Tips for Packing Fragile Items
, by Box Depot, 4 min reading time
here is nothing quite as devastating as moving house and discovering that your Grandmother's prized antique jug is now in a thousand pieces! And if you do have the patience and/or skill to painstakingly glue it all back together, you just know it'll never be the same ...
There is nothing quite as devastating as moving house and discovering that your Grandmother's prized antique jug is now in a thousand pieces!
And if you do have the patience and/or skill to painstakingly glue it all back together, you just know it'll never be the same ...
Preventing these moving tragedies is really just a matter of adequate preparation and having the right tools.
Tips to Pack your Fragile Items and Keep Them Safe:
Prepare in advance: Packing up valuable crystal, porcelain and other breakables takes some time. This is not the time to rush. If you're not hiring professional movers, start well in advance of Moving Day and take the time to properly pack these items.
Have the right tools: You will find you need moving boxes in various sizes, packing paper, bubble wrap, corrugated cardboard, tape and a decent knife or scissors. A large (cleared!) table to lay out your item and pack it is also pretty essential. For larger items, you may need an extra pair of hands to help.
Label it: The Cardinal Rule when you have lots of packed boxes! Having the boxes with your delicate items clearly labelled as "Fragile" will help those who are moving it to handle them with more care! Labelling with a clue as to what you've packed in the box (and therefore which room in your new place to put it in!) can also help.
Know what your packing and how to pack it: Your 60" flatscreen TV and Granny's china dinner set are both fragile items, but require very different packing techniques. Do your research on the best way to pack each item, making sure you have plenty of packaging supplies so you don't end up skimping and crossing your fingers!
Extra Tips for Specific Items
Plates: Ideally, plates will be packed vertically in small or medium boxes, lined with crumpled packing paper on the bottom and top. If there are spaces in the box once you have the plates packed, corrugated cardboard will prevent the plates moving during transit. Never ever be tempted to overpack the box.
Glasses: Wrap glasses individually with packing paper and placed crumpled paper inside large pieces to reduce empty space. As with plates (above) pack any and all space in the box with bubble wrap or corrugated cardboard to reduce as much as possible the chance of items moving inside the box. Place the heaviest items on the bottom of the box, with lighter pieces on top.
Televisions: Flatscreen TVs can be tricky to pack. Start by removing any cables and accessories (such as stand or legs) and make sure to pack in a clearly labelled bag or box. Wrap the screen in a soft moving blanket, secured with packing tape or pallet wrap. If the TV is to be transported a long distance, place the wrapped TV in a large well-padded box before sealing securely.
Lamps: Lampshades should be boxed (flat side down) separately with lots of packing paper. Bases can be placed in a separate box if necessary. Use bubble wrap to reduce movement of the lamp/lampshade during transport.
Pictures/Mirrors: Pictures/Mirrors/Framed Art should be wrapped in packing paper or corrugated cardboard and placed in small or medium cardboard boxes. If they are larger than 8 inches, place standing in the box with crumpled paper and bubble wrap in between each piece. Paintings and pictures that are over 3 feet in size should be wrapped with a moving blanket and secured with pallet wrap, and moved separately.
It is tempting to use old towels, blankets, old newspapers or even paper towels to wrap fragile items, but this is really not recommended. Old newspapers can transfer ink to your precious item ... Paper towels are really not strong enough ... Old towels or blankets can't be secured with tape, which is essential.
Invest in the proper tools and you won't be sorry!
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