Packing Solutions For Shipping Fragile Items
Posted on: 17 August 2015
Buying and selling items online is an increasingly popular pastime. In fact, many people now run successful home businesses doing just that. If you want to keep your customers happy and your profits intact, it's clearly important that your goods arrive in pristine, undamaged condition, no matter how far they've travelled.
Here are some hints and tips on how to package fragile goods so that they reach their destination in one piece.
Preparation
It's a good idea to set aside a separate room or workspace that's designated as your packing area for fragile goods that are awaiting despatch. Assemble a 'packing kit' so that you have everything you'll need on hand. Your packing kit should contain:
- wide, clear packing tape and dispenser
- Styrofoam peanuts (pink, non-static variety)
- rolls of bubble wrap sheets
- white tissue paper
- thin cardboard
- waterproof zip-lock bags (mixed sizes)
- sturdy cardboard boxes (various sizes)
- mailing labels
- black marker pen
- scissors
All the items you'll need for your kit are available from good stationers.
How to wrap and pack fragile items
- Items with thin, protruding pieces are vulnerable to breakage during transit. Use thin strips of bubble wrap to shroud these areas, ensuring that the gap between the fragile piece of the item and the main body is filled. Tape the bubble wrap firmly to itself, not to the item directly so that when the tape is removed, the item is not inadvertently damaged.
- Take two pieces of tissue paper and wrap the whole item snugly, securing the tissue paper firmly with tape.
- Wrap the package in bubble wrap and tape it firmly in place.
- Put the package inside a plastic zip-lock bag. In the event that the boxes get wet during transit, the item inside will stay dry.
- Choose a box that is larger all round than the wrapped item. Add a layer of Styrofoam peanuts and place the item on top. Fill in the space around the top and sides of the item with more peanuts.
- Place your paperwork inside the box down the side. Don't put it on top or someone opening the package with a knife could cut through the documentation. If the item you're sending is very fragile, place the box inside a second one lined with bubble wrap and reinforced with thin card.
- Now test the packing by pressing down gently on the top of the box. The top of the box should feel solid but not bulging and the whole thing should sit flat on the table. If the box top pushes in very easily, you need to add more Styrofoam peanuts. If the box does not sit square on the table and wobbles, you've put too many peanuts inside and some should be removed so that the package doesn't burst during transit.
- Now tape the box up. Tape twice, once in each direction over the box flaps and seams, ensuring that the tape ends overlap and stick to each other. This makes for more secure bonding as tape stuck to cardboard can easily peel off, whereas it won't if stuck to tape.
- Make up an address label for the package. Use a white label, hand-printed with black marker pen. Stick the label to the box and cover it with clear packing tape so that the print doesn't run if the package gets wet in transit.
If you don't feel that this is something you can do effectively on your own time, then consider using a local packaging solutions company.
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