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One of the things that are true in all homes around the world is that we all have things that are easy to break or come in awkward shapes. Whether we are taking them to a storage unit, or moving them to a new home, we have to pack these items safely. But that can be incredibly difficult to do.

For starters, the awkwardly shaped or fragile stuff tends to be rather expensive. That is why it is of utmost importance to figure out how to properly pack these items. Just take your time, and do it right, to make sure they don’t end up broken during transport or storage.

The Shopping List

Before you even get to packing, you will have to get the packing supplies you will need to properly, and safely, pack your items. Naturally, you will want to start with sturdy packing boxes. The rest of the list includes packing tape and all kinds of packing fillers like newspapers, packing peanuts or sponges. And lastly, you will want a hefty amount of bubble wrap to keep your valuables safe. You can easily get all of these packing supplies in the U Store It facility nearest to your location.

Now that we have everything we need, let’s go on and consider some of the common “troublemaking” items.

Picture Frames and Other Small Items

When it comes to valuable items, not many things are more important than our memories. That is why most people find it very important to take their framed pictures with them if they move. But most frames feature glass components. If you don’t pack the frames safely, the glass will shatter. But that is not all, the glass shards might damage the other items you are moving. Namely, they might destroy the picture the glass was supposed to protect.

To protect a picture (or a painting frame), you will have to buy a box that is at least 15 centimetres wider than the frame. You are doing so to have enough room for safety padding. We would recommend working on a table while packing your frames.

To keep your belongings safe, we would always recommend using two safety layers. If you choose to use packaging foam, start with a thin layer of the polypropylene film or bubble wrap to “gift wrap” the frame. That will keep it safe within the soft packaging foam layers. If you want to protect the item from impacts, we would recommend using a double wall box.

You can use this approach for most other small objects. It works well to protect the items from any types of impact, and it is rather simple to set up.

Chandeliers and Other Large Items

Unlike picture frames, moving chandeliers and other large items takes a lot of effort. For starters, these items can be a lot more fragile than the “small stuff”. Moreover, they are very complex and have up to hundreds of fragile pieces. To safely transport them, you will have to take several precautions.

The first thing we would recommend is to take any big item apart if it is possible. The most common problematic items include chandeliers, chairs, and, of course, ceiling fans. Unfortunately, with big items, there is no one-size-fits-all method that will solve all of your problems. But there are tips that should make your day easier.

While these items can be very clunky, disassembling them will leave you with little to do. Once you take the components apart, you can easily protect individual items with bubble wrap. We would also recommend filling up the boxes you carry these items in with anything soft you can get your hands on. If you have enough packing peanuts, use them. Otherwise, simply use old pieces of clothing.

We would also like to pay some special attention to full-length mirrors. While you can protect smaller mirrors similarly to picture frames, full-length mirrors require some more work. Wrap the mirror in wrapping paper or bubble wrap, similarly to how you would wrap a gift. It doesn’t have to be neat, but it should hold the mirror firmly. We would also recommend buying a mirror box for this. Add a lot of stuffing to the edges of the paper and slide the mirror into one end of the mirror box, slowly. Once you put the mirror in, use as much padding as you can.  We would recommend using crumpled paper. And lastly, you shouldn’t transport multiple mirrors in a single box.

Tall Lamps and Other Long Items

Unlike large items, long items have clearly defined weak points. Namely, long items have two weak points. You can locate them by measuring the halfway points between each of the ends and the middle section. Carefully wrap the products in bubble wrap, and then, add several more layers around the weak points. To help stabilise the items, add extra bubble wrap around the ends until the thickness is roughly the same. If the items have additional parts that need protection, use a combination of bubble wrap, packing foam, and cardboard to keep those parts safe.