All You Need To Know When Moving Large And Fragile Items
There is a lot more involved in the moving process than simply packing items into a box and moving them to another location. This is particularly true when dealing with large, valuable, and fragile items. Special care is needed to move these items to ensure their safety and security during transit. Below, we will take a look at a few tips to help you pack and move fragile items as well as large items. These moving tips will help reduce the time, energy, and stress associated with moving these oversized and fragile items.
Packing and Moving Fragile Items
If you are moving fragile items, ensure you have plenty of time to properly pack and move them. Because of their delicacy, these items should never be handled in a rush. Here are a few tips to help you as you pack and move fragile items.
#1: Get the Right Supplies (and Enough of Them!)
Not only do you need to ensure you have enough packing supplies, but you also need to ensure that you have the right packing supplies. When dealing with fragile items, you must have packing paper, bubble wrap, heavy boxes, sturdy containers, and tapes. You can also use your linens, towels, and other fabrics to wrap some of your valuable items before placing them in a box.
Ideally, you want to use the original boxes for valuable items whenever you can. However, if this is not possible, consider specialty boxes for TVs, cups, plates, etc.
#2: Pack Correctly
When packing fragile and valuable items, you must take care in how you are packing the items in the box or container. Pack your plates vertically in a dish box (heavier duty than standard boxes). Don’t forget to add packing paper inside any glasses you’re packing, even if you are using the special boxes for them.
#3: Label Boxes
While it would be great if you could remember exactly what is in each box, this is unlikely to happen. Because boxes with fragile items need special handling and additional care, label your boxes so you know what’s inside. Don’t stop there, though, go ahead and label “Fragile” on the box as well.
Packing and Moving Large Items
Similar to fragile items, pre-planning is essential to moving large items. Here are a few tips.
#1: Disassemble First
When moving larger items, the first step to take is to disassemble them, if possible. By breaking large items down into several smaller pieces, it will be much easier to move them.
Only disassemble one big item at a time so you can keep track of all the pieces, including bolts, nuts, and screws. Have some plastic bags handy that you can keep these small items in and then label the bag. Also, take the bag to a larger piece of the item, which will make it easier to find when it is time to reassemble.
#2: Plan Ahead
It is important to plan ahead when moving large items. You need to determine the best path to take, and you should measure hallways and doorways (along with the item) to ensure it will pass through with no problem. In some cases, you may need to remove doors to get a big item through.
Don’t forget to consider the weight of an item, as this will help determine the number of people needed to lift, load, and unload it. If moving everything yourself, make sure you enlist plenty of help.
#3: Use Sufficient Protection
When moving oversized items, packing paper may not be the most sufficient method of protection. Instead, you should opt for moving blankets and pads that are designed to protect furniture, TVs, artwork, and other large items. You can also use thicker linens and bubble wrap. When moving large items, overprotection does not exist.
It is not easy to move fragile and large items. However, with the proper packing materials and a little bit of planning ahead, it is possible to move these items successfully. If you are concerned about moving your own valuables, consider hiring a professional moving company for help.