Packing fragile items for moving

When you’re moving home, the last thing you want is for any of your fragile items to break or when you start to unpack and discover one of your prized possessions in a million pieces.

There are some great ways to pack the fragile items, from choosing the correct boxes to simply wrapping them in bubble wrap. This post will give you some handy tips on how to pack fragile items for moving to get them from A to B, safe and sound.

Choose the right packing materials

Before anything can be packed, you’re going to need a range of packing materials for fragile items, to protect them during transit. Some items are going to need more protection than others, especially glassware such as wine glasses and champagne flutes. These are some of the best packing materials for fragile items to reduce the chance of any breakages:

• Boxes (cardboard or plastic)
• Bubblewrap
• Packing “peanuts”
• Packing paper
• Tape

Plan ahead

Packing fragile items for moving can be really easy if you plan ahead and prepare for what needs to be wrapped up and protected. For example, if you are packing multiple wine glasses, try and source boxes which have separators designed to limit movement and prevent them from crashing together (wine bottle boxes will do the trick). You will also want to invest in quality bubble wrap to wrap around the most valuable fragile items.

Choose the right boxes

The right boxes can make a huge difference when it comes to moving fragile items. Try and opt for boxes that have a solid base, and if you can’t get any, be sure to tape all openings at the bottom to prevent the box splitting. Alternatively, you could use plastic storage boxes.

Get creative

If you’re low on bubble wrap it’s time to get creative and wrap delicate items in soft clothing. This will free up space and time as it will mean you’re packing your clothes too! If you go down this route, be sure to use a marker and label the box. The last thing you want to do is forget and unroll your jumper for your favourite glasses to fall and break.

It’s not just glass that breaks

It’s really important to remember that it’s not just glassware and ceramics which are fragile, you will also need to think about other things such as televisions, laptops or computers.

If you’ve kept any of the original boxes for these, it’s recommended that you dig them out and use those. However, if you don’t have these, try and find boxes where all of these items can be packed separately (don’t put your computer screen in the same box as the television). You should also put any cables and remotes in a separate box to avoid plugs from hitting screens during transit – remember to label the boxes with which device the cables belong to. Still unsure about how to pack your TV? Our handy blog post on packing this important device away will help.

Below is our list of fragile items to keep an eye out for when packing:

• Glasses – It’s no surprise that drinking glasses are fragile, they break easily at the best of times let alone packing in a box and going on a drive. To prevent any breaks, wrap each glass individually with paper or bubble wrap and either fill the box so there’s no movement or place packing paper between them.
• Plates – Again, these can be easily broken on a day to day basis, so just like glasses, you want to wrap each plate and bowl separately and pack in between each layer.
• Picture frames – Use a box that allows the frames to stand up and place packing paper in between each frame. If you want to lay them down, you should add more packing paper in between them as the weight will slowly start to build on the bottom frame.

What to consider when packing fragile items

Some people get very creative when it comes to packing by using newspapers, bed sheets and towels – but there are some downsides to doing this. We recommend that you don’t use bed sheets or towels to line boxes as they don’t offer any grip and this will cause objects to slip during transit. You should also be wary about what you wrap in newspaper; you may find some of the ink transfers on to your items! Instead, try and invest in proper packing materials. They will give you the best quality and ensure you’ve done all you can to reduce the chance of anything getting broken.

Stay organised

If you don’t think your new place is your forever home, don’t be too hasty in throwing away your boxes. Instead store them away so that when the time comes to pack again, you’re ready and prepared.

Also, if you find yourself with more stuff than you have room for at your new place, don’t be quick to throw anything away to make room. You can safely store your belongings in a self-storage unit. Check out our personal storage solutions today.