One of the most common losses that people report when shifting home or office is breakage and damage to their fragile items. Shifting fragile items such as glasses, plates, mirrors, electronics, and more pose some of the hardest tasks for people who are shifting because they require special skills and experience to pack and transport them.
That is why when shifting these types of items from your old house or office to your new location should be taken with utmost care especially if you decide to do the move by yourself.
Not to worry though, here are our top 13 to-go tips that we use and recommend that you use when moving your fragile items safely:
1. Set aside enough packing time before shifting
If you decide to handle the move yourself, have a plan where you set enough time to pack your most fragile items.
Do not be tempted to wait until the last minute (the day of the move) to pack these items. Doing so will result in you packing these items in such a hurry that they end up getting damaged.
Moreover, because of the rush, you may end up wrapping them the wrong way and while shifting them, cause breakage and damage. We suggest you start wrapping and packing your fragile items a day or two before your shifting day so that you do it in the best way possible.
2. Create a working surface
We usually recommend that before you jump into packing your fragile items, you need to first create a working space such as in the middle of your living room floor or your kitchen counter. This space should be clear and clean so as to ensure that you minimize accidents which are common when fragile items are involved.
3. Use a variety of boxes
When buying boxes for packing your items, consider choosing different sizes and types of boxes depending on the kind of goods that you own.
For example, for packing and moving heavy fragile items, we recommend using smaller boxes because they are easier to handle and less likely to allow items to dance around inside them.
Additionally, for other fragile items such as glasses or cups, consider using boxes that come with cardboard dividers to prevent them from colliding with each other during the move.
4. Don’t overpack boxes
You might be tempted to overfill your boxes with stuff but this may cost you a lot of your precious fragile items. When you pack too many items in a box, it may not be as strong as you may think and it may not be able to hold that much weight.
Always ensure that the boxes you choose to pack your fragile items are sturdy enough to hold a certain amount of weight.
On the flip side, ensure that your moving boxes are packed compactly. Eliminate any extra spaces within the box using newsprint to prevent the contents from dancing about when moving.
5. Use the right wrapping material
Unlike the rest of your stuff, fragile items require special wrapping materials to enable you to move them safely.
Newsprint (packing paper) is a must-have especially if you have a lot of fragile items when shifting houses. It acts as a shock-absorbing layer when wrapped around your fragile items and when used to fill up extra space in your boxes when in transit. It can also be used to fill hollow items such as glasses, jars, and cups to help soften vibrations when they are in transit.
Bubble wrap also provides extra cushioning for your items when used together with packing paper and prevents breakage.
6. Wrap each item individually
Fragile items require that you wrap each of them separately so as to reduce the chances of breakage or damage. Make sure to wrap each item with its own newsprint and follow it up with bubble wrap – especially larger items like mirrors.
7. Layer the bottom of your boxes with soft material
To further protect against shocks and rough movements, it is essential to ensure that the boxes where your fragile items are packed have a soft base. This can be achieved by using packing paper, bubble wraps, towels, and even small blankets.
8. Use enough tape on the bottom of your boxes
Imagine doing everything right from wrapping, packing, and labeling all your boxes, only for the bottom to give out once you lift the box.
Before putting any items in a box, ensure that the bottom is secured with extra strips of tape so that the box can remain intact even when its contents grow heavier.
9. Label all the boxes
We cannot sufficiently extol the importance of proper labeling: it saves you time and frustration at the destination, and when moving fragile items, actually protects them.
Ensure that your packed boxes are clearly labeled with the room to which they belong. Furthermore, indicate the side that should remain upright, and indicate clearly that the contents of the box are FRAGILE.
10. Pack the heaviest items at the bottom
If you don’t have enough boxes and have to pack both light and heavy fragile items together, make sure to place the heaviest ones at the bottom. Additionally, make sure to use packing paper and bubble wrap in between these items to ensure that the said items don’t knock each other once loaded into the moving trucks.
11. Cables and accessories from electronics should be removed and packed separately
Packing your electronics together with their accessories and cables is one of the biggest mistakes that people usually make when they are moving these fragile items. Doing so risks breaking these electronics’ cables and accessories such as stands which may not be able to withstand the shocks that are experienced when shifting. We advise that you pack all these accessories and cables separately and have them clearly labeled for easy identification when unpacking and screwing them back together.
12. Pictures and frames should be packed while standing
Because your pictures offer the best memories they should be handled with a lot of care. Therefore, to prevent breakage, you should first wrap each picture frame with packing paper then secure them with packing tape. Then, and if possible, you can then wrap them with bubble wrap for extra cushioning. Next, when placing them in the moving boxes, make sure to pack them while standing instead of laying them on top of each other.
13. Hire an experienced moving company
This is your safest and most effective way of securely packing and transporting your fragile items when shifting houses. You may want to cut on your moving expenses by choosing to do the move yourself but this is a huge risk that may end up costing you.
When you hire a moving company like Nellions that has a lot of experience in shifting fragile items, you are guaranteed that your items will be safe and secure. Shifting companies usually know how to pack these items best and what to wrap them with so that they do not break or get damaged during the move.
Avoid the hassle of shifting your fragile items safely by getting in touch with us today on +256 752 666 619 or +256 783 294 229. You can also email us through move@nellions.co.ug.
