Shipping your fragile items part-2

So we didn’t intend for this to be a series, but after reading over our ‘how to pack fragile items’ blog a few weeks ago, we wanted to circle back around to throw in a few extra tips because we felt like we missed a few. 

Like we said then, and we’ll say again now – shipping fragile items can be stressful and if not done properly can be expensive when something goes wrong. Here are a few more things you can do in order to make sure your fragile goods get to where they need to get to safely and in-tact. Let’s jump right in!

Always wrap your items

Regardless of what kind of packing materials you’re using – bubble wrap, chips, newspaper or whatever – make sure that you wrap your item before you put it in the box. This simply adds a second layer of protection. The one caveat we’ll put out there is that if the object has jagged or sharp edges, make sure you wrap those individually and be sure to not wrap them too tightly. That could damage your item further if something goes wrong. 

Don’t leave room in the box

Pack your items tight. The more space there is to move around in the box, the more likely it’ll break. Be very liberal with the amount of packing peanuts/materials you use. While you pack the item, have someone hold it straight up so you get the needed materials all around it so it’s in its box nice and snug. Like we said – it might seem like you’re overdoing it by going nuts on packing materials but trust us when we tell you – you’re not.

Mark it as fragile

Seems pretty darn obvious, right? Well, you’d be surprised. Just because you tell the guy at the courier service that it’s fragile and just because you know its fragile doesn’t mean the next guy handling it knows that. Yes, most courier services worth their salt can, should and likely will label it for you, but don’t take that risk. Label it yourself. If you want to make sure it gets noticed, buy a bright colored (red) tape for the label. That way, it’ll be more likely to get noticed. 

Hopefully these extra tips will help take the edge off when it comes to shipping your fragile items. While it might seem like a no-brainer, every little extra thing you do goes a long way towards making sure that your item arrives at its destination in its intended state. Not doing so, can elevate the risk. Good luck!

How to ship fragile items

Shipping fragile goods can be a nerve wracking experience. The idea of entrusting something breakable to a box, packing materials and to someone you don’t know isn’t always the most trust inspiring experience. 

But if you’re in a position where you need to make sure something sensitive gets to where it needs to go, then you should know how to do it correctly. If you follow some of these tips, then you should be able to ship your package relatively worry-free. Let’s jump right in!

Gather your materials

While we’re all about efficiency here at Affordable Courier, when it comes to fragile items – more is most definitely more. It’s better to buy too much packing materials as opposed to too little. While it might seem wasteful on its face, you can at least rest assured that you’ll most likely need to use these items down the road when you ship another package and frankly, the cost of buying too much packing materials pales in comparison to your item breaking. So make sure you have your materials, a sturdy box, tape and scissors. 

Orientation does matter quite a bit

Depending on what you’re shipping, the orientation of your item can have a big impact on its condition when it gets delivered. After all, there’s a reason many boxes have a ‘this side up’ marker on them. If your item is really top heavy, consider flipping it upside down. This is basic physics, as things that have more weight at the bottom tend to be easier to carry and move around. This also helps people generally abide by the indicators on the box. This isn’t a guarantee that’ll happen – but it’ll increase the odds for sure. 

Inspect everything you ship/receive 

Make sure you check your item for damage before it leaves to make sure everything on your end is in good shape. And just like with rental cars, it’s not a bad idea to even take before photos. Also be sure to check your box and packaging for any weak spots, holes or tears. It must be able to adequately protect the item. And lastly, make sure your item carries well by lifting it on your own. Everything might LOOK good on the outside, but you may notice issues when you move around. Make corrections as needed. 

The final thing you’ll want to do is to contact a reliable delivery service. Many courier services specialize in fragile goods and it’s probably going to be worth the extra few bucks to make sure that someone’s transporting it who knows what they’re doing. 

Hopefully these tips will help take the edge off of sending fragile packages. We get that it’s a stressful thing to do, but do it correctly and you’ll have next to nothing to worry about. Good luck!