Packing is one of the major aspects of moving house. Over the years, we have all amassed various things such as clothing, home and kitchen appliances, furniture and of course, the more delicate items such as pieces of art, family heirlooms, mirrors and more. Packing delicate items is somewhat difficult, as they are prone to breaking. As such, these things really need careful handling.

Today, the purpose is to give you value tips for packing delicate items that include paintings, mirrors, canvas, sculptures, photo frames, among others.

Have the Right Packing Tools

To begin with, you need to collect the appropriate material for packing delicate items. You will need things like:
  • Packing paper
  • Bubble wrap
  • Packing tape
  • Crumpled paper
  • Tape dispenser
  • Good-quality cardboard boxes
  • Cardboard pieces
  • Styrofoam peanuts
  • Mailing labels
  • Felt pens

Glassware and Clay Items

These items require separate packing before you stuff them in the packing cartons. Make sure that the items are not too heavy for the cardboard boxes. It’s advisable to secure the cardboard first. You can achieve this by placing enough bubble wraps or shredded paper to fill half of the box with a shock-absorbent layer.

You also need to support the bottom of the boxes with enough tape. Glasses need crumple paper to support them from inside, while packing paper should be used to prop their outer surface. For china items, it’s better to collect individual plastic containers whereas plates should be wrapped in bubble paper before being packed vertically inside the box.

Once you’ve packed the items individually, place them inside the box. Make sure the heavier items are at the bottom and keep the lighter ones on the top. Also, put enough paper in between glasses, plates, and other objects. Don’t over-stuff the box.  After you’re done with stacking, fill the empty spaces on top, as well as sides, with Styrofoam peanuts to prevent the items inside from moving during transportation, particularly long distances.

Picture Frames and Lamps

Get boxes that properly fit your lamp shades. Place them upside down with paper and bubble wraps on the top and sides. Consider packing small picture frames in separate boxes, in an order from small to medium, and put adequate crumpled paper as padding. For picture frames that are more than 3 feet long, you need to prop them with a blanket before packing them with paper.

Artwork, Mirrors, and Specialty Items

The glass on artwork items and mirrors has a tendency to move. As such, you should tape it properly from all across. Then, apply Styrofoam corner protection materials together with bubble wraps in order to secure the outside part of the glass. Put sufficient padding with bubble wraps before placing mirrors and artwork in art crate or boxes supplied by movers.

When it comes to specialty items, like porcelain wash basins and décor pieces, you need to measure the protruding pieces and then cut two cardboard pieces in line with the same. Then, bubble wrap the items completely before placing one cardboard piece on top and the other one at the bottom. Wrap them up with tape a couple of times for maximum safety.

When it comes to moving, packing fragile items can be very challenging, since their risk of getting damaged is very high. As such, they need to be given special attention to ensure that they get to their destination intact. If you are moving house, the aforementioned tips will come in handy when packing your delicate items.

Don't Want to Worry About Packing Delicate Items Yourself?

Let the experts at UPline worry about it for you! We've packed it all and are able to help you pack all of your household or office items for moving to any destination in the Bay Area including San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Clara and San Ramon.