Shipping an extremely fragile item can be a little bit nerve wracking. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to make sure that your precious objects are shipped as safely as possible. Here are some things you need to keep in mind when organizing a shipment.
Hire A Point To Point Courier
Although most fragile items can be shipped with regular companies, this is not always a good idea. For the most delicate item moving, a fragile item shipping company should be employed. If possible, this should be a point-to-point courier with specialist skills and lots of experience. A good specialist mover will be able to come directly to your property and ensure that your objects are dropped off at their destination. They will use specialist equipment such as glass suction pads and ratchet straps to ensure that nothing breaks. They will drive carefully and avoid sudden movements while on the road.
Use Padding
Pad your fragile items thoroughly before sealing them in a rigid package. Bubble wrap is a perfectly good and perfectly affordable form of padding, though place the flat side against the object. Never use packaging chips as these shift in transit, meaning your item ‘falls’ in the packing and is no longer protected. Scrunched balls of newspaper is a great material. Extremely fragile and large items should be protected more intensively. Low density foam blocks should be sandwiched between items and the outer layers of packaging. Low density foam blocks are relatively expensive but are just about the best kind of protection for art and large glass objects. You can cut out shapes in them to ensure proper protection too.
Use Rigid Outer Packaging
No matter how softly you pad your fragile items, they can still be damaged by sharp objects if they are not protected by a rigid package of some kind. For fragile musical instruments and film equipment, specialist flight cases are perfect for shipping. These cases are made of incredibly durable, fire resistant plastic or metal and will keep your gear just about as safe as it can be. For other items, buildable plastic casing or thick layers of rigid reinforced cardboard should do the job if you are shipping with a reputable handler.
Label Correctly
The last thing you want to happen to your fragile items is a loss on the road. Make sure that your package is addressed correctly in order to avoid chasing it around the world.
You also need to mark the packaging you have used with something to indicate the fragile status of the object or objects within. This can be achieved by indicating the content of the package or with a standard ‘fragile’ sticker prominently placed on all sides.
Insure Your Items
Accidents do happen – sometimes the fates have malicious intent. Always insure your fragile items before you ship them. Make sure that you accurately assess the value of the objects that you insure. If you overestimate their value then you could be accused of fraud. If you underestimate their value then you may be out of pocket. Most carriers are insured against loss or damage, but you shouldn’t leave it in their hands!
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