How to Box a Wreath for Shipping
How to box a wreath for shipping? It is very important to me that my wreaths, which I’ve spent countless hours on designing, shopping for supplies, listing online and marketing actually arrive to my customers in the same condition as when I ship it. When customers receive that huge box, I want them to be Wowed, Happy and Excited about their purchase from me. This just makes for good customer service. Below are the steps I take to box a wreath for shipping. The video is posted at the bottom. This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
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Choose a Strong Shipping Box
I cannot stress to you enough how important it is to use a strong box made for shipping. Do not use boxes pieced together or recycled because they have a greater chance of falling apart during the shipping process. The shipping companies will throw your box around, it will fall on the ground or off shelving in the trucks so you need a strong corrugated box to begin with. Strong shipping boxes can be purchased at various places including online (with free shipping) and directly from a corrugated box manufacturer. For a list of online places refer to my shipping report of my ebook, www.learndecomeshwreaths.com. Choose a box that is 2″ smaller than the diameter of the wreath in order to save on shipping costs.
How to Box a Wreath For Shipping – Supplies Needed
Shipping Box
3” Packing/Shipping Tape
4-6 Pipe Cleaners
Awl (Punch, Ice Pick or Screw Driver)
Carton Sizing Tool
Box Cutter
Shipping Label
Taping the Box
Tape the flaps on the bottom of the box together using 3” packing tape made for shipping. Place two strips of tape on the bottom flaps to close the bottom of the box. Using one piece of tape on each side seam, tape both of the unfinished seams of the box closed ensuring all four sides are smooth and will not be caught on something during shipment. Your taping should be in the shape of an “H”. Turn the box over to the open end.
Place your wreath inside the shipping box. If you have to maneuver your flowers to fit the smaller area, make sure to turn all the flowers in the same direction, either clockwise or counter clockwise.
Wire the Wreath inside the Box
To prepare, take the four pipe cleaners and twist them together to form two long pipe cleaners. Please note, if your wreath is heavy, you will need to add more pipe cleaners. Once the wreath is inside the box, search for a place to thread the pipe cleaner safely in the wreath; a place that will not smash the elements on your wreath. For deco mesh wreaths, I choose a place between the loops near the twist ties and around the heavy wire frame. Do not wire on top of a loop, run the wire in between loops, ornaments and ribbon.
Once you have found a place, use a punch or ice pick to punch holes on both sides of the metal wreath frame (or grapevine wreath) so that the pipe cleaner will be able to wrap around the frame. On each side, punch holes through the box and out through the bottom of the box.
Thread each ends of the lengthened pipe cleaner up through the bottom of the box. Be careful because the pipe cleaners sometimes get caught in between the mesh loops and you will need to guide them back to the correct area.
Once both of the ends are threaded and inside the box, pull snug to ensure the pipe cleaner is a tight fit against the outside bottom of the box. While pushing the wreath snug to the bottom of the box, twist the ends of the pipe cleaners together over the metal wreath frame. You want a very snug fit. Keep the pipe cleaners long and showing so the recipient can locate them to untie it from the box.
Follow these same instructions to wire the wreath to the box in a place on the opposite side of the pipe cleaner you just added by repeating the same steps above. If your wreath is heavy, more than 4 pounds, I would secure the wreath in three places.
Shake Test
Turn the box upside down where the wreath is suspended upside down in the air and shake. If the wreath slides around in the box or flops on one side, then the pipe cleaners are either not sung enough to the bottom of the box or you need to add another set of pipe cleaners in the location that flops.
Resizing the Box
It is important to make the depth of the box as small as possible to save on shipping cost. After the wreath is wired into the box, lay the box open on a table. Measure the distance from the tallest point of either an ornament or the wreath mesh to the top of the box. This is the space we need to eliminate. Set a box scoring tool dial to the number of inches you just measured. (For example, if my wreath is in a 12” deep box, I usually cut the box down to 6” deep so I would turn my dial to 6”). Then run the scoring box sizer tool along the sides inside the box.
Here is the tool I use to score the sides. I purchased mine at the same place I purchased my boxes but I’ve seen them sold on amazon.com click this link here. You could also use a scoring box sizer tool similar to a pizza cutter; however, you may need to score your box when the wreath isn’t inside the box.
Once I’ve scored all four sides, I use a box cutter to cut the corners down to the level of the scoring, this allows me to be able to fold the sides down over my wreath.
At this point you can add a piece of tissue paper on top of the wreath so that if the box does rub against an ornament it will help to protect it. Close the top flaps of the box down. Note, if your box is more than 27” wide, I would cut off the extra cardboard after scoring on two opposite sides so that they do not hang down onto the wreath which can damage the wreath during shipping. But if your wreath is less than 27” wide, I would not cut off excess box material after scoring.
Taping the Box
Place two strips of tape on the top to close the top of the box. Use two additional strips of tape to tape down any area that may be sticking up due to cutting the box size down. Using one piece of tape on each side, tape the two unfinished sides of the box closed ensuring all four side are smooth (in an “H” shape and the same procedures we did for the bottom of the box).
IMPORTANT AND DON’T FORGET – Now place two pieces of tape on top of EACH of the visible pipe cleaners on the bottom of the box.
Address Label (optional)
You can easily print off a return address label from a word processor; type up the return address and shipping address as if printing an envelope. Print off using a printer. Fold the paper and use packing tape to completely tape over the entire label so it will not get wet, if it rains.
How to Box a Wreath for Shipping – Video Instructions
In this video, I show you step-by-step how to box a wreath for shipping.
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Was this post on how to box a wreath for shipping helpful to you? I would love to know so leave a comment!
Happy Wreathing,
Julie
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My Annual Wreath Making Schedule
Please tell me Julie where to purchase a craft Matt like yours on the web….. I live way out in the country and craft stores are about a 4 hour drive one way to the City…. Help
Tina
This is the mat I have Tina http://www.joann.com/omnigrid-mat-with-grid-24inx36in/5623277.html#q=mat&start=4
Hi Julie,
You’ve done a great job on your video and you are to be commended. I’m an interior decorator who specialized in custom floral design as well as other custom items. I order all my shipping boxes from ULINE which has a warehouse in Atlanta. I lived in Atlanta for many years, but now live in Naples, Florida. I love ULINE because they have so many choices when shipping custom wreaths and other items. I’m not sure who you use, but they are a great company. Although there is a box warehouse in Clearwater, Florida , only 2 hours from me, I love the quality of service I receive from ULINE. Also, they will send you sample boxes to try before purchasing. You have used your talents well for the Lord and I know HE is pleased. I have listed my Fb page as my website is currently being updated with new things. Take care and may God continue to bless your work.
Sincerely,
Carol Bowlin–Jon Allison Designs
Hello
I know this is an extremely late comment but I just came across this site and saw your comment about ULINE offering sample boxes. I just opened an account with them and I was not aware that this was avaliable.
I just placed an order for some sample boxes for FREE 🙂 as a new business owner anything that’s free or will save money makes me happy. Well , I just wanted to say thanks for sharing this informaiton it was really helpful. I am gald I came across this site.
Sincerely,
Jessica Williams– Heart-Filled Gifts
Thank you so much for this video. I have never had to mail a wreath before so this was very helpful. I guess I have 2 questions. Is there a way to pack 2 wreaths in the same box or should they be separate boxes? Would I pack the snowman with the nose and tophat in the same way as you have said above?
Thank you so much for your help,
Suzann
No pack in separate boxes but maybe tape boxes together to save on shipment. Yes same way.
I just watched the tutorial on how to box up wreaths for shipment.. Thanks for posting video, very good tutorial. Just curious… What size was the Valentine wreath?
20″ wide
Julie, you are a joy to watch! I love you videos and you go into so much detail on your tutolrials. I’ve learned so much from you and I thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. Blessings to you and your family!
Awe, Thank you so much Theresa! Blessings to you and yours as well!
Julie, I love your wreaths, you are so talented. My name is Linda and I would love to start my own business, but I don’t know where to buy flowers and wreaths in bulk. Can you please help me and tell me how to get started?
Hey Linda, to get started, purchase my ebook, http://www.learndecomeshwreaths.com. I give you a list of vendors with the ebook. Also, one of the bonuses is access to my private Facebook group where we discuss creation, marketing and selling strategies. Hope this helps & good luck with this new endeavor! -Julie
Julie, I’m wondering if you have a business account with fedex and how you keep your shipping costs down. When I get a rate estimate using my own 24x24x6 box with standard rate shipping, WV to TX, the FedEx home delivery quote is $31! What am I doing wrong? I appreciate all your help!
Yes, you need a business account. People who sell on Etsy or Ebay also get an additional discount so mention that too. I give a detailed report on saving money with shipping in my ebook, Learn How to Make a Deco Mesh Wreath
Apologies, I have the ebook but cannot find the section that details that. I guess I’m missing it!
So sorry. I’ve gone back through my emails and found the updated process. Thanks again.
The deco mesh wreaths I make are pretty thick & would have to be mashed down a lot – not to mention the large bows on the wreath. What am I doing wrong? I shipped 2 today & shipping was $65. I about fell in the floor. They were in the same box but creatively separated. I can’t keep this up with shipping!
Hi Julie –
I imagine you need to weigh the box with wreath inside in order to know the weight so you can print your Fed Ex shipping label. How do you weigh yours?
When someone makes a purchase and they’re at ‘checkout’, how do you know what shipping costs to charge (before you’ve even even weighed the wreath in its packaging).
Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Use a scale made for shipping packages and I charge a flat rate so I don’t need to know where it will shipped too. Thanks for your question.
I bought the ebook but I can’t pull up the how to box and ship the wreaths. I tried to email you but I haven’t gotten a response.
We replied to you but hotmail puts lots of things in the spam folder so check there. Go to the downloads page with all the bonus materials and scroll down the page.
Julie
Can you please tell me where you purchase your box for the wreath? I have made my niece one and had planned to give it to her when we saw each other but now that will not be until Christmas. So I want to ship it but do not know where to get the box.
I purchase local from a manufacturer.
Love, love, love your videos…. very informative and helpful.
Thank you, you are a great instructor. May God bless you.
Nice post. Keep it up!
Hi Julie! I am wondering how you would use the pipe cleaners for a grapevine wreath? It would be very hard to get those pipe cleaners through a grapevine wreath. Is it still done the same way?
Thank you!
Brian Furkin
I don’t go through the grapevine but around it when securing to a box.
Hello,
I am thankful that how beautifully you have shared the process , i can learn a lot with your guidance. Visuals are helpful. Keep continue this great !!!!
Best,
Diana
Very interesting stuff to read.
Thank you for the great video. I just started marketing my wreaths and found Uline. I am putting my first order in for 10 boxes to start in the 24x24x6 size this week. I sold my first wreath last week, thankfully to a local customer, but I sure wished I could have packaged it better for her. I did not have a box and fabricated a “jacket” of sorts to present the wreath to her wrapped up but felt a box would have been much better. She was very happy with it anyway which made me happy, I am a crafter and wreaths are something of my specialty and I would like to either open an Etsy or sell them on eBay so shipping will be a factor. You said you charge a flat rate for shipping, may I ask what cost that would be for a 24x24x6 box? Thank you so much for your presentation.
Thank you for sharing this video with us it is very helpful for me.
Hi Julie,
This was very helpful…straight forward and to the point. Love that about you. I have learned so much watching you on YouTube. Your wreath of the month club is GREAT! I am enjoying it
I have a question…so if the finished deco wreath is 24 inches. I use a 22 inch box? Did I understand that correctly?
I am hearing mixed messages about that. I am worried if I use a box that much smaller the sides of the wreath will be smashed when it gets to its new home.
Thanks for the help
Yes, 1 inch won’t make a difference.