Here’s some of my last additions to my OCC boxes. Another Hidden Pictures activity sheet and stickers (free in the mail!), a toothbrush that was FREE from Walgreens a few weeks ago. Toddler toothpaste (from stockpile, we are not going to use it) for one of the younger boxes. And the whistles and stickers were leftover from Bug’s goodie bags for his birthday party – so essentially free.
I also raided my stockpile yesterday for one more toothbrush, one more bar of soap and a tube of chapstick. I’m also using the makeup bag that came with the last Target Beauty Bag freebie for the 10-14 year old girl box. It’s such a bright, fun little bag (that I certainly don’t need because I have plenty!) so I thought she might enjoy having it. I put deodorant, chapstick and hair scrunchies in the bag. Also, the candy that the “Candy Fairy” took from us after Halloween made it’s way into the boxes. (well, the hard candy at least. Can’t send chocolate)
I told you the other day about why I like the Dollar Tree for OCC shoebox items. I’m headed back there to grab a couple things. Some of the boxes are not as full as I would like them to be (I believe in ZERO empty space in the shoeboxes. For the children that will receive these, it’s the greatest thing they will get all year….what I can fit in a shoebox! I’m certainly not going to leave any space!)
This year, Operation Christmas Child will allow you to track your box to the country that it ends up at if you make your shipping donation online. After you make the $7/per box donation, you get special labels with barcodes to put on your boxes. I paid my $7 x 6 last night. I always wonder where my boxes will end up. This year I’m excited to find out!!!
It’s collection week and our church is set up to be a collection site. I am signed up to volunteer at the collection site on Wednesday afternoon. So I will have my boxes ready by then! I can’t wait to show you pictures of my finished boxes and pictures from the collection site!!
My goal is $60 for all 6 boxes including the donation, after taking out $42 for the shipping donation that leaves me $18.00 to spend.
Everything in the picture above was free so I’ve added nothing to my $14.28 total from last time. I have $3.72 left to spend and I can tell you that I’m most likely going to go over by a few dollars because I need to get at least 5 more items and even at the Dollar Tree it’s still going to cost me at least $5.00 unless I can find some of the items I need in a 2 pack or bundle. We’ll see what happens. I’ll update you again tomorrow!
I love couponing to help others! Read more about Operation Christmas Child!
It is so fun to coupon and be able to pack even more boxes. I am really getting organized this year and seeing how many I can pack. This past year was a rough one on our family and I couldn’t do as much as I would have liked, but I am already getting ready for next year!
We, too, believe in Zero empty space. lol and we always try to find the biggest shoe boxes we can.
I got a late start this year. But I’m ready for next year. I already have a few things leftover that I didn’t use this year! :) I did 6 this year….maybe I can aim for 10 next year!
Hi. Could you tell me the age groups? I have a ton of goodies and makeup for the older girls. I bought several journals at target lotta of goodies.
What size shoe box ? Thanks for your help. I two coupon and would love to share my stockpile. Any tips that each age looks forward to getting in the shoe box?
Teresa
Teresa – you can find all the details about what to pack and what not to pack at http://www.samaritanspurse.org/occ
You’ll also find the age labels to download and place on your box and you can look up a collection site to drop them off at (this week is collection week so you will have to get them to a site by Friday)
Standard size shoeboxes are the best. The premade boxes that they supply are about the size of a shoebox you might buy a pair of high heels in. But tennis shoe boxes are ok too (and a little bigger). I was once told that if you pack them in “boot boxes” (really large ones) they are emptied and the stuff is redistributed into the smaller boxes. They don’t want a few out of a group of children to get a box that is much larger than everyone elses. So I stick to “standard” size boxes. The rubbermaid shoebox storage containers are great too (and about $1 each) – I’ve used those before when I didn’t have enough shoe boxes (and they don’t have to be wrapped! though, they look nice if you line the inside with some brightly colored tissue paper).