Thursday, January 2, 2020

Cardboard

Cardboard


It's funny the things you learn from having fibromyalgia.  As I have gotten sicker I have learned how to order things online. Since I can not just pick up and go shopping any more I had to come up with a strategy to get basic things that I need like toilet paper or ibuprofen or even shoes.

That was a learning curve for me. The funny part is that I have learned so much about cardboard. You wouldn't think there was much difference in cardboard. There is the solid kind like the back of a writing tablet or the covers on a notebook and then there was the cardboard from a box. Right?

Well yes and no. Cardboard from a box, corragated cardboard to be more exact, comes in different qualities for want of a better description. Let me explain, I started to have a need for something cheap and disposable for light cushioning for different activities in my life. I needed a little accomodation or modification to make things comfortable for me to continue to work and be independent. 

I could buy thin foam but it wasn't cheap. I could but thick foam but it was too thick and not cheap.  Both types of foam were prone to fall apart quickly and easily with a lot of use. Folded cloth could be cheap depending on where I sourced it but it wasn't very strong and not really disposable.  I have been thinking and trying different solutions for about a year.


In conversation with a friend she suggested cardboard. It was strong enough not to fall apart and diposable.  I certainly was throwing out boxes several times a month. It was free and free is for me. As well as I liked the whole reusing and recycling idea. I only have so much stuff to store in a box so this was a good second use for a box.

After a period of time using parts of boxes for cushioning I realized that a few of boxes were so much sturdier than the others.  I don't know if there is really a rating for corrugated boxes or not but I can now tell by touching the box if it is better quality. I then squirrel away that cardboard in the supply I use for cushioning.

I am sure I probably would have never noticed the difference except for complications from fibromyalgia though.

Till next time.
Mylinda