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I just got a ton of USPS priority boxes and want to decorate them and store my paper. does anyone have any pictures of theirs? I would really appreciate it!
No, I got a bunch from the post office and Im gonna spray them so they are acid free, then paint and paper them. I just want some ideas on how to decorate and cut them to look like file folders. I guess I could make a template, but I really stink at that !
lalaleigh, you are stealing those if you use them that way, they are the property of USPS, and it says so right on them. USPS will stop giving them away if enough people abuse the system, and small businesses that depend on having those shipping supplies for Priority mail will be hurt. Not a good idea. Please bring them back or use them for their intended purpose.
Jeeze Tiny Acorns, Im sorry. THere was no sign or anything. I have ordered them free of charge on the USPS website before and I figured it was ok to get them at the post office. I only took 4. Sorry.
Jeeze Tiny Acorns, Im sorry. THere was no sign or anything. I have ordered them free of charge on the USPS website before and I figured it was ok to get them at the post office. I only took 4. Sorry.
Listen, I'm not trying to get on your case here.
Never mind whether it hurts small businesses: you should be aware that the boxes should say say right on them (on one of the end flaps) "This packaging is the property of the U.S. Postal Service and is provided solely for use in sending Priorty Mail shipments. Misuse may be a violation of federal law."
It's something that's easy to overlook if you don't know it's there. (And I guess I am just assuming they still print it, but I have one of their envelopes right here that I took those words from.)
I do know several people who've used their boxes (from kit clubs and the like) as holders AFTER they've been received, so it's a great recycling idea for used boxes!
ROFLMBO....i think what the P.O actually means by "misuse" is wrapping the priority boxes in paper and trying to mail at a cheaper rate!!!!
i dont think they mean using them for storage is illegal......
too cute!
No, any use other than the stated use (sending Priority mail) is "mis-use." They are provided for use by customers to mail stuff in. If they're not being used for that purpose, they are being mis-used, and that practice will drive up the cost for everyone.
Lalaleigh13, I don't think anyone is getting on your case, either, just pointing something out that you may not have been aware of. Actually when I first read your post I thought the same thing phunkymama did... that the boxes are not acid-free and that spray costs a fortune!
ROFLMBO....i think what the P.O actually means by "misuse" is wrapping the priority boxes in paper and trying to mail at a cheaper rate!!!!
i dont think they mean using them for storage is illegal......
too cute!
They mean you cannot use the packaging for anything other than shipping via Priority mail. The USPS website sells boxes that are not marked "Priority", why would they give the Priority supplies away for people to do whatever they want with!! I know they are a government agency and all, but not even they are not that dumb! ROFL
Actually, the way the statement on the packaging is worded, a person could be fined for re-using Priority packaging once it's been through the mail legally. That's right, for re-using it for anything other than sending another Priority package!!! Seems extreme, and largely unenforceable, but that IS what it says on there.
Jeeze Tiny Acorns, Im sorry. THere was no sign or anything. I have ordered them free of charge on the USPS website before and I figured it was ok to get them at the post office. I only took 4. Sorry.
:confused:You didn't see the ones right next to them for sale? What would happen if I "only took 4 dollar bills" from the cash register at a store?:confused:
When I said "sorry", I meant that I was not trying to be mean, and that I figured you didn't realize that you weren't supposed to do that. Your defensive response makes me not so sure.
The Priority boxes are *Free* only if you use them to ship packages via the USPS Priority Mail system. Priority rates are HIGHER because of the included packaging option.
Once sent postage paid through the mail, it is entirely up to the recipient as to what to do with the box. Used ones are completely ok to decorate or any other use, in fact recycling would be encouraged. But new ones are not produced as free gifts for the entire US population to use as they please. If it looks too good to be true, (ie: piles of FREE new boxes) it is...someone is paying to manufacture, ship and disperse these, and they have the right to dictate that they not be used for anything other than their intended purpose.
I apologize for any other responses that sounded harsh, it's hard to say that something is illegal in a really nice way.
Now back to the decorated paper storage...Ikea has palin white mag files for $3 for 6 of them...I would really like to see some ideas for these besides just stick DP on the ends like I was gonna do.
__________________ Cher No longer stamping...on to bigger things.
Wow! Did that get out of hand fast...seriously, she made an error...no need to keep going on about it. The orginal request was for ideas to cover them, does anyone have ideas?
She did not really do anything wrong to deserve the lashing she got.
Yes there are 4 priority boxes that will not be in circulation. But she did not know.
Not everyone reads the fine print.
1 post stating that it was illegal would have been enough and then left at that would be nice to a fellow SCSer.
We are here to HELP others not jump on them when they make a mistake.
no, she didnt do anything wrong at all! and actually 2 of the posts are replies to me when i tried to explain what the p.o considers mis-use of the boxes.
and i deeply apologize if i added to the heat. that was not my intentions at all! i just wanted to say that i do not see it as misuse to use as storage!
no, she didnt do anything wrong at all! and actually 2 of the posts are replies to me when i tried to explain what the p.o considers mis-use of the boxes.
and i deeply apologize if i added to the heat. that was not my intentions at all! i just wanted to say that i do not see it as misuse to use as storage!
I thought your posts were fine. There were some others though that just repeated what was was already said adding to the lashing.
The Priority boxes are *Free* only if you use them to ship packages via the USPS Priority Mail system. Priority rates are HIGHER because of the included packaging option.
Once sent postage paid through the mail, it is entirely up to the recipient as to what to do with the box. Used ones are completely ok to decorate or any other use, in fact recycling would be encouraged. But new ones are not produced as free gifts for the entire US population to use as they please. If it looks too good to be true, (ie: piles of FREE new boxes) it is...someone is paying to manufacture, ship and disperse these, and they have the right to dictate that they not be used for anything other than their intended purpose.
I apologize for any other responses that sounded harsh, it's hard to say that something is illegal in a really nice way.
Now back to the decorated paper storage...Ikea has palin white mag files for $3 for 6 of them...I would really like to see some ideas for these besides just stick DP on the ends like I was gonna do.
Priority rates are higher because the items are usually flown if going a far enough distance (sorry, would have said out of state but for some little states that is not the case). The are also given "priority" treatment at every stop. The standard size boxes actually make them cheaper to transport.
In my town with over 30 delivery units, if a correctly addressed Priority item with Delivery Confirmation gets to the wrong unit, someone will still deliver it that day. We even took it back to the airport PO if it was supposed to go somewhere in our district within 50 miles (that po would have to send someone the rest of the way).
These boxes, like your catalogs you pay for, are a business cost. What if you HAD to give everyone a free IBC who asked? What if then they went to Jo Anns and found similiar stuff to make the projects? Sorry, guess you know this is one of my sore spots. Priority boxes/paint chips/ other "free" stuff is not free for the consumer in the long run.
(And yes, there has been talk or discontinuing the free Priority supplies because of abuse just like the talk of discontinuing Media Mail rates that led to the provision to allow Media mail now to be opened.)
I have saved my USED priority box and have made a paper-file out of them. I only covered one. What i did was i layed them flat and glued them together and them wrapped them with some girft wrapping paper. I think mine are 3 tall and that gave me room for 3 color families. Put contact paper on the bottom before you put your paper in it.
I know that i am not always able to buy everything i want, so there for i am always looking for different things i can make or change to use in my craft room for storage.
Bless your little heart here!!
While I do understand that there are rules regarding those boxes (which you've seen plenty of here already), I am going to suggest some other idea that might benefit you. If you have a local scrapbooking store or M's near you, ask them for their display boxes when they're empty. All they do is trash them, so you would be doing them a huge favor by going green! And those boxes are SO sturdy! I have taken home ribbon displays, scrapbooking paper holders, you name it. If you see a display that is a bit low on supplies and on the shelf, it's fine to ask a manager if you can have it. Believe me, for someone who used to work at M's it is MUCH less work for us at the end of the night when it comes time to prettying up the shelves! Items get shipped to M's in those cardboard holders, so a new shipment is already ready to go when it is time to display. I hope this helps, WalMart and Target have been very generous with things like this as well.
I had the girls at work in the office save me the boxes that the copy paper
comes in and they have a lid too. Those work really good for papper too.
The only problem was they saved them all and there was like 20 of them. Thank goodness we are getting ready to put up all our winter work-sheets and some unused
summer school papers in them.
Alright, I saw these be used somewhere a long time ago and saved up my boxes everytime I ordered things, for what seems like forever and I ended up covering just the fronts of the boxes with patterned papers and mod podge, the boxes still look great!!!
The first and third levels have the priority mail boxes on them. The other paper is stored in containers sold by Staples.
I have saved several of these and was wondering how well they worked for storing 12x12 paper. I have a regular filing cabinet for my 8 1/2 x 11 paper, but my 12x12 is getting out of hand! LOL
Also, I did pick up a 12x12 file at Michael's for $14 and it included 3 hanging folders. But I am sure it won't take me long to fill that up. :rolleyes:
ISO: USPS Paper holders
