If it’s worth packing, it’s worth protecting. And if it’s not worth protecting, it might not be worth keeping. (Give or throw it away?) But if you’re packing something, you care about it. So why not pack it right, in a way that preserves it just the way it is.
Fragile things require more than basic care to keep them from harm. When most of us think of something fragile, we imagine crystal vases and delicate china – in other words, things which can actually break. But anything that is easily subject to damage is fragile – electronics, photos and antiques can suffer permanent harm if not stored correctly.
What follows is our fairly comprehensive assortment of packing techniques that should help you pack whatever you store in the proper way. So when you unpack it, you’ll still want it.
In general, proper protection requires a similar approach for pretty much anything fragile:
- Cover items with appropriate packing material
- Pack like items closely to reduce possible movement
- Stack lighter items above heavier items
- Distribute weight evenly within individual containers and within moving vehicles
- Strap down items prone to shifting
- Monitor items during transit to ensure no undue movement occurs
- If necessary, reposition and re-secure
- When physically carrying loads, don’t carry more than you can easily handle and maneuver
- Store items in environments appropriate to their needs (e.g. – avoid heat, cold and humidity)
Here’s a list of the right packing material for different types of delicate items:
- Dishes or China: Best – dish sleeves, Riskier – newspaper wrapped around each individual piece
- Posters and Large photos: cardboard storage tubes
- Paintings and Framed items: bubble wrap or moving blankets
- Antique furniture: heaving moving blankets secured with straps
- Televisions and Computer monitors: Best – original boxes and packing materials, Riskier – heavy blankets secured with straps
- Ornaments: Best – original boxes with custom fitted slots, Riskier – individual items wrapped in newspaper, then packed in boxes
- Appliances: heaving moving blankets secured with straps
By controlling the storage climate, your belongings will be protected from extreme temperatures and mold-causing moisture. Electronics, furniture, clothing, photographs, antiques, collectibles and artwork are especially susceptible to the elements. If you’re storing such items, you should use a storage facility that keeps the temperature or your unit between 66-76 degrees (depending on the time of year) and the humidity around 50% or lower. SpaceMax uses state-of-the-art equipment to do just that.
We hope these lists help and if you're looking for Atlanta Self-Storage or just want to talk about packing storing fragile items, give us a call.
