4 Tips For Packing And Moving Fragile Items
In many cases, packing and moving fragile items is one of the most difficult parts of a home move. However, there are a few easy tricks that can help you move breakable items without incident. Here are four tips that can help you successfully move fragile household items.
Use Corrugated Boxes
For small, breakable items such as dishes and lamps, it is important to choose boxes that can provide adequate support. Even if you have correctly packed your items, your efforts will be in vain if the bottom falls out of a box while you are carrying it. Corrugated boxes that are commonly used for shipping are the best option to prevent this disaster.
Corrugated boxes are made from vertical columns of corrugated paper between two layers of cardboard. These columns create pockets of air that protect the items inside the box from impact damage much more effectively than standard cardboard boxes. Additionally, the columns improve the stacking strength of corrugated boxes, making it less likely that a box will collapse and items will fall if you stack multiple boxes.
Fill All Empty Spaces
The best way to prevent fragile items from breaking while they are being transported is to limit the amount of space they have to move around in. This means you should fill all empty spaces in every box before placing them on the moving truck. Bubble wrap, blankets, and blank newsprint make excellent packing materials for fragile items.
You should use a layered approach with your packing material to optimally protect your fragile belongings. First, place a layer of packing material in the bottom of the box. Next, wrap each item that will be placed in the box individually and pack them into the box as close together as possible. Finally, fill the edges of the box and any empty space between items with packing material and place one more layer of packing material on top of your items.
Take Care When Packing Fragile Furniture
Fragile furniture such as glass cabinets pose unique challenges when it comes to moving. To minimize the chances of damage, the first thing you should do is disassemble fragile furniture as much as possible. Remove legs, removable drawers, and any other pieces that could trip you up while carrying the item or that could fall out and break.
Never attempt to carry any item that is fragile and heavy on your own, even if you think it is within your strength to do so. Have someone help you, and consider using lifting straps or a harness to further reduce the chances of dropping your valuable furniture. Once your fragile furniture is on the moving truck, you should cover it with a blanket and secure it with ratcheting straps to keep it safe on the way to your new home.
Place Tape on Glass to Minimize Shatter
No matter how careful you are, there is still the chance that an accident can happen. Taking extra precautions to protect yourself in the event that glass breaks can allow you to avoid serious injury and speed up the moving process by eliminating the need to clean up broken glass.
Glass drawers, picture frames, and other large glass items that can shatter should be taped before you attempt to remove them. Placing masking tape on the glass in a star pattern will contain much of the shatter if an item is dropped or bumped against a wall while you move it.
Moving fragile household items doesn't have to be a risky business. If you keep these tips in mind, you will greatly improve the chances that all of your breakable items make it to your new home in one piece.
For more tips, or for professional assistance, contact some local moving companies in your area.