If you’ve ever moved house, then you will know there’s a lot more to packing than simply a moving van and some cardboard boxes.

Packing fragile items, from TVs to antique pieces of furniture, artwork, and easily breakable appliances can be both nerve-wracking and time-consuming. However, there are things that you can do to make the process easier and to ensure that your fragile goods are safe when they reach your new home at the other end of the moving process.

Here are our tips on preventing damage to even the most fragile and highly breakable goods and furnishings.

1. Never Leave an Empty Room in the Box

If you are packing a fragile item, it can be tempting to assign the item its very own box to avoid other possessions from knocking into it and causing damage. However, if you leave lots of empty space around the outside of a fragile item, then all you are doing is giving it room to move around during transit. This is likely to cause a great deal more damage than anything else you place in the box alongside your fragile item.

If you do decide to relegate a moving box to each fragile item – and you have plenty of boxes to ensure you don’t run out of moving packaging to hold all your other possessions – then be sure to pack any empty space with extra padding.

2. Get Creative with Padding Solutions

If you are running low on packing materials but need to pad out your boxes to ensure that fragile items are secure and safely contained, then you might find you need to get creative.

Personal items like socks and old t-shirts can be ideal for packing into boxes and wrapping around particularly fragile items, without having to buy layers of bubble wrap and polystyrene. What’s more, if you use fabrics and other items you already have and are moving anyway, you remove the task of disposing of that packaging once you get to the other end.

3. Opt for Thick and Sturdy Boxes

When it comes to moving any item, you want to avoid boxes breaking under the weight of what’s inside them. But this becomes even more important when dealing with fragile possessions that could break if dropped. So, it’s important to make sure that you steer clear of flimsy boxes and only use those that are thick and sturdy and can withstand the weight of what’s inside them.

Some moving companies recommend or even provide durable plastic boxes and containers to make the moving process as efficient and as safe as possible, with these boxes stacking neatly inside the moving van.

4. Pack Heavy Items Underneath Fragile Ones

This may seem obvious when it comes to loading and packing boxes, but it often gets overlooked when loading a moving van or vehicle.

While it can be tempting to place fragile items into the vehicle first to ensure that they have plenty of room around them, you run the risk of heavier items being placed above or next to these fragile items. One sharp bend or last-minute break can cause things to move around the vehicle and can suddenly mean that your fragile item is under the weight of something much bigger and heavier.

Always place the heavier and bulkiest goods at the bottom and underneath your more fragile items to keep them safe.

5. Wrap Individual Items

When you know you’re facing a move, it’s time to start stockpiling all the packaging materials and newspapers that you can get your hands on. While personal items as mentioned above are great at packing out boxes with some empty space, our advice is to wrap all fragile items in their own layer of paper to add some extra protection.

Bubble wrap is the kind of invaluable material that is incredibly useful when moving, so keep hold of any that comes with deliveries you receive in the weeks leading up to your move. And don’t be afraid to ask friends, family, and neighbours to also give you their unwanted bubble wrap and newspapers!

6. Consider Taking the Most Fragile Items Separately

If you have one or two fairly small items or furnishings which are particularly fragile and/or valuable, then it may be worth packing them into your own vehicle so you can be sure of their safety and security.

While moving vans and companies are designed and trained to keep items safe during the entire moving process, sometimes homeowners and movers feel better when they have a little control over the items which mean the most to them. If this sounds like you, then arrange to take these items separately – trust us when we say it’s worth it!

7. Label Everything!

This is a rule for all those facing a move, regardless of how many fragile items you have. However, as part of the labeling process, write on each box where it is moving to and what’s inside it, we also recommend taking the time to identify fragile boxes with some special Fragile tape.

8. Reinforce All Cardboard Boxes

We mentioned the need for sturdy boxes earlier in this article, but another top tip from the team is to reinforce boxes with layers of tape. Adding some tape, especially across the bottom of each box, will help to secure the seals and make sure that there isn’t any weakness that could cause the box to break.

Another way to reinforce the boxes that are carrying fragile items is to line them with a layer of packing material across the bottom before you place your item inside. This again helps to spread the weight and reduce the risk of the box breaking.

Your Move, Your Way

Here at A Swift Move, we understand the concerns that face movers – in fact, we deal with and help movers to overcome them every day.

Get in touch with us directly to discuss your move and let us help support your move, your way.