Guide to Packing Fragile Items for Moving

The last thing you want when you’re packing boxes for fragile items is to find that at the other end of your journey, something has broken. This is especially true of fragile items that have emotional significance. You might be packing glassware, packing antiques, packing dishes or even packing paintings. Whatever you’re packing, you will need to know of the best way to pack fragile items for moving – unless you hire a company for packing and unpacking fragile items for moving to ensure it’s all done with the correct packing material for fragile items. Whether you’re moving locally or moving interstate, taking time to get your head around packing techniques will save you time and stress down the track. Alternatively, hiring packers and unpackers is also a smart move. You can also save money when moving interstate by using backloading.

What Packaging Materials Do You Use for Fragile Items? 

When you’re choosing a packing material for fragile items, the purpose is to find materials that protect your items by providing a buffer around them, preventing breakage. Good candidates for wrapping fragile items include newspaper and bubble wrap. The important thing to note is that you need to secure the wrap or newspaper with tape so it stays in place when you’re boxing up your items. Also ensure that when packing fragile items for moving, you fill the box with packing materials so your belongings don’t move around and get bumped against the sides of the box or against other items in the box.

How Do You Ship Fragile Glass Items?

The best way to pack fragile items for moving or shipping when they’re made from glass is to use plenty of packing materials and fill the box up with bubble wrap to reduce movement of the item in the box. You should also make sure you have insurance to cover your fragile items should the worst happen and something breaks. 

How Do You Package Heavy Fragile Items? 

Here are some tips on how to package heavy fragile items for moving:

• Leave a 2-inch buffer of space filled with packing material around the border of the box, cushioning the contents
• Ensure the box is strong enough for what you’re putting inside it, preventing the contents bursting through the bottom when the box is moved
• Not sure of the strength of your box? Double box the contents
• Large bubble wrap is ideal for heavy fragile items, while packing peanuts tend to crush easily and aren’t such a good option

How Do I Protect My Mirrors When I Move? 

A mirror box is a strong box made up of separate bits of cardboard that work together to create a customisable protective cardboard layer. They can fit mirrors of varying sizes. To get yourself a mirror box, check out home improvement stores or local moving companies. You can also use painter’s tape to secure the mirror face in an X or crosshatch pattern. Next, wrap with brown paper and bubble wrap. Ensure you mark the package with ‘fragile’ and ‘handle with care’. 

How Do You Pack Pottery for Moving? 

You can pack pottery like other fragile items – using bubble wrap securely kept in place by packing tape. Be wary of transporting pottery inside other pottery without having wrapping material in between, as this can lead to breakage. Also ensure you leave a perimeter of packing material in your box to cushion the contents.