When moving fragile items, every bump in the road counts, and it can be fatal. You should learn how to pack fragile items to avoid these kinds of accidents that often occur when people don’t follow proper instructions or don’t use the right packing materials. If you don’t know where to start, don’t worry, here you’ll learn everything you need to know about packing fragile items for moving and many interesting tips and hacks, so keep reading.
Make a Plan and Organize Your Inventory
If you have never moved before, you maybe aren’t even aware of the amount of delicate objects you have inside your home, and you think to yourself – relocating is easy, I just need to put everything in bags and cardboard containers, and I’m good to go. But there’s more to this process, especially if you want all of your stuff to get to your new home intact.
You need to begin this process with a proper plan, so use this article as an inspiration to write a substantial to-do list and follow each step in order to take care of your delicate pieces in the best possible way. Collecting pieces of your favorite coffee mug as soon as you get to your new home in some of the best neighborhoods in Chicago is definitely not the first thing you want to do.
Declutter, Sell or Donate Items You Don’t Need
Once you decide which one of the safest Chicago neighborhoods is the perfect place for your new home, you’ll need to decide what belongings you are bringing with you and which pieces you don’t need anymore. Start decluttering as soon as possible – if you have enough time, you can even sell or donate some pieces instead of throwing them away.
If during this process you find out that there is too much work for you and you have to move in a hurry, consider hiring one of the Chicago moving companies and their trained team of packers and movers for assistance. They can show you lifesaving moving hacks and help you move efficiently with their convenient and affordable moving services in Chicago.
How Do You Pack Fragile Items for Moving and Storage?
When it comes to packaging fragile items, there are some basic and essential rules you need to follow in order to protect them. This process begins with getting the proper equipment. You should get it from some local stores that are specialized in selling these kinds of materials. After deciding what you are going to relocate, you need to cover all of the pieces in protective materials and secure them to stay in one place.
Labeling is also crucial. Whether you ask some friends from your going-away party to help you or you choose to rely on professionals, they all have to know which boxes contain delicate pieces, so all of you can be extra careful while maneuvering them. Preparing pieces for storage requires the same steps, so keep reading to find out more about them.
How Do You Package Something That Is Fragile?
Knowing how to package objects like this can be convenient if you need to move some antique vase with significant emotional or historical value because objects like these are often among the things movers won’t move. If they refuse to take responsibility for your antique figurine or other objects, you need to protect it on your own. This process requires a lot of patience because these objects often have irregular shapes or substantial weight. If that’s the case, the first step is finding a proper container and securing it from opening.
What to Use to Pack Fragile Items? Find Quality Packing Materials in Local Stores
The first thing that comes after choosing one of the nicest Chicago suburbs or deciding to relocate to some family-friendly neighborhood is getting suitable supplies. On the other hand, if you are relocating on a budget to some of the more affordable neighborhoods, you’ll need to write a relocation expenses checklist and try to find some cheaper or free options.
Visit a local liquor store, for example – not only do they probably have plenty of boxes, but they also usually come with inserted cardboard dividers to prevent glass bottles from hitting each other. You can follow the same approach for glasses. If you still get free containers without dividers, you can easily make some on your own. Measure the box, and cut a few cardboard pieces in the same length to make custom dividers. Wonder what materials you need to buy? You’ll protect everything appropriately if you get:
- Cardboard boxes or plastic containers,
- Bubble wrap,
- Papers,
- Scissors,
- Tape,
- Markers.
Ensure Each Box Is Reinforced Before You Start Packing
Another important step is securing containers from opening. This is especially important if you decide to reuse some old boxes that might be flimsy. You need to ensure they are reinforced and that they can hold the weight of objects you plan to put inside. If you easily manage to make a hole in the cardboard with just the slightest pressure of your hand or any object you put inside, throw this box right away and make sure you find ones made of thicker cardboard. After finding suitable ones, secure their edges with an extra layer of plastic tape to prevent them from opening once you put heavy pieces inside.
Wrap Each Object Individually
After you successfully secure all the edges of your boxes, you must be wondering how do you wrap a fragile object? For wrapping an object, you’ll need paper, bubble wrap, and tape. First, take a sheet of paper, wrap everything neatly and secure it with tape. Then comes the second layer of wrapping. Put the object on a sheet of bubble wrap while bubbles are facing up for maximum protection.
By doing so, these small air pockets will do their job and won’t fail to protect your precious item. Wrap it all around and then seal it with tape. If we’re talking about a very sensitive item made of thin glass or porcelain, you can add more layers. Before putting an object inside the box, make sure the bottom is covered with enough cushioning. After you place an object inside, fill out the empty space around it with more cushioning material.
How Do You Pack Fragile Items Without Bubble Wrap? Discover Alternative Solutions
Now that you know how to wrap fragile items with professional packing materials, you could be wondering if there is any other way to do this. Sure, this is not the only technique, but it is considered the best packing material for fragile items. If you don’t want to use plastic materials because they are not environmentally friendly or can’t get them for any reason, there are some alternative methods you can rely on.
You Can Use Some Free Materials You Already Have at Home
Soft fabrics such as clothes, towels, and linens are perfect for protecting fragile objects, and the best part is that you already have them at your home, so you won’t have to spend a dollar, plus you’ll move two objects at the same time. The technique you should follow is the same – just roll the object inside the fabric and secure it with a rubber band or a rope.
Packing Techniques Might Vary Depending on the Type of Object
As we mentioned in some of the previous procedures, the goal is always the same, but due to the specific shape and material of the object, some steps can vary. For example, delicate wood can easily get damaged by sharp plastic materials, so it is recommended that you cover it with soft fabric first. The same thing applies to flat TVs and similar electronics.
Use Cardboard Dividers to Pack Glasses for Moving
There is one simple and most important rule when it comes to glasses. If you put more of them in the same box and you’ll probably do this, they mustn’t bump into each other inside of it, so putting cardboard dividers is a great way to prevent this. You can protect them individually with pieces of paper or newspaper and then insert them into these small compartments. Another convenient thing from your home you can is, believe it or not – your socks. They are made of soft fabrics, and their size is perfect for smaller glasses.
Plates Should Be Packed Vertically
When you’re placing plates inside a container, you need to ensure that they are sorted by some criteria, such as shape, size, and material. After wrapping them in paper individually, you should put them inside the container vertically to prevent damage that could be caused by immense pressure if they are laid horizontally.
TVs and Computers Require Special Equipment or Box Kits
If you threw away the original packaging of your computers or TV screens, you need to be extra careful when searching for the right-sized box because it shouldn’t be too big. You’ll also need to protect flat screens with blankets first and secure this layer before wrapping it all with a plastic wrapper. It is also important to label which side goes up, especially when relocating a flat TV screen. You can also get one of those special kits for screens, but keep in mind that they are a bit pricey. If you find this process too complicated, professional movers in Chicago can always jump in and help you pack a computer in no time.
Ensure You Label Each Box
It is hard to emphasize the importance of this step because labeling is one of the most significant tasks when relocating delicate objects. Once you start putting everything inside the containers and see how much stuff you have to relocate inside the boxes, you’ll realize that you’ll be completely lost without a labeling system. Ensure that containers with delicate belongings are labeled with some loud colors such as red or yellow to ensure everyone notices it, or write a short list of contents on each container, just so you know what is where.
Hire Legit Movers in Chicago if You Don’t Know How to Pack Fragile Items and Have a Stress-Free Relocation
Wonder what the best way to avoid relocation stress is? If you choose to hire our moving company in Chicago, you’ll see that our convenient services might save you a lot of time, money, and energy. This is one of the smartest ways to save yourself from relocation scams. Not only can we assist you with relocating a piano, but we can also remind you of the most commonly forgotten things to bring and give you some cool tips for packing books and other household objects if you request our residential relocation services.
We can also offer you commercial relocation services if you need to relocate your business office and delicate equipment or additional labor-only service if you need a pair of extra hands for heavy lifting. Contact our customer service now if you have any other questions or concerns, and we’ll try our best to help you out. We can also offer you a free quote, so you’ll know the estimated price of our moving services in Chicago in advance.