For a successful move there is a number of things you must take care of before the moment the truck parks in front of your old house. Planning must be thorough, so as not to lose any items, either because they break or because they get lost. Now, let’s focus on the care of fragile items in particular.
Usually, fragile items are not of everyday use, so, try not to put off packing them. This is something you can begin doing a couple of weeks in advance, so as not to bump into the moving date.
Small fragile items, especially glass or china items must be wrapped up in bubble wrap, and then put into a box. The more rigid the box, the better, and it would be optimal if you could get hold of a wooden box. Try not to use newspaper to wrap these items. The ink might stain them. Bubble wrap is ideal because it leaves no residue on the objects.
If the box is rather big, you can place several fragile items, the heavier ones at the bottom. To fill up the gaps between objects, you can use newspaper, or even better the coarse wool they use to clean up oily machines. The idea is to prevent the objects from banging into each other. Cotton may also be a good option, or pillow filling. The latter is easily found in stores that provide supplies for carpeting and furniture repair.
Remember to label boxes clearly. Once you arrive to your new destination, it could all be a mess, in fact it will be a mess. Try to be as accurate as possible, for instance instead of putting “Dinnerware” try “Grandma’s set, two dishes and four cups”. You will be very thankful for having taken the time to do this. Once you’re at your new location, even drinking a glass of water might become an ordeal for the first days. You can use colored labels, to help identify things better. One color for kitchen stuff, another for bathroom items, and so forth.
Movers in Seattle, New York, or Miami always load fragile items last onto the truck. If you have very small fragile items, it would be a good idea to take them yourself in your car or as carry-on luggage on the plane. It is possible that something may eventually break. But there are always ways to minimize losses.
