Tips To Protect Your Fragile Or Valuable Items When Moving

Moving is always a stressful time for everyone involved. However, by following these simple steps, you can make the process smoother. Protect the things you care about most by packaging them in the best way possible.

Think Like Goldilocks: Not Too Small, But Not Too Big

Moving heavy, fragile items such as furniture is daunting. There are many ways to do it, but the best way is to use smaller boxes for heavy items. Smaller boxes are safer because they are easier to carry and take up less storage space. They will also be easier to move around when you need to rearrange your house.

The majority of damage that occurs during the moving process comes from people accidentally dropping or knocking over the furniture while carrying it. This usually happens when the item is too heavy or awkwardly shaped for them or too many people trying to move it at once. Smaller boxes will reduce the risk of this happening because it limits how much weight one person can carry at a time.

Just The Right Thickness

When choosing your packing material, the first consideration is to determine how heavy your items are to get the right size of box.

The packing materials used should be sturdy and reliable. You don't want to use flimsy boxes as they may break during the move. Look for thicker cardboard boxes, especially for heavier or fragile items.

To Store or Not To Store?

If you are moving within the same city, try to take as much of your furniture with you as possible. This will save on rental fees and help reduce the amount of furniture that needs to be placed in storage or sold off. If you are moving across state lines or internationally, then it is best to put all of your belongings into storage until you arrive at your destination.

Tape It Up

When packing, it is important to secure the bottom of the cardboard box with extra tape strips. This will prevent the box from breaking at the bottom and will ensure the contents do not get damaged. The extra tape will also help support the box better, keeping it from bowing under the weight of its contents. This is an essential step to protect your boxes and other fragile items inside when packing or moving.

If you have old boxes from a previous move, you can use tape to reassemble them, saving you from having to buy new boxes.

Use Soft Packing Materials To Protect Items

When moving, use soft packing material to protect your furniture, breakables, and valuables from potential damage.

You can also use soft packing material to layer the bottom of the box to protect it from rough surfaces.

Use bubble wrap, packing paper, foam, styrofoam peanuts, or even towels to cushion the bottom of the box. Here's a breakdown of uses of different packing materials;

• Packing paper can be used for books and other flat objects. 
• Bubble wrap is best for small breakable items like vases or champagne glasses. 
• Foam is better for fragile items that are not easily breakable, like bowls and dishes. 
• Styrofoam peanuts are great for oversized items like furniture. 
• Towels work well for things you want to keep clean, like clothes or linens.

How To Pack A Box Like A Boss

This section will cover the basics of packing a box. You will learn how to layer all of the items from biggest to smallest to ensure the base of the box is supported and smaller/more delicate items won't get crushed.

First, start by placing any large items on the bottom. These could be large-scale objects such as lamps, cookware, small appliances, etc., that need a lot of packing space. 

Next, place any smaller items on top of these larger ones, so they are not crushed in transit. Fill the surrounding space with packing materials such as peanuts, foam, towels, or bubble wrap.

Be sure to keep fragile items separate from your other household items to prevent damage to both. Always put them in an appropriate container and wrap them in bubble wrap before placing them in the box. 

Finally, seal up your box with packing tape and label it with not only its contents but also its destination address.

Still Nervous About Packing Your Fragile Items? Let Us Do It!

We are experts in moving and have successfully moved thousands of people from their homes or offices, so we know just how to get it done. Give us a call if you are interested in receiving a quote.