Packing Tips 101: Dangerous and Fragile Items

One of the biggest challenges in storing is finding a suitable place for awkward or hazardous items. We all focus on moving the big sofas and so on, but when it comes managing smaller items we can be careless. Check out these packing tips and prevent yourself from any accidents that’ll ruin your storing experience.

Whether moving or putting valuables away for storage, make sure that everything that’s important to you stays intact. Brought to you in conjunction with our friends from Security Self Storage, enjoy these packing tips to help manage dangerous and fragile items.

Packing Tips: What You’ve Never Considered

Knives

Most knife sets come in a big block these days – which is much better when moving or storing them. Blocked knives are easier to keep track of and are much safer to pack away than bare blades.

If you have knives in a block, secure them in the block itself with tape.  Now that they’re ready for storage, wrap the unit as a whole with bubble wrap, or another form of packaging before you place them into a box. There’s literally no chance of any mishaps once you’ve taken these measures.

For steak knives and other sharp utensils without a natural home to stow away, wrap everything together in a towel and then, sturdy box. Keep it separate to other boxes and remember, LABEL EVERYTHING. Mark the box with a warning like “careful: sharp knives,” so you avoid cutting yourself when you unwrap them. This is particularly important in the case anybody except yourself could be opening boxes.

Kitchen Accessories, Gardening Equipment  and Tools

These are often awkwardly shaped, big and sometimes heavy. Another difficult factor to manage, is that they also can contain rough edges and prickly parts. When possible, fashion cardboard or plastic covers over sharp edges. Always wrap and double wrap each item until it is safe for transport.

If you have a large set of tools, invest in a good and sturdy box. Children can develop an inquisitive nature with a lot of potentially dangerous tools unless stowed away safely.

As always, pack heavier and bigger items close to the floor. Label if dangerous to lift without assistance to avoid any unwanted slipped discs!

Push Pins

The pain of standing on a plug is only equalled to a nasty prick from a rogue pin. Pins kept for sewing and other tasks can become an unfortunate moving discovery. There’s one simple and cheap solution however.

Purchase a pincushion. If you do not already own one, at least assign a small designated space for all things small and sharp. Putting your hand into a box to be jabbed unnecessarily is infuriating. Once in the pincushion, wrap the entire item in newspaper and bubble wrap before placing into a box.

Plants and Cacti

When offering packing tips, we have to think of absolutely everything – no matter how random. One item that can be very tricky to transport and temporarily store, is plants and cacti. Although it’s not an item one would see sit in a storage unit for months obviously, they can always cause problems for families on the move.

With plants, you have to be extremely delicate and careful. Water heavily beforehand and make sure nothing is stacked or can fall on top of it.

This is the case even more so with cacti. Like all plants, cacti should be packed carefully. Keep them with the rest of your plants, but pack to account for their prickly nature. Put on gloves, and carefully wrap the cactus in its pot with multiple layers of newspaper. Follow up with a layer of bubble wrap.

After you place into a box or storage container, surround with packing peanuts and label as “careful: cactus.”

Glassware

Although these items are fragile, even a small bit of planning will go a long way to protect everything.

Use cardboard glass dividers or cell boxes to your advantage when moving glassware. For delicate wine glasses, take extra precaution and wrap each stem with extra cushioning. Then, wrap the entire glass in paper and bubble wrap.

Make sure all boxes are labelled “FRAGILE: glassware,” and contain additional packing materials to avoid shifting.

Dishes

Again, a small bit of planning goes a long way with the delph. Although you might be eating out of pizza boxes during a move believe me, you’ll want the plates to survive once your settled.

To keep dishware from shifting and sliding, surround items with plenty of packing peanuts for their journey. Wrap each piece individually in bubble wrap or paper, or place a secure cushion between pieces to avoid scratching. Label accordingly so movers know to take extra care.

Vases

For specialty items, such as vases, china or ornate glassware, consider specialty boxes. Either use the box the item came in or seek out boxes that specially fit.

There’s no benefit to placing multiple items together, this is where your investment in boxes is imperative. Individually wrap everything, label it as fragile and offer a quick description of exactly what it is. Maybe even assign a specific corner or space in your storage unit for all the items of this nature.

As an added measure, protect with newspaper and bubble wrap before setting into the box. Don’t overpack as it may cause pressure on the item, but don’t let it move around either.

Mirrors

Beyond the superstition, a cracked mirror can create sharp edges you never intended to deal with. As you pack, first use duct tape to make an X over the glass. This will keep the mirror from shifting during the move and the glass together should it crack.

Once ready to be stored, use foam board, bubble wrap, and/or another cushy fabric to cover the mirror and prepare it for transport. Remember to cover any edges of the frame with cardboard corners, and store in a vertical box so other objects don’t crush the mirror. Label as fragile and leave it in the dedicated section of your storage unit for delicate items if you have one.

What Works For You?

Packing with care will ensure your moving and storing process is a breeze. Read labels on boxes to avoid injury when unpacking, and note boxes labelled “FRAGILE” when it’s time to move them off a truck or out of a storage facility. Now, you can keep your belongings safe and your fingers intact.

Still in need of some cardboard boxes to store your belongings? Nesta offers small, medium and large cardboard boxes as well as other important packaging supplies online or for pick up at any of our locations.

Are you struggling for space at home? Need a place to keep valuables safe during a move? At Nesta, Dublin’s biggest self-storage provider, we offer a diverse range of fantastic storage solutions, across four branches in Dublin.

If you want to find out how you can make room for life, get in touch today.