Top Tips for Packing Fragile Items When Moving

Moving is an exciting time. You get to pack all your belongings into boxes and carefully move them across town or across the country. This is a great opportunity to eliminate the clutter that you really don’t need. You may be surprised at how much difference this makes to your moving time and costs. 

Of course, the really exciting part is arriving at your new home and settling in. unfortunately, this can be quickly tainted if your fragile items arrive broken. 

That’s why you need to use these tips:

Prepare First

The first step in packing fragile items is to be prepared. That means taking a look at everything that needs to be packed and working out what is fragile and where it can go. Some fragile items will need to go into their own box, others can share.

Work out which is which, what box they will go in, and get any special boxes you need to accommodate specific sizes and shapes. It helps to have this ready before you start packing.  You should also consult cross country moving companies to help you prepare and make the whole process of moving easier.

Use Padding In Boxes

The key to getting your fragile items to the new place in one piece is to have plenty of padding. Your fragile items should not be able to move inside the box. This dramatically reduces the likelihood of damage. 

However, that doesn’t mean they have to reach to the edge of the box, this will increase the likelihood of damage from stab injuries. That’s when something else penetrates the box. 

Padding fragile items all the way around them reduces the likelihood of breakage.

Add data Loggers

You need to invest in some data loggers. These are effective stickers that attach to the box. They are color-coded and pre-set to specific conditions. For example, the temperature logger will be set to a defined temperature range. If the temperature goes outside the range the sticker will change color, telling you the temperature range has been exceeded and the item may be damaged. 

Other loggers can tell you if a parcel has been dropped or suffered an excessive impact. This allows you to challenge the transport company. In fact, having data loggers on your parcels tends to make the shipping company more careful with the items. 

Label Packages

If you’re moving then you need to label each box. It helps to ensure it ends up in the right room and makes it easier to unpack and get sorted. However, alongside the room sticker, you need to add a fragile sticker to all boxes with fragile items in. 

This highlights the issue and encourages everyone to be more careful.

Check the Company

The above precautions are essential but it can also help to check the transport company you intend to use. A quick check on social media will give you a good idea of whether they have a good track record with fragile items or not. Don’t be afraid to pay a little extra for the best possible service. It is, after all, your personal belongings.