A Sorting Flow for Quickly Breaking Down and Disposing of Parcel Boxes

Boxes Pile Up Because the Flow Depends on 'Later'

Parcel boxes pile up by the entrance not because you are lazy, but because there are too many steps between receiving them and throwing them out. If you set up a flow that lets you break them down on the spot as soon as they arrive, each box takes less than 1 minute. The essential tools are one utility knife and a small bag for discarded shipping labels.

The 1-Minute Breakdown Order

1. After taking out the contents, remove the shipping label by hand or tear off that section of paper entirely to hide your personal information.
2. Run a utility knife once along the tape lines on the bottom and top of the box to separate the tape.
3. Put adhesive tape and shipping labels into a general waste bag, separating plastic and paper as needed. Tape must not be mixed into paper recycling.
4. Press open the folded corners of the box and fold it flat.
5. When you have 5 to 6 flattened boxes, tie them crosswise with string and put them out all at once.

The most common mistake in paper recycling is failing to remove tape and shipping-label stickers. Paper with contaminants attached can be difficult to recycle and may be classified as general waste, so removing tape is the core of the breakdown process. When using a blade, always cut away from your body and keep your fingers out of the cutting path.

Create a Sorting Corner Beside the Entrance