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Moving home

Handle with Care: 10 Tips for Packing Delicate Items Safely 

Time to read: 3 minutes

Contents
  1. Tip 1: Gather the Right Supplies
  2. Tip 2: Wrap Each Item Individually
  3. Tip 3: Fill Empty Spaces
  4. Tip 4: Reinforce Box Bottoms
  5. Tip 5: Label the Boxes
  6. Tip 6: Use Dish Packs for Glassware and China
  7. Tip 7: Disassemble when Possible
  8. Tip 8: Protect Electronics
  9. Tip 9: Seal Boxes Securely
  10. Tip 10: Consider Professional Packing Services

Packing delicate items requires extra attention and care to ensure they remain in pristine condition. Fragile pieces like glassware, porcelain, electronics, or sentimental heirlooms can be easily damaged if not packed properly. This blog post provides 10 tips for packing delicate items safely and protecting them during transit.

  •  Gather the Right Supplies
  • Wrap Each Item Individually
  • Fill Empty Spaces
  • Reinforce Box Bottoms
  •  Label the Boxes
  • Use Dish Packs for Glassware and China
  • Disassemble when Possible
  • Protect Electronics
  •  Seal Boxes Securely
  • Consider Professional Packing Services

Tip 1: Gather the Right Supplies

If you plan to move or ship delicate items, you must gather sturdy boxes in different sizes, packing tape, bubble wrap, foam sheets, tissue paper, and markers. All the necessary supplies can make the packing process a breeze and save you time and effort. 

Tip 2: Wrap Each Item Individually

If you have fragile items that require moving or shipping, you must take extra precautions to ensure they arrive safely. Wrap each delicate item separately with either bubble wrap or foam sheets. This provides essential cushioning and protection from any potential bumps during transit. Be sure to secure the wrapping with tape to keep it in place and prevent any shifting or slipping.

Tip 3: Fill Empty Spaces

Fill empty spaces within the box using packing peanuts, crumpled paper, or foam sheets. This helps prevent items from shifting during transportation and reduces the risk of breakage. 

Tip 4: Reinforce Box Bottoms

We recommend strengthening the bottom by adding extra layers of packing tape to ensure your boxes are safe for your belongings. This provides additional support, especially for heavier items, and minimises the chances of the box breaking or collapsing. 

Tip 5: Label the Boxes

Fragile sign on shipping box with barcode being read by a thin red laser.

Label each box with bold, visible letters ‘Fragile’ or ‘Handle with Care’ to alert movers or anyone handling the boxes that delicate items are inside.

Tip 6: Use Dish Packs for Glassware and China

Dish packs and cell kits are specialised packaging materials designed to protect fragile items during transportation. These kits are helpful when moving delicate objects such as glassware, china, ceramics, and other breakable items. They’re tailor-made to fit each item, cradling them safely and securely during transit, ensuring that each piece remains pristine and is not damaged during the move.

Tip 7: Disassemble when Possible

Close-up of young man putting self assembly furniture as they move into your new house.

We recommend disassembling delicate items before packing and wrapping each component separately, labelling them accordingly. This will minimise the risk of damage from parts bumping into each other.

Tip 8: Protect Electronics

When shipping electronics, wrap them in anti-static bubble wrap or foam sheets and place them in an appropriately sized box with additional padding to absorb any shocks or vibrations.

Tip 9: Seal Boxes Securely

When shipping electronics, wrap them in anti-static bubble wrap or foam sheets and place them in an appropriately sized box with additional padding to absorb any shocks or vibrations.

Tip 10: Consider Professional Packing Services

Consider hiring professional packing services if you have highly valuable or extremely delicate items. The experts have experience handling fragile objects and can provide specialised packing techniques and materials to ensure maximum protection. 

We understand how vital your delicate items are to you and how worrisome it can be to transport them safely. That’s why we recommend following these ten tips for packing delicate items to ensure your cherished belongings are unscathed when moving. Remember to take your time, wrap each item carefully, and provide enough cushioning within the boxes. With proper packing, you can significantly reduce the risk of damage and have a stress-free experience during transportation. 

Looking for convenient, secure self storage near you? We have stores across the UK, including Leeds, Manchester, Lincoln, Northampton, and many more. Whether you’re decluttering, moving home, or just need extra space, we have a solution to suit you. To find the one best suited to your needs, check out our size guide and online Size Estimator, and get an instant quote today.

Ready Steady Store
Storage Unit Size Guide
Quick Reference
9–15
sq ft
Small Storage Unit

Secure storage for documents, boxes and smaller items you need to access occasionally.

Archive boxes Suitcases Seasonal items
25
sq ft
Studio / Small 1-bed

Conveniently fits the contents of a studio or small 1-bedroom flat, without bulky furniture.

Single bed Wardrobe items Desk & chair
⭐ Most popular
50
sq ft
1–2 Bedroom Flat

Reliably fits a sofa, double bed, wardrobe and around 20 boxes - our most-booked size.

Double bed Sofa Wardrobe ~20 boxes
75
sq ft
2–3 Bedroom House

Accessible storage for most contents of a family home, including larger furniture pieces.

King bed Dining set Multiple wardrobes
100
sq ft
3–4 Bedroom House

Friendly, flexible storage for larger homes - white goods, garden furniture and full room sets.

White goods Garden furniture Full house contents

Helpful tip: Most of our storage units are at least 8ft high - stack your items and furniture to make the most of the height and keep your costs down.

Karishma Darji

Head of Central Operations & Marketing, Ready Steady Store

Karishma is Head of Central Operations & Marketing at Ready Steady Store, bringing over 10 years’ experience in the UK self storage industry. She oversees central operations, process strategy, customer experience, and digital performance across multiple self storage locations nationwide, ensuring customers have access to affordable, secure, and easy-to-use storage solutions.

Her work is closely informed by real customer behaviour and day-to-day store operations, helping ensure all advice and guides are practical, transparent, and relevant.

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Page last updated: February 28th, 2026

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