Sourcing a bunch of pillows

[MacGlenver]

We are creating a theme camp this year, and will need a lot of pillows to make a nice common space. What is a good source for getting pillows or good lounging materials? If they pack easily, that's a plus.

Thanks,
MacGlenver

[Simon of the Playa]

only pussies use pillows.


real burners sit in the dust.


there, problem solved.


you're welcome.

[Eric]

Thrift stores & Craigslist. Doesn't matter if they're a bit nasty - Burners will sit pretty much on anything and a day in the dust will kill all the bugs anyway.

As for "packing easy"... dude, they're pillows. They're going to take up a lot of space and you can't burn them either, so you need to take them home or to the dump. That's two trips with them. The only way to compress them is to use something like "Space Bags" (vacuum-seal bags for clothing & pillows). Problem is, most of them require a vacuum cleaner, so it might not work for the leaving BRC part of the trip...

[Shambala]

As far as packing them, pick up some extra large Space Bags (Target sells them among other places) and stuff 6 pillows in a bag. Then suck the air out of it and it will shrivel down to 3 inches thick. They do tend to get heavy when you have a lot of pillows in a very dense packing.

[Simon of the Playa]

you still got time...MAKE EM YERSELF!

[MacGlenver]

Love the nipple pillows. We're thinking of actually doing inflatable furniture instead and we've ordered a couple testers. We'll have to figure out how to keep them strapped down, and we have some concerns about durability, but it will be much more manageable than a ton of pillows (since we're limited on space in the trucks).

[Simon of the Playa]

what shambala said is true....last year i sent out a bean bag i had made (it was stuffed with shredded foam) and it shrunk to 1/10th original size using plastic and a shop vac...once its shrunk, duct tape the fuck out of it...

presto, small condensed nugget.

[theCryptofishist]

The only way to compress them is to use something like "Space Bags" (vacuum-seal bags for clothing & pillows). Problem is, most of them require a vacuum cleaner, so it might not work for the leaving BRC part of the trip...

You can use the "roll out most of the air, then seal" to get them tighter than they would be.

[Eric]

The only way to compress them is to use something like "Space Bags" (vacuum-seal bags for clothing & pillows). Problem is, most of them require a vacuum cleaner, so it might not work for the leaving BRC part of the trip...

You can use the "roll out most of the air, then seal" to get them tighter than they would be.

They actually make a style designed to be roll-vacuumed (new word!), but they are incredibly hard to find anymore. I've been using them for years to keep my outfits in: pull out what I want, roll it back up and the rest stay mostly dust free. With heavy fabrics even those can get tough to roll, I can't imagine trying to roll pillows.

[MacGlenver]

My two concerns with he vacuum bags are that we won't have anything beyond some some basic air pumps so we won't be able to recompress the pillows on the way home. Also I think the type of pillows that would be good for lounging would be too dense to benefit from the vacuum bags because they won't compress well.

Any thoughts on the inflatable furniture?

[ranger magnum]

Avoid anything inflatable. It will pop.

[Eric]

Avoid anything inflatable. It will pop.

Guaranteed.

[catinthefunnyhat]

Avoid anything inflatable. It will pop.

Guaranteed.

A bug is just a feature you haven't met yet.

Just one of infinite possibilities for the popping bug: Put prizes or fortunes (or clues to a treasure hunt, or...) inside the furniture to be discovered as it pops.

[some seeing eye]

Despite advice to the contrary, I'd look at inflatables with your choice of covers. Covers and pillows pack flat and he covers are reusable long term and washable.

[Bob]

Couple mini-trampolines would be fun.



Best IMO are your garden-variety folding camp chairs, provided the seat back is tall enough to support your head when you nod off.

[Savannah]

Target usually has bedpillows for $5 each. Maybe during "Back to School" sales they go even cheaper (lots of kids going off to college).

[VultureChow]

There are portable pumps, and hand pumps specially made for space saver bags.

[VultureChow]

Also JC Penney has a basic pillow for $5.

[catinthefunnyhat]

Yup. A local hardware store here sells vacu-bag systems that use a small, hand-held, manual pump rather than an electric one, so you can, uh, ensmallen your stuff small before you go and again before you return.

[MacGlenver]

Cool! Thanks for the info on the bags. Time to go shopping

[plantmandan]

I am a garage sale hound and have found many low priced pillows that way. By the early afternoon, people will sometimes even give them away.

Just go to the nearest bedroom community on a Saturday morning and look for signs.

[Major Krash]

we did a chill lounge in 2005, and needed hundreds of pillows. Transporting them was no problem, because we had an art car enclosed trailer with plenty of open volume for light pillows...but no one had time to find/make/steal them all.

So we simply added 5 pillows each as part of the camp dues (in addition to alcohol for bar, etc) - then each person only had to make/buy/steal 5

The real problem was what to do with 250 playa-fied pillows afterwards...