The act of moving is one of the most stressful a modern human being can undertake. And while the digital age may have reduced the amount of clutter – the boxes of CDs and DVDs and books – it has also created whole categories of fun, expensive, and fragile gadgets for you to worry about rattling around in the back of some sketchy cargo van rental driven by your flaky friend.

Fortunately, the folks who manufacture all those flat-screen TVs and high-definition stereo surround toys have just what you need to help you relieve the moving stress. In fact, they include it in every shipment for every product. They wouldn’t be able to distribute their wares if they didn’t. It’s becoming lighter, easier to store, cheaper, and better for the environment across the board. Of course I’m talking about the original packaging.

Think about it. The original packaging free (or at least doesn’t cost any more than the original item purchase). It’s designed specifically for the items you need to protect, and designed to protect them carefully under the kind of harsh conditions that moving trucks and cargo van rental produce. If you ever want to move again, it could be the most valuable accessory you keep for the 100 foot flat-screen 20 speaker monstrosity you blew your last two bonuses on.

The next time you bring home a fancy new doo-dad, don’t go tearing right into the package looking for the fun. A little patience here can save you a good amount of cost, headache, and risk later. Disassemble the packaging carefully. Look for tabs and seams that easily open. Some manufacturers are even starting to include packaging with materials and designs that make it easier to break down, store, and re-use. Above all, don’t get frustrated and damage the packaging. Even slight rips or tears in the wrong place may make the packaging useless, especially for larger items.

The only real downside here is storage. The easiest – usually paper-based - packaging simply breaks down and folds away into the back of a closet or under a bed. Manufacturers have increasingly used such packaging as they strive to have more and more paper recyclable stock. That said, you may still run into packages protected by big molded foam blocks; these are nearly impossible to store in any reasonable way because of their sizes and odd shapes.

You’ll save money by not buying more packing materials and boxes (especially the super-pricey ‘last minute’ supplies they sell directly off the truck.) You’ll protect your gear as it was originally intended to be protected. And, by re-using the box straightaway - without the energy needed to process or transport even a recycled box, you’ll help save the environment!
So, there it is: save the original packaging, save the world. Feels great to help humanity, doesn’t it?