Your house is likely filled with fragile items that need to be moved with care when relocating. To avoid breakage, it’s important to pack those items with the proper supplies – even better, you should hire a professional mover to pack them for you! But here are some tips on how to pack items such as jewelry, lamps, fish tanks, antique furniture and glasses.
Take an Inventory
First off, you’ll need to create an inventory that details all your fragile items. This will help you determine how many packing supplies you will need. Take this time to determine what absolutely must come with you and what can be tossed, donated or sold beforehand.
Pick Up Packing Supplies
You will need:
- Cardboard boxes and dish packs (double-walled to protect dishes)
- Packing paper (soft acid-free and ink-free packing paper)
- Bubble wrap
- Markers
Secure the Boxes
Fragile items can also be quite heavy, and you don’t want the boxes to collapse under the weight of what’s inside. Tape the bottoms and the sides of each box and place some sheets of packing paper at the bottom to act as a cushion.
Label the Boxes
Label each box with the contents and destination room. Mark each box FRAGILE as well. This will save time when unpacking, and it will alert your movers as to which boxes need to be handled with extra care.
How to Pack Plates
Use dish pack boxes if you can. Place a sheet of packing paper between each dish. Once you have a stack, place them in the box on their ends, not one on top of the other. Fill empty spaces with packing paper or newspaper to avoid shifting during transport. Tape the lid shut.
How to Pack Glasses
Place one glass on top of a stack of wrapping paper, tucking each corner into the glass. Tape each one. For stemware pieces, wrap in bubble wrap. Place glasses in dish pack with the openings facing downward, one next to the other. Fill gaps with paper.
How to Pack Electronics
Back up your data first. Then, use original boxes if you still have them to pack each item in. Before unplugging TVs and other devices, take a photo of the wire configuration so you know how to set it back up in the new place.
Place cardboard pieces over screens, wrapping each electronic item in packing paper, then bubble wrap. Wrap large items such as monitors and TVs in furniture blankets.
Pack accessories such as cables, remotes, chargers, and battery packs in separate, smaller cardboard boxes.
How to Pack Pictures and Mirrors
Pick up some specialized picture moving boxes. Make an X on the glass area of the picture with painter’s tape, then place cardboard pieces over those sections. Wrap the whole thing with packing paper – just like you would a present. Wrap in bubble wrap, then place into the specialty boxes as directed.
How to Pack Lamps
Lamps and lampshades are breakable, no doubt, but they’re also awkward to pack correctly. If you have the original box, use it. If not, use a standard cardboard box, filling the spaces with packing paper or bubble wrap. Disassemble the lamps as much as you can, taking off the shade and packing the light bulb separately but in the same box. Secure the cord with a zip tie.
How to Pack Jewelry
Sort all your jewelry first by type, on a flat surface. Get rid of anything that’s broken. If you have a jewelry box, use that to transport your items. If not, you can use egg cartons, pill organizers, drinking straws, toilet paper rolls and rubber bands.
For necklaces, slip the long chains through straws or toilet paper rolls and secure them. Wrap in plastic wrap, and then packing paper, securing with tape. Place all bundles in shoe boxes and label them.
Bracelets can be wrapped in packing paper. For earrings, slide the hooks through thin cardboard cut-outs, then wrap in plastic wrap. Wrap rings in paper, then place each bundle into one cup of an egg carton.
How to Pack Antique Furniture
Take an inventory of what you have. It’s also a good idea to take photos. Remove all contents of drawers and remove all accessories such as knobs, doors, legs and shelves.
Wrap each piece of furniture in wrapping paper and bubble wrap. Do not apply tape directly to the finish. Wrap the whole piece with a thick furniture blanket. Then, protect the item with cutouts of thick cardboard.
How to Pack a Fish Tank
Drain all the water out of the tank and put into a bucket. Remove decorations such as rocks, castles, artificial plants, and signs, drying and wrapping with soft packing paper.
Then, remove all fish tank equipment and accessories such as heaters, pumps, light fixtures, and filters, wrapping them in packing paper and then bubble wrap. Place everything into a cardboard box.
Remove gravel from the bottom of the tank and place into a bucket. Clean the empty tank with a vacuum cleaner. Wrap the tank in three protective layers: wrapping paper, bubble wrap, and furniture blankets. Keep the fish tank as level as you can during transport so it doesn’t shift or fall over.
Packing fragile items can be stressful, as you don’t want to under-pack and risk damage to your expensive items. But with the right attention to detail and TLC, you can pack your most delicate items so they make the move unscathed.
Contact Olde World Movers
If you have fragile items like the above to pack and don’t have the supplies or time to do it, let our team handle this for you. Get a free quote when you contact us today.
