How to Fill an Office with Packing Peanuts

How to Fill an Office with Packing Peanuts
Ever wanted to fill your co-worker's office with shipping peanuts?

Of course you have. But then you realized just how much work it would take (and how much a pain clean-up would be), and decided it wasn't worth the effort.

We came up with a better way. Here's how to make them think you've actually done it.

Supplies:
1. Roll of tape
2. Scissors
3. Roll of paper
4. Packing peanuts
5. Small box with at least 3 flaps intact

Method:
1. Roll out a strip of paper horizontally along the bottom of the frame
a. Be sure to leave enough space for the tape to overlap the bottom of the frame so the peanuts don't spill out the bottom
2. Tape left, right, and bottom edges
3. Fill the box with packing peanuts
4. Open 3 flaps with the one at the bottom inside the paper
5. Pour peanuts in
6. Pat the paper to help 'settle' the peanuts to fill in the gaps so you don't see the paper backing
7. Roll out next strip of paper
8. Repeat steps 2-6 as necessary
9. To finish it off leave some slack at the top so it bulges out a bit
a. This helps to give some depth at the top so you can make a pile of peanuts at the top, aiding the illusion

Optional:
1. Close the blinds - too much light bouncing around the room reduces the illusion
2. Stuff packing peanuts under door - blocks light as well as discovery that the room is actually empty by peering under the door
3. Rig paper 'tube' from door frame to back of door and fill with peanuts, spilling out when the door is opened
4. Place something heavy behind the door - gives resistance when the door is opened
5. Rig a waterfall of packing peanuts to spill out when door is opened

Thanks to Jim and Paul for masterminding the operation; double thanks to Jim for writing up the instructions, and to Chris for being a good sport!
54 comments
1-40 of 54next »
Apr 1, 2008. 9:40 AMewilhelm says:
Sep 28, 2011. 6:30 AMim3733 says:
serves the additional purpose of providing insulation/"curtains" for the office. this looks like it would be a fun one to implement.
Apr 3, 2011. 12:53 PMjbenfield says:
A more flexible approach (though considerably more work) is to glue a couple of layers of packing peanuts onto large sheets of white construction paper. You can then do things like top off a cubicle, place them on the inside of an elevator door or in the doorway of an office without windows. The effect is even better if you pull some saran wrap over the top of the "tiles" to make it look like the only thing holding them in is the plastic wrap. It also makes for fast set-up and tear down. Great if you have a whiny office mate that's going to complain to management and drag them back to the desecrated office. The evidence is gone in a matter of a minute or two. It's even more fun if you leave one lone packing peanut on the whinger's desk to taunt them.
Mar 28, 2008. 1:30 AMgmjhowe says:
Beautiful! pefect office prank!
Mar 27, 2011. 11:29 AMDreamHazard says:
this is so happening to someone we know.
Mar 27, 2011. 3:52 PMgmjhowe says:
who who who??
Mar 27, 2011. 7:14 PMDreamHazard says:
not sure yet. we'll have to think of someone though. this is golden :)
Jan 13, 2009. 8:34 AMStratMan9000 says:
I would love to do this, but I don't work anywhere. I'm 14.
Mar 27, 2011. 6:10 PMKasm279 says:
Same, 15 though. Of course the school has no offices I could do this with :|
Mar 24, 2011. 2:24 PMD00M99 says:
LOL I would love to do this too. The blessed curse of youth...
Jun 3, 2010. 3:32 AMEarths_hope says:
friggin EPIC!!!!
Apr 1, 2010. 4:31 PMKing Julien says:
Epic win
Jan 23, 2010. 10:09 PMeyebot117 says:
That's funny. I'm going to remember this one forever!
Feb 28, 2009. 7:25 PMdemonbabi13 says:
thats brilliant...
Oct 23, 2008. 6:22 PM11010010110 says:
if the door opens in then you cannot put the stuff under it (you sweep them away when you open to exit) to do this - put them on a sheet of paper or plastic behind the door. exit. pull itslowly to the door and out
Aug 26, 2008. 12:31 PMhammer9876 says:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! My first thought was, "How did they do that?!?" Then, "OMG. How are they going to clean it all out?" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Aug 8, 2008. 1:45 PMjimmydean says:
Amazing! It's the perfect April's fool prank for your boss!
Aug 8, 2008. 12:10 PMThe Jamalam says:
I have an idea! If the cubicle door opens inwards, then you could somehow stop the door from opening, maybe glue it? Then you put a trail of peanuts leading to another colleagues cubicle to get 2 people distressed!
Jul 25, 2008. 6:07 PMScubaSteve says:
Screw this! Ill go ahead and ACTUALLY FILL IT!
Jun 26, 2008. 11:59 PMpebbles1 says:
omg thats too funny..thats almost as good as the gag i thought up of shipping a live sheep to my freinds house for his birthday............
Jul 25, 2008. 4:21 PMskidude28 says:
Umm...
Jul 25, 2008. 3:50 PMbob the builder #1 says:
LOL finally something to do with all these anoying peanuts.
Mar 28, 2008. 5:00 PMLogic says:
This is also possible in a normal, freestanding cubicle! Take a sheet or large strips of paper and tape them about 4 inches down from the top edges of the cubicle walls. You want to create a "roof" inside the cubicle, which you then cover with packing peanuts. Do the same for the entryway, add a layer of plastic wrap and fill in between with peanuts. It looks like the whole cubicle is filled to the brim!
Jul 5, 2008. 1:04 AMwinkman says:
Fantastic. :) Can't wait to do this one day. :P Business-associates beware... :P
Apr 8, 2008. 8:40 PMRishnai says:
I would laugh so hard if I saw that done. If it happened to me, I'd want to know why I suddenly have a cubicle, and WHY THE HELL IS MY CUBICLE FULL OF PEANUTS!?!?!?!?!
Jul 5, 2008. 1:03 AMwinkman says:
Filling under the door as well is a great idea, but also sprinkling a few peanuts outside the door too... Maybe a few near the elevator, and then a small trickle to the cubicle.... Add a bit of mystery in there too... :P
Apr 3, 2008. 3:57 PMnoremakk says:
You may also want to do this to his/her windows that lead out onto the street, so if they look up towards their office before entering, they won't see it empty or, if it's low enough to the ground, see your handiwork and thus spoil the prank. Plus, they'll rush that much faster up to their office if it looks like it's full from the outside and they see it.
Apr 1, 2008. 4:30 PMvolund says:
We did this to a couple of the classrooms at school (with the help of a master key :P) the responses from the teachers was epic, especially seeing as the classrooms have 3 foot tall windows along the hallway wall, making the prank easy to spot. You have got to love having a friend who works at the local plastic factory, free peanuts :D.
Apr 2, 2008. 4:47 PMewilhelm says:
Post a Slideshow!
Apr 1, 2008. 5:18 PMGoodhart says:
Cool !
Apr 1, 2008. 4:07 PMedrabbit says:
Thanks for the idea! Less than $80 in materials and about an hour and a half: Filling an office with packing peanuts, how to fake it
Apr 1, 2008. 12:36 PMcomputerwiz_222 says:
Great prank! This is as good as the office that got covered completely in aluminum foil... Good job!
Mar 31, 2008. 1:40 PMYerboogieman says:
thats a good one man, they took away my rating privlages
Mar 31, 2008. 8:55 AMjnixon says:
This is a great prank. Thanks!
Mar 28, 2008. 5:49 PMNeonLime says:
How Much Do Packing Peanuts Cost And For How Much?
Mar 29, 2008. 2:28 AMPrometheus says:
Roughly about $175 USD for 60 cubic feet worth (should be more than enough) by common outlets......that's a cube of 7 feet 9 inches on all 3 dimensions or 93 inches cubed (about a freight-elevator full), or 93 inches for each edge of a box.... For about $300, you can likely fill the whole office full at the current rate of bulk. Look up prices online if you really wanna do it, and calculate what you need....some receiving departments or companies will sell them to you at a huge discount since they have been used.
Mar 30, 2008. 8:59 PMunderroutine says:
ouch 300 for a laugh maybe if i was an MIT student making thousands from blackjack then maybe....sorry just finished watching 21 :)
Apr 1, 2008. 1:49 PMxproplayer says:
rofls im gonna do that for like one night just need bout 10gs thing is im 13
1-40 of 54next »

Pro

Get More Out of Instructables

Already have an Account?

close

All Steps Viewing
View all steps of an Instructable on the same page when you're a Pro Member.

Upgrade to Pro today!
1
Followers
1
Author:jetgrrl