When relocating to a new destination, the worst nightmare is packing things. And packing delicate ones is particularly difficult. But the biggest problem for many is how to pack a mirror for moving. Doing this can be a difficult task, for more than one reason. If you are superstitious, you do not want to start your new life with seven years of bad luck. Also, large mirrors are an expensive commodity. If you inherited it or received it as a gift, there is also sentimental value. To avoid such problems, you better stick to the following tips and pack your mirror step by step.
Step 1 – Prepare the Necessary Packing Materials
If you’re moving out for the first time, then you need to figure out how to move with all of your belongings. The first step for that is to get all the necessary supplies you might need. Regardless of the size and weight of the mirror, you will need more or less similar packing materials, like bubble wrap, brown packing paper, a roll of tape, a box, moving blankets, and a marker. Packing peanuts are not recommendable, as they tend to shift in transport. Thus exposing parts of your item to potential damage. However, crumpled paper can be an efficient substitute.
Where Can You Get the Materials?
If your moving budget is tight and you want to save money during your relocation, you can replace some materials and improvise. For example, you can use your towels instead of moving blankets. Likewise, you can take smaller boxes and assemble them into a big one, or cut them and tailor them to fit your item. You can also create a cardboard “sleeve” instead of a box, by joining two pieces of cardboard together with tape. Just make sure you get proper materials while finding the cheapest way to move.
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Key Step – Get the Right Box for Your Mirror
Boxes for mirrors are an excellent choice, as they are specially adjusted to the purpose of protecting those fragile items adequately. They are designed to interlock pieces together so as to adapt to the required size. You can find them in specialized stores, or buy them directly from moving and truck rental companies. Bear in mind that flattened boxes should be about 30% larger than the item itself.
These boxes come as four separate cardboards to be fitted together in the process of packing. By joining two pieces of cardboard together, you create two halves of boxes that you will finally assemble into one piece when other steps are finished. At this stage, you will also need bubble wrap to put in the corners of the two parts. While you try out creative storage ideas, make sure your mirror is protected.
Step 2 – Set Up a Packing Area
Even though it may seem futile, this step is important because the process of packing fragile items is very demanding. It requires handling large pieces of wrapping materials, not to mention the item itself and the box. A house has many places that can serve as the packing area, but your table is best suited for this purpose. The largest table is usually the one in the dining room, but the kitchen table will also do, or even the one in the living room if it is spacious enough. You need to place a moving blanket on the table in order to protect it.
Step 3 – Tips for Preparing the Mirror for the Box
There are many tips that can help you secure and prepare your fragile items for transport. One of the best tips given by the professionals is to tape an X or a grid pattern on the surface of your mirror to protect it from cracking or from injuring yourself should it get damaged. It will also prevent broken pieces of glass from damaging the frame, which is easier to replace than the whole set.
After you do the X, cut a piece of cardboard in the size of the object and secure it on the glass with tape. For this purpose, you can even use a smaller box you may already have in the house. Cut it to fit the item size and secure it as mentioned above. Then put the object at the center of the packing paper and fold the paper over like you if you were wrapping a present. The paper will prevent the bubble wrap from sticking to the glass. The next step is to once again secure the whole arrangement with tape.
Finally, bundle the whole thing in more bubble wrap and run a tape around it, both vertically and horizontally.
Step 4 – How to Pack a Mirror for Moving
To distribute the weight evenly, you should always take the item with two hands by the sides, not at the top or bottom. Place the wrapped object in the box and adjust the sides to closely fit the frame. You need to fill in the empty spaces inside with bubble wrap or crumpled paper, and some people even recommend using towels for this purpose. Then fix that part of the box with a little tape. Finally, add the other part from the top and also fix it with tape.
To check whether it is safely packed, lift the box and shake it gently to make sure there would be no potential shifting during transport or while in storage. If the object seems to be shifting inside, add more bubble wrap or paper. It’s better to put additional layers that will secure the item while in storage or transport.
Label the Box
An important but often overlooked step in your packing strategy is to label the boxes. This needs to be done because, in the multitude of boxes, you or the person carrying them may not know the exact content and will not be handling it with proper care. You should not only write FRAGILE and HANDLE WITH CARE but also NOT LAY FLAT in order to avoid any unnecessary damage. Also, after packing and before carrying it away, store the object in a place where it will not fall over while in transport.
Packing Any Fragile Items for Moving
You don’t have to apply these tips just to mirrors. There are many fragile items that you can pack this way. However, you should keep in mind that mirrors and paintings should be packed first for the transport or kept in storage units, as you will not need them until you move out. That way they will be protected from getting damaged in the process of transporting other items or while they are in storage. The best option is to load it behind a sofa and against the truck wall, in an upright position. If the mirror (or any other item) is antique, then you should perhaps get additional moving insurance, just in case.
