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Tips and Tricks on How to Pack Fragile Items Too Valuable to Leave Behind

Posted How-to / June 3, 2021

Learning how to pack fragile items is one of the crucial things you should do before you gather your possessions and move overseas. Without a proper method, you risk breaking or chipping your glassware, plates, cups, and other similar dishes. If you don’t want to lose any of your delicate belongings just because you’re relocating, read the tips and tricks from professionals, and learn how to pack fragile items for moving the right way.

If you’re moving overseas, regular water glasses probably aren’t on your list of what to pack when relocating abroad. The chances are that the only breakable things you’re shipping to one of the best places to live abroad with family or some of the friendliest countries in the world are the ones that have great material or emotional value. That can be fine china set your grandparents left you, or some crystal glasses you wouldn’t leave behind for a world. Find out how to package fragile items for shipping before moving internationally.

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Learn How to Pack Fragile Items on Time, but Save Them for Last

You should find out the answer to how do you package something that is fragile before you start making your relocating abroad checklist. If you know that you’ll be relocating something delicate along with your furniture and other bulky stuff, think about unpacking while packaging fragile items. Once you start loading everything on a relocation truck, you will need to load all the heavy objects first. They take up most of the space, and they’re the hardest to carry. This is the key to learning how to move efficiently.

When you’re finished with big objects such as furniture and appliances, you’ll be able to cover and protect your breakables at leisure. This will also help you not forget your valuables among all other packages around the house or accidentally put something heavy on top of them. If you don’t have any experience with packing delicate objects, be sure you leave enough time to do it. Moving fragile items in a hurry because of a sudden employee relocation or some other unplanned reason can easily result in a mess.

It’s Best to Find Out How to Pack Fragile Items from a Professional With Experience in Shipping Overseas

When packing to move, get all the help you can get. The first source of information should be someone who’s experienced and trustworthy, such as an overseas moving company. You can also get useful info from someone you know that relocated across the world and shipped breakables safely. Just be sure you don’t do anything on your own if you’re not completely sure that you can do it the right way.

Use Only the Best Packing Material for Fragile Items

The right answer to how do you pack fragile glassware is with the most high-quality packaging supplies you can find. You can buy them from an international moving company, Home Depot, Amazon, or some hardware store. The cardboard must be thick and firm, the tape you use should stick without risk of coming off, and the packing paper should be undamaged and clean. That way, you’ll know that your belongings are safe and sound when packed. Here’s a list of what you should buy:

  • Cardboard packages,
  • Bubble wrap,
  • Packaging (or craft) paper,
  • Tape,
  • Markers for labeling,
  • “Fragile” and “This side up” stickers,
  • Foam peanuts (optional).

Getting Free Packaging Materials Is Doable, but Risky When it Comes to Overseas Shipping

You can opt for used supplies, but keep in mind that it can cause problems. For example, if you get free boxes from liquor shops or bookstores, they can be flimsy and not reliable enough for your valuable objects. The trick is to make them more sturdy by taping additional layers of cardboard on the bottom and the walls of the package. Tape it well on all sides and create a harder container for transportation. If you decide to avoid buying packaging papers and using newspaper instead, keep in mind that it might leave stains. The color of the print could even ruin your item since it’s hard to wash.

It’s Essential to Use the Right-Sized Box When Packing Fragile Items for Moving

How do you pack glass, so it doesn’t break? The answer is in picking only small and medium boxes for delicate and breakable items. It’s the same as with heavy objects – the smaller the box, the lower the chances of breaking. If you get a large package and fill it up to the top with breakable things, the risk of items bumping into each other increases. Once you’re all set with the right-sized packages, you can start packaging with no relocating stress.

Put Enough Padding on the Bottom of the Cardboard Box

The package you’ll be using should be firm and right-sized, but it also needs to be padded. Before you put anything delicate and breakable inside of a box, create a soft cushion from crumpled papers, bubble wrap, cotton clothes, towels, or other soft materials. It also has to be thick enough, so there’s no movement inside of the package when you put the objects inside. Prepare the cushioning to fill all the extra space left once the objects are inside.

Know How to Wrap Fragile Items Before Placing Them Into a Package

Now that you’ve got all of the supplies you need, it’s time to start learning how do you wrap a fragile object. There are two methods you can try and see which one is best for you.

We will explain them for you:

The first method

This could be the answer to how do you pack fragile items without bubble wrap? The key is that you’ll have to pack each item separately and sort similar objects together. Put your breakables and packaging material on a flat and clean surface, such as a table. If there’s any hollow space on the item, fill it up with crumpled papers, and protect the stem if you’re packaging a wine or champagne glass. Take two to three sheets of packaging paper, and place the object on them. Cover it so that there’s no side unprotected, and tape the package you made. Then, you can place it in a padded box and make sure you don’t overfill it.

The second method

Use bubble wrap to fill the hollow spaces on the item and around the stem. Cut out another sheet and cover the whole item. Then, get a piece of cardboard that’s a bit longer and wider than the object you’re covering and wrap it around the multi-layered bubbles. Put extra paper or other soft materials to fill the gaps, if there are any, and then tape everything. Don’t save on tape – the more you put, the safer the item will be. Remember that the bubbles can pop if you’re wrapping something heavy – hence the extra layers.

After both of these methods, the object should be at least twice the size it was because of the layers of protection, and you shouldn’t feel the surface of the item through the cover. When you put them in a package, separate them with extra cushioning so they don’t touch each other. Put as many crumpled papers, foam peanuts, or bubbles.

The cardboard package should be full – when you close the lids and gently shake it you shouldn’t feel or hear any movement. It also shouldn’t be too heavy. If nothing moves inside, you’re good to go. Seal the package, tape it on all sides, and label with “This side up” and “Fragile” stickers. You can also write what’s inside to keep track of everything easier. This whole process can be very overwhelming, especially if you’re preparing for relocating abroad alone and you’re the only one in charge, so be ready for that.

Put Your Small Package in a Bigger One for Additional Protection

There’s another handy tip you can use when learning how to pack fragile items. As you can see in the video below, it can be very useful to fill a small package and then put it in a bigger one. Pad the bottom and fill out space in between with papers, soft clothes, bubbles, or some similar material. Once you’re done, the package inside shouldn’t move. Double boxing is very useful for shipping delicate objects.

An Overseas Shipping Company Can Provide You With a Free Storage

In case you’re moving abroad and don’t have a definite address in one of the best cities to live in Europe or in the best European country to live in, a professional company can provide you with free storage for a whole month. They will also carefully carry your belongings and make sure everything is safe in the storage unit. The temperature and humidity inside of the unit are constantly monitored, so you won’t have to worry about any potential problems. Storage is also under video surveillance, it’s sanitized, and your possessions will be separated from other client’s things.

Hiring a Relocation Company Has Many Advantages

Getting international moving services is the perfect answer to how to move to another country. Leaving everything to professionals will allow you to have much more time to focus on organizing your documents needed to travel abroad and, after that, adjusting to a new country. If this is your first time learning how to live in another country, keep in mind that living overseas takes a lot of preparation and adapting, so it means a lot to have someone to rely on.

With a reputable company, you will have everything that you need – from international moving by air and usually needed overseas vehicle shipping to the useful service of oversized freight. The best part is that you won’t have to stress over your breakables. A professional team can provide you with packing services, which include high-end boxes and moving supplies, and excellent custom crating of all delicate things. Schedule a free home estimate, get a free quote and enjoy professional relocating services of household goods and international car shipping.

Blake Shaw

Bostonian and residential moving and packing expert. Blake Shaw enjoys bar-hopping, music, and writing insightful content.

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