Posted on: June 8, 2021 Posted by: Aaron_George Comments: 0

While moving home can be an exciting time, the act of packing up a lifetime’s worth of goods and shipping them to a whole new address is still commonly regarded as one of the most stressful life events. This is particularly true when it comes to packing up irreplaceable or valuable items and entrusting them to a removal firm.

If you’re facing a move and are worried that a firm might not take adequate care of your valuables, try following the simple tips below to give your precious items a little more protection during transit. After all, some of the things we collect through life simply can’t be replaced, and there’s nothing worse than arriving at your new property only to find you or your delivery firm has unwittingly damaged or broken items.

First, take a thorough inventory

Perhaps the most important part of packing is to make sure you take a full inventory of everything you’re moving, just in case something goes wrong and boxes get lost or damaged. Before packing, make a full and detailed list of everything you’re moving – including, where appropriate, photographs of more valuable items to show their condition. This can be invaluable evidence further down the line if you find you need to make a claim against your removal firm.

Be sure to invest in the right packing materials for valuables

High-value items should be packed in materials that provide the best padding and protection, so be sure you’ve got the following key things:

  • Thick and strong tape for sealing boxes
  • Sturdy boxes
  • Old newspapers for wrapping
  • Tissue paper (again for wrapping)
  • Bubble wrap or similar padded protection
  • Blankets

You should use a combination of the above to give thorough protection to glass, china, and other breakables.

How to pack valuable furniture

Damage to furniture is far more likely to occur while it’s manually handled rather than when it’s in actual transit i.e. when the removal firm is taking it out or into properties. You should also make sure that larger items are going to be able to be moved into your new home by measuring the height and width of doorways and passages.

When moving, you should ensure your removal firm has experience of large item shipping for moving larger items and can take adequate precautions with your more valuable furniture items. You should also think about taping doors or drawers shut and, where possible, remove any parts that stick out (like handles, knobs, etc).

Packing ceramics and glass items

Ceramics and glass items are probably the most damage-prone items you own, so it’s essential you pack them securely and with sufficient padding and protection. It’s also vital that you give the potential weak points like handles or rims the greatest protection to avoid scratches or breakages. When packing these items into boxes, be sure you don’t rely on just the packing material you’ve wrapped them in but instead add extra padding in the form of layers of blankets between items. And lastly, be sure to mark boxes as fragile, so your removal company is aware of their precious cargo.

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