The Great in Crate

When you were a kid did you like to play with boxes? Not shoe boxes or crummy fruit boxes, but big fridge boxes or stove boxes, washing machine or tumble dryer boxes. Boxes you could really climb in and knock around in, boxes that echoed if you went, "Ooohh, ooga ooga ooga." Good boxes in other words. You had to play very carefully though; you weren't allowed to break them. Because we had to hoard boxes in those days, just in case we had to move and we needed something to pack the china ware in.

These days collecting boxes is so passé. Now we rent crates. And if you have not heard of this little phenomenon then darling, where have you been? Everyone is doing it. It's the ultimate in moving chic.

Ok, so that might be a slight exaggeration, it might still be directed more at commercial businesses than at private property or home owners right now but it's only a matter of time before the trend reaches us. Business can't have all the fun, besides I'm sure that the crate companies would like to cash in on the relatively lucrative private market. A lot of people move home you know. That's a lot of cardboard out there that needs to be replaced.

The advantages of crates over cardboard boxes are enormous. First, crates are solid. They will not bend or break thus providing better security and safety to your treasured possessions. No more worrying about your beloved books being bent all out of shape, no more worrying about the side splitting or the bottom ripping and losing granny's priceless vases. Second, the crates seal, the rain and the damp cannot get in, so again your books are safe from curling and discolouring, your curtains, blankets and bedding are safe from mildew and funky smells. Third, because they are solid and sealed they are easily movable. Fourth, because they are rented you don't have to deal with them after the move. You don't have to find space for them for the next move or throw away those that are broken beyond repair. They just get taken away. And you don't have sticky masking tape left lying around for unsuspecting bare feet to stand on. Which is always a bonus.

There is of course another advantage; because the crates can be used over and over and over again, we can all take our cardboard boxes (once kiddies have played in them to their hearts content and maybe even broken them) and have them recycled. There is no reason why we can't be more environmentally conscious while our lives are made just that little bit easier. Our homes are therefore less cluttered, we feel better about ourselves in general and we set a good example for our children. Where is the bad in that?

Crates as you can see are the bees knees, the cat's pajamas, the dog's ... well you get the point. They're very useful that's all. The time of the cardboard box is up, a new era is born, one with structure and a seal-able lid. These are exciting times. Now we just hope that that crating industry hurries up and allows us private folks to take advantage of its high quality product. Or else mild mannered suburbia might just become not so mild mannered after all.