Kansas City Packaging Supplies
March 6, 2024
Properly packing any items for moving or shipping is crucial to ensuring they make it to their destination safely. This is even more important when you’re boxing up fragile materials. Packages take a beating while in transit and more delicate goods are susceptible to damage if not packed well.
Upon opening a package, no one wants to find the contents inside broken or shattered. By using the right tools and techniques, you significantly increase the odds that your fragile items will arrive all in one piece.
Whether you’re planning a move down the street or mailing products across the country, understanding how to pack breakables is a skill everyone should learn. Here are five things professional movers and shippers do to keep fragile items secure.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to moving and shipping. Different items require packages of different dimensions. Just as a box shouldn’t be too small for its contents, it also shouldn’t be too large. This results in wasted space and ultimately wasted packing materials. Much like the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, a box needs to be sized “just right” for it to do its job effectively.
As a good rule of thumb, you should select a box that allows you to add two to three inches of cushioning between and around all packed items. This protects fragile contents from not only each other, but outside shock as well.
Professional movers and shippers also know the value of a sturdy box. A package can be perfectly sized, but if it’s flimsy, it won’t get too far. Look for boxes constructed from virgin corrugated materials and rated “200 lb. test.” This refers to bursting strength and tells you that a box can withstand 200 pounds of pressure without breaking.
By taking into account both size and durability, you ensure you get a package suited for your exact needs.
A box isn’t enough. Wrapping fragile items with protective packing materials is another way professional movers and shippers prevent damage.
Bubble and foam wrap are excellent solutions and should be used generously to cover breakables on all sides. Any open corners still leave contents vulnerable, and items can even slip out from their wrapping if they’ve been poorly packed.
Although it may be tempting to wrap more than one item at once to speed up the packing process, this can be a costly mistake in the long run. Breakables are bound to shift during transport, meaning that goods without a packaging barrier in between them can easily make contact that causes scratches, dents, cracks, and other damage.
After you’ve wrapped items, the inside of your box isn’t quite complete. You’ll have voids that need to be filled with additional packing materials.
Packing peanuts, air pouches, and kraft paper act as additional layers of protection, providing necessary cushioning while preventing movement. Not to mention, these packing materials are more economical than solely using products like bubble wrap to take up space.
If you opt for packing peanuts, keep in mind that you should slightly overfill your box with them. The packing peanuts will settle when the box is closed and lock items in place.
Not sure if you’ve added enough? Professional movers and shippers recommend gently shaking your box to see how the contents move around. If you find that items are jostling too much, your package probably needs more packing materials.
The last step is to ensure you establish a strong hold when closing your box. Without heavy-duty packing tape, you can lose all the hard work that went into the inside of your package.
Use the H-taping method with pressure-sensitive or water-activated packing tape for optimal results. Apply tape evenly across the middle seams and on each edge to create an “H” on both the top and bottom of your box.
This is also a good time to indicate that your package is fragile. By writing in marker or sticking a label to the outside of the box, professional movers and shippers will be able to quickly identify what needs to be handled with care.
You can do everything right, but if you aren’t using quality packing materials, your fragile items can still be damaged. Of course, some factors are out of your control, but well-made packing materials help mitigate any accidents.
Professional movers and shippers don’t cut corners when it comes to quality because they understand that the best packing materials set them up for success. Follow their lead and invest in premium products from a reputable manufacturer and distributor in your area. Not only will your breakables benefit, but shopping from a company who specializes in packing materials often allows you to get more for less.
To learn more, reach out to your trusted local packaging experts!
