Some people are quite obsessed with their packing. They want to make sure all the goods which can be easily broken are packed to perfection so that no items are lost while moving from one home to another. They are gently and neatly packed with extra care. This article will help you to pack your fragile goods to perfection.
Bubble Wrap is widely used to pack fragile items but that’s not enough to save them from turning into little pieces. Some items may also contain an emotional attachment as you might have a memory with it like, who might have gifted it to you or on what occasion was that specific item was used. It could be disheartening if such an item breaks.
Following is a how-to list and the things you need for packing your fragile goods.
Boxes
Get more boxes than you think you will need. The reason being is that it’s better not to pack them bulging out of boxes. Ensure you get various sizes; this helps the movers while moving your things from one point to the other. Consider getting boxes from the shoebox to 2 x 2 feet. Also use bubble wrap, newspaper and packing tape on each fragile item, wherever possible.
Pillows and Blankets
Any fragile items, irrespective of the size, requires proper care while being packed. Place a blanket at the bottom of the box and place the item that is well wrapped in bubble sheets. And place a pillow on the top. Ensure to minimalize the movement of the items, as much as possible.
Glass Cutlery
Cellular inserts are the dividers that are kept inside the boxes to separate the little fragile glassware. The good news is you need not think too much if you can’t get these cellular inserts. The trick is simple – make it double. Make sure everything is packed with 2 layers of packing materials. Use newspapers to fill in the hollow fragile items such as the bowls or vases, socks and other small clothes such as handkerchief can be a replacement to the newspaper here. Never combine the items while packing, keep them individually packed and set aside in the boxes.
Flat Items
Every flat fragile item like plates and photo frames must be wrapped in paper and followed by bubble wrap and stacked vertically in the boxes. Again, layer the box with bubble wrap on all sides and its better to have a blanket below to arrest the movement of the plates and frames.
Shake The Items
Once you have packed them all, tight and secure, shake them once. if you can hear the items rattle, your packing is still insufficient for the fragile items to be safe. Ensure there is not much sound heard that ensures the fragile products are kept intact.
Musical Instruments
Musical instruments too are fragile, irrespective of their size. If they are stringed instruments, ensure they are detuned. For guitars be it may a bass guitar or acoustic guitar, violins, and similar instruments, get a case humidifier to avoid any damage while transporting it. Ensure its plectrums are packed in the case itself. Do not separate the parts of the instruments in different boxes. Keep the extra strings, plectrums, and the belts preferably all in the same case.
Paintings
Wrap a cellophane sheet over the paintings first. Sometimes the print on the newspaper gets imprinted on the painting if it does not have glass protection. Place the paintings between two cardboard sheets. Then wrap the entire piece like a present. It does not matter if you use extra sheets of newspaper to wrap them a couple of times. Tape the painting in a circular motion of full circles. Ensure the entire painting fits into one box. Layer the box with bubble wrap before and after you place the painting inside the box. Repeat these steps until you pack all the paintings and ensure they are placed horizontally.
Mark The Packages
Every box needs to have these markings mandatorily. An upward arrow mark: this states that the box shouldn’t be toppled in any other way. A list of what are the contents inside the box. This would help you while you unbox the items. Most important, stick a paper on the box and write in bold and in uppercase stating “FRAGILE”. This is for the movers. They need not read the different writings on all boxes that are going to be similar, to identify which are the items that are fragile and which are not. Make it easy for them and for you as well to identify the boxes which require extra care.