8 Tips for Packing Fragile Items

Moving with fragile items needs to be done carefully. Professional movers and packers are usually hired because of this reason. Their expertise and their equipment allow them to pack and move fragile items safely from one place to another. If you do this job on your own, chances of damage and breakage are higher. However, if you feel confident enough to do the job yourself, you can follow these tips to avoid breaking your fragile and expensive items.

What is included in the fragile items category?

Movers and packers charge an extra amount if there are lots of fragile items to be moved. These fragile items include:

• Electronics such as TVs and stereo sets.
• Glassware in your kitchen.
• Ceramic and mud pots and planters.
• Glass Top countertops and coffee tables.
• Picture frames and artworks.
• Dressing tables and wardrobes attached with mirrors.
• Wall mirrors and ceramic toiletries like soap dispensers and fancy shampoo bottles.

Packing and moving these items requires special skills and good quality moving supplies.

Here are 8 moving tips to help you move these fragile items easily:

Tip 1: All about moving boxes

When it comes to fragile items, your moving boxes have to hold to every standard. If they break open during packing or worse, during transit, the damages can go into thousands. If there are antiques involved, you can only imagine the sentimental and monetary losses that you will incur.

• Ensure that the moving boxes are large enough to fit the items they are meant to contain.
• They should be made out of sturdy material.
• The bottoms of the moving boxes should be taped using duct tape to ensure that it does not come apart while moving or loading.
• There shouldn’t be any extra space in the moving box. Fill the remaining space with packing peanuts. Ensure that items like plates and old books are oriented properly inside the box.
• Add an extra padding on the walls of the moving box using newspaper or packing sheet.

Tip 2: Place heavier items at the bottom

Ensure that the packing is done in orderly fashion. Place the heavier items at the bottom and follow this system whenever you are packing light and fragile items. Also, it is important that the base is strong and wide enough for the items placed on top. To ensure that nothing moves inside the box, you can fill the remaining space with newspaper or packing peanuts.

Tip 3: Place plates in a vertical position and glasses with separators

All china and glass plates should be placed in a vertical fashion stacked against each other. Pack each plate in a newspaper or packing sheet before stacking them like this. For glasses, wrap them individually and fill the insides with crumpled newspaper. Place them next to each other but add a cardboard separator in between. This adds an extra layer of protection and keeps them in place during long distance moves.

Tip 4: Disassemble if you can

If the fragile items you are dealing with can be disassembled, make sure that you follow that route. This is especially true for coffee tables and side tables that have glass tops. If the glass can be removed, put it away and wrap it in a packing sheet. There are moving boxes that are supposed to store and move large mirrors and glasses. Use these to keep the glass tops safe. Add an extra layer of padding using newspapers although these moving boxes are already padded. There are plenty of moving tips that you can find online that’ll guide you on how to disassemble particular items.

Tip 5: Label the boxes

Labelling helps in a lot of different ways. It keeps the moving organised and helps you keep a track of your belongings. If your boxes are labelled properly, you can unpack these fragile items before everything else so that they are placed in their proper position. It helps reduce the risks of storing them in a box for too long. Labelled boxes also allow you keep the heavy items away from the fragile items during the loading and moving process.

Tip 6: All about packing TVs

Flat screen TVs are expensive and can get easily damaged during the move. To ensure that they are safe, ensure that:

• Start off the packing by unplugging the TV and placing it on the floor carefully.
• Wrap the TV with good quality packing sheets or newspapers.
• If you have the TV box, you can use that to pack the TV. If not, use a new TV moving box. Make sure that you add lots of paper before placing the TV inside the box.
• You can also add an extra layer of bubble wrap around the TV.
• After you place the TV inside the box, add packing peanuts to fill the empty spaces.
• Close the box and tape it securely. Add an extra round of tape at the bottom.
• Label the box so that you or the movers and packers know what’s inside it.
• Do not keep anything on top of this box during loading or unloading.

Tip 7: Moving tips for glasses and crockery

A strong and good quality box is a must for fragile kitchenware. Movers and packers always take extra precaution and use the best boxes for these small and fragile articles. Always fill the empty spaces with newspaper or packing peanuts. Ceramics and other decorative items with different shapes and sizes should be packed separately from everything else. If they have weird corners sticking out. Add some tape and crumpled paper to it.

Tip 8: Moving tips for picture frames

Any good movers in Dubai would tell you that the best way to pack pictures and artworks is to invest in padded moving boxes. Add an extra layer of protection using cardboard in front of the artwork. Small pictures and table picture frames can be packed with other items or between blankets and pillows. However, make sure that these boxes are labelled properly so that you know where to find them afterwards. Finally, ensure that you hire packers and movers who are experienced and offer good quality of service.