TIPS FOR PACKING FRAGILE ITEMS

Tips for Packing fragile items. Packing and moving is nearly always at least a moderately stressful experience even if you have everything planned out due to the sheer number of variables involved in the process. The most stressful and painful aspect of packing and moving is when it comes to tips for packing fragile items. Hiring professionals to pack fragile items is a good option as they are far more likely to be able to know how to pack individual delicate materials.

Some of the most essential items for packing such delicate and valuable items include reinforced moving boxes, heavy grade paper, fiberboard or cardboard, polystyrene structures such as foam, bubble wrap, and any other type of cushioning items. Cushioning your possessions appropriately is key to good packing and ensuring that the items do not break during transit. If you are going to need to pack by yourself, there are several pointers you need to keep in mind.

Prepare in advance

Packing valuable items such as crystal, porcelain, and other things that break easily cannot be done easily by a non-professional. Start well in advance of moving day and take great care to pack each item. Normal newspapers should never be used as you need to get the right tools such as bubble wrap. As fragile items need to essentially be packed in tiers, you need to lay the groundwork for each box painstakingly before you can actually pack the box. Take time out to understand clearly what type of groundwork you will be using and for what items. Certain types of china and glass also need to be packed individually so this can be another time consuming process.

How do you pack fine glassware?

Packing fine glassware takes some time and you need to first wrap each individual piece of glass in newspaper. After tucking the paper into the glass, you must secure individual glasses with tape. After you have taped the covered glasses, wrapping it in bubble wrap and then taping it again would be a good idea to go above and beyond in terms of security. The type of box you choose for packing should be double-walled at least to provide some additional security.

Reinforcing the box with layers of cardboard is also another popular idea and cardboard is also used for layering purposes. As in, you can pack and fill the bottom half of the box with heavier glasses, then put a layer of pliable cardboard and then place lighter glasses on top of this. Be careful to remember which side is the top as the heavier glasses are less likely to break if they constantly sit at the bottom.

How do you pack ceramics?

For vases and other types of ceramics, it is essentially a good idea to use smaller boxes for packing purposes to reduce the chances that the items will clash with each other. Wrapping each item in newspaper and stuff the middle of the item with more paper is necessary to reduce the likelihood of damage. Follow the same bubble wrap and taping procedure again.

Padding or layering the box is again essential and you can use cardboard or cloth. If you are particularly concerned about the value of an item, pad the box with thick towels before placing the vase. You can essentially layer the entire box with towels before inserting the delicate items. You can also use sponge and foam to separate the items internally before shutting the box.

What about lamps?

Lamps should ideally be packed individually into single boxes and crowding them into place is typically a bad idea. Lamp shades must be boxed with lots of paper and can be separated if required. Once again, bubble wrap is your best friend as coating each individual lamp with a layer of bubble wrap and tape is often enough to secure them unless the material is particularly delicate. The same mantra can be used for pictures and frames as they are inherently less delicate than china, glass, and ceramic materials. However, if you feel the need to cushion them, you should be cushioning them especially if the items need to travel for thousands of miles.

Mark everything clearly and communicate this as well

Ideally, every box containing fragile items should be marked as ‘fragile’ and whatever is inside the box such as ‘fragile glass’ or ‘fragile lamp.’ If you fail to mention what side is top or what the contents of the box are, you risk breaking the items in transit. Movers need to clearly know all the details in order to carry out their job without any problems. Communicate clearly with the movers to ensure minimal problems and indicate how you want the boxes moved and stored. If possible, join the movers and help them out to ensure that they are doing their job the way you want it done.