There’s nothing worse than opening a box of beloved family photos or heirloom china and seeing that it’s been shattered into a hundred pieces. To prevent that from happening on your move, here are 10 packing tips for breakables that’ll keep your items all in one piece.
Did you know that almost 15% of Americans move each year? While moving is exciting, the process can be daunting. If you’re someone who has a lot of fragile items to pack, the tedious task of packing can become overwhelming.
We’ve all seen funny movies where boxes that are labeled fragile get tossed around like a basketball. Although this doesn’t happen so much in real life, accidents happen all the time. In order to protect your valuables, you need to take every step possible to ensure they arrive at your new home in one piece.
This article is going to walk you through 10 packing tips for breakables to help keep all of your fragile items safe during a move.
1. Keep All Fragile Items Separated
You’ve probably heard that padding fragile items with blankets and other materials is good for preventing breaks. While some padding is necessary, you definitely shouldn’t slip your delicate items randomly within your other belongings.
Not only is this an easy way to lose track of all your things, but you’re not providing enough structure to secure the fragile belongings. Although it may feel like a risk, separating and packing fragile items all in the same boxes is the right way to go.
You’ll know where everything is and you can take extra precautionary measures to secure these particular boxes.
2. Use Cell Packs
If you want to know how to pack china, cell packs or other box dividers can be your best tool. The last thing you want is your glass to slide around and crash into other dishes.
Separate your china by size and sets. When it comes time to put the china into boxes, don’t be afraid to pack things close together. When you find a good arrangement, use extra cardboard or a cell pack to divide the dishes.
Once each dish is secured, pad any spaces between the china and cardboard with balled up tissue paper or bubble wrap. All of your dishes will remain stationary and the dividers will prevent any dishes from colliding.
3. Packing Tips for Glassware: Stuff and Roll
When packing glassware, it’s important to secure each piece on the inside and outside. First, stuff each glass with tissue paper, being careful not to press too hard.
Once the inside is filled, gently lay each glass on a sheet of tissue paper and roll it until it’s wrapped. Use plenty of tape to ensure that this protective layer stays on.
4. Choose the Right Box Size
You have to consider weight when you’re packing. Heavier boxes have more risk of getting mishandled.
If you have small but heavy items, don’t hesitate to pack them individually in small boxes. It may not feel like you’re utilizing space in the most efficient way, but it’s worth giving your delicates this special treatment.
5. Layer Up
Lots of people struggle with knowing how to pack framed pictures for moving. The good news is it’s easier than you think!
Picture frames, along with every other fragile item, need lots of layers between them for padding. When packing frames, make sure that each frame is packed with others that are a similar size.
It’s a good idea to use cell packs or dividers between each frame. Standing the frames upright is better than packing upward because the bottom frames could get crushed.
Be sure to use plenty of bubble wrap or balled up tissue paper between each frame to prevent any movement.
6. Use Lots of Tape
Don’t be shy when it comes to sealing your boxes. The more tape you have on the bottom of each box, the more support it has to bear the weight. While you don’t have to go nuts and use a whole roll on a box, applying a few layers on the bottom will help prevent boxes from breaking open when lifted.
7. Avoid Newspaper and Blankets
While it’s true that newspaper is a great resource for padding fragile items, you could wind up with some other undesirable results. Tissue paper and bubble wrap should always be used in place of newspaper to prevent any ink stains.
You should also refrain from wrapping fragile items in blankets or towels because you can’t use tape to secure them. Since glass can slide around on blanket materials, it’s possible that fragile items could slip out of their protective covers and get broken.
8. Set Aside Plenty of Time
You definitely shouldn’t procrastinate when it comes to packing your fragile belongings. Set aside a whole day dedicated to your delicate items to make sure you have enough time to properly secure each item.
When you’re rushed, it’s easy to forget certain steps that could make the difference between one item arriving as one piece or hundreds of pieces.
Creating a schedule and checklist weeks in advance can take away the stress of rushing to finish in time. Even if you don’t need a whole day to pack your fragile items, allowing yourself that time can help you focus. If you finish early, you can either relax or start working on the next day’s to-do list.
9. Pack Heavy to Light
When you have to pack bottom to top, it’s important to place your heaviest items in the box first. It may sound like a no-brainer, but many people start acting mindlessly when it’s time to do chores.
Make sure that each piece is wrapped up tightly and that there is additional padding layered between the items.
10. Label Fragile Boxes
Again, this tip may sound obvious, but it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of packing. Make sure that every box containing fragile items is clearly labeled in big writing.
Lots of people also like to label what’s inside of each box to help them unpack. It’s best to keep those labels on the lower sides of boxes. Reserve the top space for fragile labels and consider using a different colored marker like red to draw extra attention.
Need More Moving Tips?
Researching packing tips for fragile items is only one small part of the stressful moving process. To make your journey more relaxing, Jake’s Moving can be your ultimate resource for getting prepared. For more helpful information, check out our blog.
