Shipping delicate items is challenging as they can easily break. Whether running an online store or sending a single product, taking precautions when transporting fragile items is crucial. Minimizing the risk of damage during transit is essential, and careful packing is key to ensuring safe delivery. Below we offer some tips to help you package and unpack your delicate items safely in the moving process.
What Packing Supplies Should You Gather?
Properly packing delicate items requires gathering the necessary packing supplies without compromising on quality or resorting to shortcuts that could make your items vulnerable to harm. To ensure that your items are well-protected, you will need to collect various materials, including scissors, bubble wrap, foam peanuts, packing paper, masking tape, and stretch film.
Professional moving companies recommend using bubble mailers for only slightly fragile items. However, using sturdier packing supplies, such as a robust cardboard box, is important for more delicate items. When selecting a container for delicate items, ensure it is big enough to accommodate both the item and the padding material.
Professional movers recommend adding more padding for extra protection when moving long distances. Avoiding damage during transit is crucial, so it's essential to pack carefully and ensure the proper fit of the box to keep delicate items secure. This is because the farther an item travels, the more it is handled, increasing the likelihood of adverse weather conditions or accidental drops that can lead to damage.
How to Pack Your Items Properly
As many interstate movers and professional moving services will advise, the initial step is to envelop the item in a layer of bubble wrap and secure it with tape. You can then add an extra layer of bubble wrap and a covering of stretch film to seal the package. You may need to include foam peanuts or packing paper inside hollow items.
It's essential to avoid wrapping your item too tightly, as this can subject it to undue pressure that may result in breakage. You may require additional padding on the corners for items with sharp edges, such as jewelry chests or picture frames. When packing multiple items in one box, wrap each item separately. Consider enclosing them in plastic bags, especially when traveling through regions with inclement weather. This technique is recommended by long-distance moving services to provide additional protection against moisture and other external factors that can damage delicate items.
How to Box the Item Appropriately
Proper boxing is one of the most effective ways to ensure the safety of your item during transportation. Ideally, packing services and long-distance movers would recommend centering the item as much as possible inside the box. Arrange your items to minimize movement during transit as much as possible.
Next, use packing tape to seal the box securely. A professional moving company typically uses the H-tape method, which involves running tape strips along the middle seam of the box and the open edges. Once the box is sealed, use a black marker pen to mark it as fragile. Ensure the writing is clear and visible from all sides and the top of the box so that interstate moving companies and local movers can easily see it from any angle. You may also want to indicate if the package should remain upright during transit.
Best Time to Ship Your Package
Blaming mishandling for damaged, fragile items during transit may seem like an easy explanation. However, most professionals in the moving industry would attest that mishandling is not the sole cause of damage. In most cases, commercial movers take great care when handling your cargo.
Transit damage can be caused by inclement weather, increasing the likelihood of cardboard box degradation. Precipitation such as snow and rain can contribute to this and extreme weather conditions.
While you may not have control over the shipping timeline, checking the weather forecast beforehand is advisable. Whenever possible, avoid shipping your items during severe weather, as it could compromise the integrity of the package.
Why You Should Insure Your Items
Despite taking necessary precautions, package safety can still be compromised during delivery. To reduce this risk, consider purchasing insurance that covers the content's value. This way, the company will compensate you for the item in case of unforeseeable circumstances.
Find a Reliable Courier
Researching and carefully selecting the relocation services that best suit your needs is important. For many people, opting for the services of a full-service moving company is preferred as they possess the necessary experience to pack and unpack items with care and often offer storage services as well.
Proper packing and unpacking of fragile items ensure safe delivery. Trusting a reputable moving company like Cavalier Moving in Henrico, VA, is important for professional and careful handling. This gives peace of mind that items will arrive securely at their destination.