Oops! You placed an order for some boxes, and the sample that came back is just all wrong. You realize the fault lies with your mock-up, not the box manufacturer. What can you do to correct this? Especially if you’re spatially challenged! This means that it’s hard for you to visualize what the box would look like if it were flat or “exploded,” which is how boxes are manufactured.
Go Back to the Drawing Board
Or, at least, go back to the product, reevaluate it, measure it again from all sides or angles, and see if your new measurements match the original ones. If they do match, then you will have to take another approach. Put the product inside the box — if it will go in at all — and then see exactly where and what the problem is. Is the box too wide? Too narrow? Too short? Too tall? Or, is it just not the right shape?
Perhaps, one corner of an object is neither square nor round. It sticks out at an odd angle and doesn’t quite fit into the box corner that it was supposed to go in. Think of a ceramic sculpture that features a hummingbird perched atop a bouquet of flowers. There will be all sorts of parts going here and there. If the box isn’t quite tall enough to fit the bird’s beak safely down inside, you’ll need to rethink the box. This time, think inside the box, not outside the box!
Ask for Help
There’s no shame in asking someone for help. You may have a family member or a friend who has a talent for seeing how to fix the problem. Oftentimes, we get so close to a project that we no longer see it objectively. Getting a second opinion, or someone to help solve the problem, is often the best, fastest way to the solution.
Ask the Manufacturer
The very best thing to do may be to deal directly with the design department of the box maker. If you happen to live nearby, at least within easy driving distance, take your product over and let the box designer see it, take his/her own measurements, and go from there. If you live too far away to go in person, the next best thing is to send photos of the object along with your measurements of it.
A video clip showing the object all the way around could be helpful. Whether video or stills, take photos of all sides of the object, and identify each photo with its measurements. One more possibility is to mail the product (assuming it’s not too large) to the box maker. This will enable the designer to see what is going into the box and help him or her design a box that will correctly fit the item. Our art department is happy to work with you to see that the box you need is the box you get.
