You finally got to the place in your life where you have a beautiful set of matching wine glasses, dish sets that aren’t from a thrift store, and meaningful pieces of art and home decor – then you find out you have to move.
Figuring out how to transport these prized possessions safely and effectively is top priority. Packing is all about using the right combination of techniques and materials. Read on to find out how you can use bubble wrap to safely pack and move your fragile items.
Why Bubble Wrap?
Bubble wrap, also known as protective bubbles, has been used for decades to safely get your items from A to Z. Despite bubble wrap not originally being intended for the shipping industry (the inventors thought they were going for wallpaper!), it has become an asset to movers everywhere.
Convenient
This may be one of the most attractive aspects of using bubble wrap in your move. It is lightweight, so it’s not adding unnecessary bulk to your boxes, it fits awkward objects, and just about anyone can use it. With all the different shapes, sizes, and forms bubble wrap comes in, you’re sure to find a way to make it easily work for you.
Unmatched Protection
Protruding air-filled hemispheres that are spaced and sealed between sheets of plastic are what make up the pliable and protective material. These bubbles of air do an excellent job of absorbing the shocks that have the potential to damage your packed items all while keeping things dirt and scratch-free.
Reusable
We mean this in more ways than one. The bubble wrap you acquire for your move doesn’t have to be just a single-use plastic. Think about reusing it once you arrive at your destination. Save it for future moves, storing items at home, when you ship items or even donate it. If you have little ones, you may be aware of the endless entertainment bubble wrap can provide, as well.
What You’ll Need
While packing with bubble wrap isn’t the most tedious of experiences, it does require a few different materials to get the job done. Don’t forget to add extra cushioning inside the box around your wrapped items to avoid things from shifting around.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Bubble wrap
- Boxes: finding the right style of box for what you’re packing is an important step you don’t want to forget!
- Packing tape
- Packing paper: newspaper, blankets, scarves, towels, clothing all work, too!
- Scissors
- Thick marker for labeling
ProTip: Leave the styrofoam peanuts out of your boxes filled with electronics – they create electricity when they move around and you’ll have an unpleasant surprise when you unpack.
When to Use It
Bubble wrap is a great tool to have in your packing supplies toolkit. However, it isn’t necessarily the best fit for all your packing needs.
Here are the items you want to make sure get the bubble wrap treatment:
- Dishes, glassware, stemware, vases
- TV’s, computer screens, and other electronics
- Wall art, home decor items, mirrors, picture frames
- Glass tabletops
- Awkwardly shaped items
- Other valuable items that may be hard to replace
How to Use It
How to specifically use the bubble wrap varies depending on what it is you’re wrapping. Take an inventory of what you anticipate wanting to use bubble wrap on. Then, consider a few things:
Types
You may not know that a wide variety of bubble products exist. Depending on your needs, you can choose from options such as anti-static, heavy-duty, self-seal bubble bags, and custom bubble bags.
Additionally, the size of the air bubble can range from 1/8-inch to 1/2-inch. The smaller the bubble, the smaller the item you’re wrapping. Often, even larger bubble wrap is available for larger items and void-filling.
Placement
The rule of thumb is that the bubbles are to face inward on the item you are wrapping. Conversely, when laying a bubble-wrapped item down in a box, it should be set on top of outward-facing bubble wrap.
Tips
A few tips from the professionals to keep your packing/unpacking going smoothly:
- Put a layer of paper between a screen and plastic bubble wrap.
- Don’t forget to add extra cushioning inside your boxes.
- Keep bubble wrap in place by taping the edges and all the way around the item.
- Don’t skimp on the tape!
- When unpacking, don’t tear the bubble wrap – always cut!
- Use bubble wrap in multiple layers for maximum protection.
Move coming up?
All this wrapping sound like more than you’re ready to commit to? Leave the bubble wrapping to us. We’ll take care of packing things up and we’ll make sure it’s done right. Get your free quote today!
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