How to Pack Delicate, Fragile Items When Moving

Packing delicate items can be a hassle and sometimes it proves to be challenging. However through years of experience in packing delicate items, here is a list of items and packing techniques to ensure the safety arrival of your fragile items. Whether it be for moving, sending it back home or sending as a souvenir, these techniques will help you make your packing be efficient, safe and cost-effective. 

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Wine glasses and Mugs

Tip One: Wrap in Kitchen Packing Paper

Wrap each wine glass individually with kitchen packing paper, and then gently place the individually wrapped wine glasses/mugs into the moving box. The kitchen packing paper will act as a cushion in protecting each wine glass/mug from one another.  Also, fill the inside of the glasses with crumpled wrapping paper. 

Tip Two: Place Only Wine Glasses Inside the Box

This tip may seem obvious to some but most try to pack as much as they can in a box to save space and cost. However, this is a good thumb rule to follow for any items that are fragile. Wrap each individual wine glass/mug and place only wine glasses in the same moving box. Placing only wine glasses/mugs can avoid them being scratched and they can rest on top of one another without breaking them.

Tip Three: Use Newspaper and Crumple them to Fill Gaps of the Box

To avoid the boxes from collapsing in, it is usually advisable to fill it up to the top.  Filling glasses with packing paper to add weight reduces the risk of breaking glass.  Since packing wine glasses/mugs prevents from packing to the full, use newspapers and crumple them to fill in any gaps to the full so that there are not many spaces left in the box. Fill the gaps on the top, the sides and at every edge of the box.

Tea Sets

Tip One: Wrap the cups two by two on packing papers

Place each cup, six inches away from the corner of the packing papers. Pull one corner over the cup and place the second cup directly on top of the first one with the second cup “nestling” nicely over the folded packing paper bottom cup. Position the handles on the same side. Pull the other two side corner of the packing papers, one at a time, tucking the corners inside the top cup. Then hold the two cups in position and roll them on another fresh sheet of packing paper. Likewise, wrap the plates in the same procedure but stack only 3 plates together.

Tip Two: Wrap each cup individually and stuff them with crumpled tissues or paper

Wrap each delicate cup individually one at a time and stuff them with crumpled papers or tissue. 

Musical Instruments

Stringed Instruments – Guitars and Cellos

First, loosen the strings and then proceed to wrap the instrument in bubble wraps, not in packing papers. Then proceed to tape them before placing it back into its case. Fill in any gaps with crumpled newspaper to protect the corners of the instrument from being damaged.

Brass Instruments – Trumpet, Trombones, Tuba

Remove and pack the mouthpiece separately, wrapping it with bubble wrap and taping it. Then pack the body of the instrument in the same manner as the string instrument.

Acclimatise the instruments

For stringed and woodwind instruments, place them in a room temperature to acclimatise for at least 24 hours before retune and tightening the strings.

Mirror – Mirrors, Framed pictures, and Glass sheets 

A selection of Shine Mirrors' Uttermost mirrors. 

Tip One: Mark an “X”

Always put several pieces of masking tape in an “X” shape across the mirror over the frames, if you have any, before wrapping it up with bubble wraps. It is to protect it from shattering peradventure it drops.

Tip Two: Protect the corners

It is best to always protect the corners of mirrors and glass whether it is framed or not. Either cut cardboard pieces to fit the corners or purchase corner protectors onto the four corners of the item before wrapping it up with bubble wraps.

Tip Three: Wrap tightly and wisely

Cut out two pieces of cardboards, an inch each, and place them in front and at the back of the mirror. Place old towels or sheets over and wrap it along with the cardboards. Secure the linen with packing tape. 

Tip Four: Use Styrofoam

Instead of cardboards, use Styrofoam for the corners, two pieces of an inch each to place them in the front and at the back of the mirror. Then proceed to wrap it with linen and secure it with packing tapes.

Tip Five: Never lay it down

Never lay a mirror down as a mirror cannot take any pressure. Place it vertically on the side with nothing stacked on the top. For picture frames, you may stack them provided if each is wrapped up individually. 

Television and Computers

Cover the television/computer with a soft blankets or clothes that are without zippers or buttons. Secure it with a packing tape and wrap a layer of bubble wrap over it. When placing in the box, always keep it upright. And below are the following tips for the rest of the components and cables.

Tip One: Take a picture of the components and cables

This is to help you identify the cables and ensure which cables go where when you are setting it up again.

Tip Two: Always Label

Label each cable and write them according to its usage.

Tip Three: Pack separately

Pack your cables and the television in a separate box from one another.

Pets

Check with your veterinarian whether your pet's health is suitable for travel.  Dogs or cats that are between 8-12 weeks old, or over 12 years old are usually required by pet travel companies to have a health certificate from a vet stating that your pet is fit to travel.  Ensure your pet's crate is fixed with an external drinking bottle with tubing to ensure enough hydration. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) gives guidelines as to what type of pet containers are allowed during transport.

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Bonus tips 

1. This important tip can never be stressed too much as people tend to forget.  Always write “Fragile” on the box. It will both remind movers to be careful and to stack them accordingly. Write them on every side of the box to ensure that it is noticeable.

2. Retail shops, especially pharmacies, would have unused boxes that you can politely ask to have.  Rather than buying boxes, recycling unused boxes is a more economical to obtain boxes.  If you're lucky, shops might even have bubble wraps they can spare for you.

3. Decluttering before packing.  Try to separate the things you do not need so as to avoid unwanted items to also being packed.  Find out ways how to declutter and organise things.  This will save plenty of time and energy when unpacking things to your new home.