Tips for packing fragile items

When you’re relocating, there are a lot of things you need to do before moving day rolls around. But among them, there’s no task more important than packing. If you pack all of your items well, moving day isn’t much more than a formality. But if you don’t do this well, you risk damaging some of your most important possessions. That’s why you need to learn everything you can about packing fragile items. And that’s exactly what our professional movers have decided to help you with! So scroll down, and enjoy the tips we’ve prepared for you.

Packing fragile items isn’t easy

Okay, let’s be honest here – packing is one of those skills everyone thinks they have. But in reality, most people don’t, and they end up searching moving FAQs online. And unfortunately, many realize that when it’s too late when mistakes have already been made. But we’re here to tell you everything about packing fragile items on time, so you don’t have to learn it the hard way.

You need to know exactly what you’re packing

Before you do anything else, you’ll need to have all the important information. This will allow you to make further plans about packing fragile items and the rest of your stuff. So, for starters – you’ll need to make an inventory of your household. And don’t do this superficially either – from top to bottom, go through your home and list the items you’re taking with you. By the time you’re done, you’ll have a detailed list of everything you need to pack. This way, you’ll know if you need any storage services right away.

And then, you can proceed to note which of those items on your list are especially fragile. These will require more attention than the rest, and you’ll need to put more thought into their packing. So make note of stuff like your lamps, television sets, and other breakable electronics. There’s also all the glassware and kitchen items that can easily break.

Give yourself all the time in the world

Now that you’ve found out which of your items are the most fragile, you know what to expect. And then you can proceed with packing them. There’s one basic thing you need to realize about packing early on – it will take more time than you think. So make sure you don’t leave this task for the last minute. And bear in mind that the timing here is tricky. At the same time, you don’t want to leave this for later on, but also, you need most of your stuff for day-to-day use. So, you can’t just pack up your entire home weeks in advance.

The solution here is to do your packing in stages. So, go through that inventory you’ve made! Think about what items you won’t be using much in the time up until moving day. Then, start packing fragile items you won’t need in the coming weeks, and other things you won’t be using. And as your relocation progresses, pack the rest as well. By the time your moving company arrives to load everything on their van, you’ll basically only have to pack the most essential stuff you use every day. Trust us – this is much easier than leaving everything for one day of packing.

You’ll need plenty of space

When you’re packing, one of the most common pieces of advice out there is to pack your boxes to the brim. That way, no matter how the boxes are handled, the stuff inside won’t rattle around and break or be damaged. And while that might be true when you’re packing everyday stuff – if you’re packing fragile items, that’s not really the case.

For one, fragile items like LCD screens or thin lamp stands often have awkward shapes for packing. And when you’re boxing them up, you’ll find that you can’t really place them in ordinary boxes with other items. In fact, many fragile items will require their own containers, with plenty of packing protection.

Using the right supplies

Speaking of boxes and protection – using quality moving supplies is paramount to packing fragile items. While supplies of lesser quality will do for packing everyday items, you simply don’t want to risk this with breakable items. So, remember to get:

• Protection for packing fragile items: While you can protect less important items can with crumpled up paper, we don’t recommend doing this with breakable stuff. You can save money in other ways – but here, really try to use quality foam supplies for packing protection.
• Quality moving boxes – Don’t skimp on moving boxes either. You might be tempted to just use old used boxes from nearby liquor stores – but then you risk them ripping apart in transit.
• Labeling is key – Once you’re done with the packing, make sure you label those boxes as fragile in a really visible way. Markers, huge stickers, whatever you can – just make sure the movers you hire know what they’re handling. And put ‘fragile’ labels on all sides of the boxes – you never know which way the box will be facing!

Pay attention to each individual item

As we’ve already mentioned, there are numerous reasons why packing fragile items is a tricky business. For one, these items tend to have shapes that don’t lend themselves to easy packing. And that’s why you’ll need to show special attention to each kind of item. Unfortunately, there’s no catch-all packing technique that you can use for every fragile item out there.

For example, you’ll need to pack lamp shades separately each time and fill them with lots of crumpled paper. This way, they won’t lose their form or shape. Glass cups and bottles, on the other hand, you’ll need to place in boxes with cardboard separators. As you can see, every item will require a different technique – but in the end, they’ll be safe in transport!