Handle with Care: 10 Tips to Store Dangerous and Fragile Items
Sharp edges. Prickly points. Shattered glass. These are a mover’s worst nightmare.
Hard to pack and potentially dangerous and fragile items require extra precaution during the moving process.
Proper packing protects both items and movers. Here’s how to pack some of the most challenging moving mysteries.
1. Blocked Knives
If your knives came with or are in a block to keep them safe and sharp, pack them secured in the block. Secure the knives in place with tape or plastic dividers, and then wrap the piece as a whole with tape and bubble wrap, or another form of packaging before you place them into a box.
2. Loose Knives
For steak knives or other sharp utensils that do not have a natural home to hide their edges, keep items wrapped together in a towel or a sturdy box that can then be wrapped, and kept separate. Label the wrapped towel or box with “careful: sharp knives,” so you avoid cutting yourself when you unwrap them.
3. Razor Blades
Keep grooming items together in a makeup bag. These items should travel with you during the move—not on a moving truck or packed away in a box. If they must be packed, consider fashioning a secure cardboard cover for the blade-facing side of the razor to keep the actual blades covered at all times during the move. Take extra precaution and wrap the entire razor with a cardboard cover in bubble wrap before placing into a box. Similar to knives, label as “careful: razor blades.”
4. 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.”
5. Kitchen Accessories, Gardening Tools, School Supplies
These are overarching categories of items that can contain 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.
6. Push Pins
Pins kept for sewing and other tasks can become an unfortunate moving discovery. Purchase a pincushion, if you do not already own one, to store pins safely. Once in the pincushion, wrap the entire item in newspaper and bubble wrap before placing into a box.
7. Glassware
Use cardboard glass dividers or cell boxes to your advantage when moving glassware. For stemware, take extra precaution and wrap each stem with extra cushion. Then, wrap the entire glass in paper and bubble wrap. Make sure all boxes are labeled “FRAGILE: glassware,” and contain additional packing materials to avoid shifting.
8. Dishes
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 as “FRAGILE: dishes.”
9. Vases
For specialty items, such as vases, consider specialty boxes. Either use the box the vase came in or seek out boxes specially made to house vases during a move. Wrap in newspaper and bubble wrap before setting into the box, and mark as “FRAGILE: vase.”
10. Mirrors
Beyond just bad luck, a cracked mirror can provide additional sharp edges you never intended to deal with during the moving process. 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. Then, utilize foam board, bubble wrap, and/or another cushy fabric to cover the mirror and prepare it for transport. 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: mirror.”
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 labeled “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.
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What processes do you have in place to store potentially dangerous or fragile items as you move and store? Let us know in the comment section below.
Image Credit: Danielle MacInnes via UnSplash
