Each home has too many delicate and fragile items – chinaware, glassware, and other breakable kitchenware, as well as electronic devices, mirrors, lamps, and framed artwork.
When a house move is imminent, the crucial question of How do you pack fragile items to move becomes the center of attention.
You can expose fragile items to danger by packing them for a move. Your mission is to find those dangers and eliminate them using your packing skills.
These are 10 tips to help you pack fragile items when moving.
1. INVENTORY fragile items
Moving fragile items will require a different packing experience from packing clothes for a move. It wouldn’t fall if you dropped something on the ground. It’s possible for your clothes to get wrinkled during a house move. Let’s face the truth, this is something that you can fix with a little bit of extra effort and an iron.
It can be time-consuming to pack breakable items for moving. You will need plenty of packing supplies to ensure good results. You can reduce packing time and cut down on packing costs by taking inventory of all fragile items in your home, including china dishes, glass, electronic devices, picture frames, and artwork, as well as any other fragile items.
Go through all your fragile items and determine if you have any that aren’t worth packing or moving. Do not make packing more difficult for yourself. If you haven’t used any breakable items in over a year, you might be better off selling, gifting, or throwing them out.
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2. Get the PACKING SUPPLIES
It should be obvious that packing breakables for a move will require a lot of packing materials. It is crucial that you protect fragile items during a house move. However, it is more important to pack them with the right materials.
You must first make sure you have the right packing materials for the job.
- Cardboard boxes. It is best to buy the boxes brand new. You can still get your moving boxes free of charge if they are sturdy, clean, and dry.
- Packing paper. You will need soft wrapping paper to protect your fragile items. Make sure you have enough.
- Bubble wrap. Bubble wrap is the best protection for fragile and easily broken items. Use as much bubble wrap as you can.
You know that fragile items should be packed in sturdy cardboard boxes. As an additional safety measure, you can inspect all cardboard containers and make sure they are free from any structural damage.
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3. As an initial protective layer, use PACKING PAPER
It is important to not underestimate the versatility and protective power of packing paper. The ink-free newsprint papers you have purchased can be used intelligently to provide excellent protection for your home’s breakable items.
The soft packing paper can be used for wrapping and also fill in any spaces within the cardboard boxes.
- When packing fragile items for a move, packing paper should always be your first line of defense.
ADD some crumpled packing papers to the bottom of each box before you fill it with fragile items. You’ll be able to create a solid padding layer that will absorb any vibrations and hits during the actual move. Plain newspapers can be used for packing to save money. - WRAP delicate items should always be wrapped in soft packing paper, and then secured with tape. Wrapping paper protects delicate surfaces and cushions any adverse forces during transit.
- INSERT any leftover packing paper into the boxes to stop fragile items from moving. Be aware that any movement inside cardboard containers could cause damage to your fragile items.
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4. BUBBLE WRAP is a great way to save your breakables
Bubble wrap is the best choice for protecting fragile items when moving.
The best protection for fragile things is provided by the air-filled plastic wrap. It’s not a secret that too much bubble wrap can cause damage to your valuables.
It can sometimes be confusing to know when to use paper and bubble wrap.
- Remember to use bubble wrapping as a second layer of protection over the first one made from packing paper. Bubble wrap can leave marks on delicate surfaces or trap moisture which can lead to damage to fragile items.
- WRAP delicate sections and elements are protected with bubble wrap. These extra fragile parts include stems for your stemware glasses, glass figurines, and glass segments such as doors, panels shelves, etc.
- Use small pieces of tape to seal the bubble-wrapped bundles.
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5. As an additional safety measure, use proper labeling
It may seem unnecessary to label all fragile items boxes. You won’t remember where they were packed. Even if you have a good memory, it is not about remembering which cardboard boxes contain fragile items. It’s more about reminding those who will be handling the containers to be safer when lifting, carrying, and loading your fragile possessions.
A red marker is fine, but a black marker will also work. Use the marker to write FRAGILE and TAKE CARE on both sides of each box. To make it easier to unpack, you can also indicate the contents and the destination room.
WINE GLASSES, KITCHEN EXTRA FRAGILE is a good example of how to properly label fragile items.
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6. How to pack GLASSES and DISHES for moving
You’ll soon discover that your kitchen is the most difficult room to pack and organize once you have started the home packing process.
Your packing skills will be tested when you pack kitchen plates and glasses. There are a few things you should remember when packing crystal glasses and china plates for a move.
- Make BUBBLE WRAP your most trusted assistant when packing fragile things.
Use dish containers whenever you can. These cardboard boxes, also known as dish packs or dish boxes, have thicker walls that provide better protection for glassware and chinaware. Standard cardboard boxes can be re-taped and filled with padding material. - Set up your kitchen as a packing station. Place the large stack of packing papers in the middle.
- WRAP china plates are wrapped in 2-3 sheets of packing paper, just like wrapping a gift. For extra protection, you can place paper plates between chinaware pieces that are breakable. Bubble wrap can be added to protect sentimental or more costly sets.
- ARRANGE The packed kitchen plates are placed sideways in the boxes.
- FILM IN Cover the glasses and cups in the paper, then wrap each one individually in wrapping paper. Bubble wrap can be used to protect all glass stems.
- ARRANGE The wrapped-up cups and glasses in pre-cushioned packaging boxes.
How do you pack your dishes for a move? How do you pack glasses for a move
7. How to pack ELECTRONICS when moving
The majority of electronic devices in your house – computers and monitors, printers scanners, scanners audio systems, home theatre systems, gaming consoles, and so on – are electronic. These items are fragile and can be damaged during a house move. Your mission now is to safely pack your electronics after you have packed your belongings.
- BACK-UP all digital data before you pack up your electronic devices. The most important files should be transferred to USB memory sticks, external hard drives, or online storage (cloud storage).
- PREPARE the boxes in which to pack your electronics. You should keep the original boxes your devices arrived in when you bought them. This will ensure that you get the best results. You can use standard cardboard boxes of the correct size and enough padding if you don’t want to keep them.
- Take photos of how your electronic devices are wired before you disconnect them. The cables should be labeled and then organized using zip ties.
- POSITION cardboard pieces are placed over sensitive screens and other fragile areas.
- WRAP Pack your electronic devices first with packing paper, then use BUBBLE WRAP for the most delicate areas.
- Use soft protective blankets, (furniture covers) to protect your electronics from the elements.
How to pack fragile electronics when moving
- How to pack your MIRRORS and PICTURES for moving
Fragile items in your home or apartment are a good example of how to pack them. It’s not enough to take your framed photos and paintings off the walls and put them in a box.
These tips will help you pack fragile art, i.e., mirrors and frames, for safe moving.
- PREPARE to Use the right boxes to protect your paintings and framed photos during the move. Buy special picture moving boxes made from thicker and stronger cardboard if possible. Picture boxes can also be used to protect framed items by being fitted snugly around them.
- Use large tables as packing stations. You can also pack your frames directly on the floor.
- Apply a piece of painter’s tape to the glass sections of your mirrors, paintings, or framed photos. In order to prevent the glass from breaking during the haul, the X should extend from corner to corner diagonally.
- POSITION cardboard cut-outs placed over broken glass sections. These are roughly the same size as the frame. You’ll be able to protect your frames better.
- PACK wrap each frame in large sheets of packing paper and then use bubble wrap to seal the edges. This is especially important for more expensive artwork.
- Add sufficient padding to each picture box to ensure that your pictures, paintings, and mirrors don’t move during the move.
How to pack images and paintings
9. How to pack lamps for moving
Although you may not be aware of it, many lamps in your home, including table and floor lamps are also fragile and breakable. You may already have decided to move the majority of them. This makes How to Pack Lamps for a Move more urgent than ever.
Lamps can be fragile, but their irregular and fragile shape makes packing them even more difficult. It is important to pack lampshades and lampshades when you are moving.
- It’s important that you label correctly all boxes that contain fragile items.
USE The original boxes that your lamps were shipped in. You won’t be able to keep them so take regular cardboard boxes of the right size, reinforce the bottom with tape, and place bubble wrap or crumpled paper on the bottom. - DISASSEMBLE Carefully inspect your lamps. You will need to determine the model and make sure you remove the lampshade. Next, remove the harp, which is the U-shaped or plastic frame, and then unscrew the lightbulb. Sometimes you will need to remove the socket to access the lampshade.
- SECUREKeep your lamp cord safe. It is possible to tie it with a cable tie, or simply wrap it around the base.
- WRAPcover the lamp base, harp, and lampshade with several sheets of packing paper. Then, wrap it with bubble wrap to ensure maximum protection.
- TRANSFER the lamp’s base, its harp, and its lampshade are placed in a pre-padded cardboard container. Then, fill any gaps with paper (newsprint works well).
- LABEL the box and mark it FRAGILE.
10. How to pack MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS for moving
You must be aware of the value of any musical instruments you have in your home. You don’t want a musical instrument to be damaged by improper packing and handling.
- PACK small musical instruments in hard cases or well-padded bags designed for them. It’s a good idea if you don’t already have an appropriate instrument case to buy one at your local music shop. If this is not possible, you can use a sturdy cardboard box that is the right size and add sufficient padding.
- LEAVE Larger musical instruments such as a Hammond organ or piano to the care and attention of professional pianist movers. Due to the sheer size and weight of pianos, and even smaller uprights, moving a piano by yourself is very dangerous. Add to that the sentimental value of a piano, as well as the risk of injury and property damage, and you will soon realize why it is so important to hire professionals to do the job safely and efficiently.
- MOVE You can always take your smaller instruments in your vehicle.
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