packing material for free!”

Kathy Cox Green: “I also have an intransigent box fetish. I had to toss 40 or 50 lovely specimens when I moved, but I am already gunking up my new place with the next generation.”

Diane Hayes Wahl sent a helpful Pinterest link with 16 ways to reuse cardboard boxes but I’m allergic to DIY.

Daniella Cross and Dana Kinsey gleefully pointed out the obvious by reminding me that by next week I’m going to need one of those boxes.

So if you’re a box connoisseur/collector/hoarder, at least you know you’re in good company!

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Do you love being visited by hummingbirds? Now’s the time to fill those feeders to make sure the first arrivals are able to fuel up. Mix one part sugar with four parts water until sugar is dissolved. No red dye!

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Decent weather is in the forecast in the coming days so expect that motorcyclists will be out on the roads in greater numbers. Advice for drivers on four wheels any time of the year, please, for the love of your neighbors and fellow travelers, put your cellphones away while you’re driving. Focus, pay attention and respect speed limits.

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Happy Main Street birthdays today to Dorothy Morey, Mallary Juarez, Connie Munk, Russell Heitstuman and Kevin Reed. Tomorrow, Chloe Hudson, Angelina Pischner, Evalyn Adams, Kathy Behm and Corbin Messina will celebrate. Phil Damiano, Mark Robitaille, Stacey Mann, Dana Shapland and Ron Washburn blow out the candles Friday. Saturday, Betsy Hawkins, Brian Walker, Denise Edmonds, Ian Waltz, Doug Harms, Dave Holmes, Clay Ownbey, Caroline Crollard (85!), Tori Gray, Randy Teall (75!), Kara Hicks (40!) and Judy Donner take another trip around the sun. Sunday birthday wishes to JD Dickinson, Leslie Gourley, Kevin Johnson, Kay Riplinger, Chris LaVoie and Tom Fisher. Starting the week with Monday birthdays are Pat Krug, Betty Stone, Andre Ney, Blythe Templin, Jonna Harris-Bowman, Sheila McDaniel, Curtis Ormesher and Peggy Fairfield. Gerry Wilson, Jason Allred, Anna Goodwin, Brad Dugdale, Chris Mueller, Pat Stroud, Rebecca Priano, Glenn Gatherer, Ryan Edmonds, John Cross, Branson McAlister and Lisa Johnson enjoy April 18 birthdays.

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Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kerrithoreson.