How to Pack Fragile and Valuable Items for Storage

TVs, glassware, artwork, instruments: the items most likely to get damaged are also the ones worth taking the most care with.

Most storage damage concentrates in a small category of items, fragile, awkward-shaped, or genuinely valuable pieces that need more than a standard box and tape. Knowing which items fall into this category, and how to prepare them, makes a real difference.

Pack televisions and large screens in their original box if you still have it; that packaging is purpose-built for the exact weight distribution and screen size. Without the original box, wrap a flat-screen TV with a soft protective layer first, then a rigid outer layer, and always transport it upright. Screens take pressure damage more easily than people expect.

Wrap glassware, mirrors, and anything with a glass surface individually, not shared in one box under a layer of bubble wrap. Pack each piece so it can't shift or knock against other items in transit; movement causes most breakage, not the storage itself. For stemware and anything with a narrow neck, wrap the body and the neck separately, since that's the point most likely to snap under pressure.

Material choice matters more than people assume. Bubble wrap suits hard, non-porous surfaces, glass, ceramics, hard plastic, but isn't ideal for fabric or upholstered items, which do better with breathable moving blankets that won't trap moisture against the material. Packing paper works well as an inner layer for anything with a finish that could scratch, crockery, polished wood, lacquered surfaces, underneath a firmer outer layer.

A wardrobe box isn't just for clothes. Use it to keep framed items, lampshades, and other oddly-shaped pieces upright and separated during transit rather than cramming them flat into a standard box, where they're more likely to bend or crack under the weight of whatever gets stacked on top.

Transport artwork and framed items vertically, never flat with weight stacked on top, and protect corners separately since they're the most vulnerable point on any frame. For anything with sentimental or appraised value, it's worth mentioning this specifically when booking so we can arrange the right handling and storage method, and worth having a recent photo or valuation on file in case you ever need to reference an item's condition before storage.

Musical instruments are sensitive to both physical knocks and environmental conditions alike; humidity and temperature swings affect wood and strings over a long storage period. This is a case where our enclosed crate storage option, rather than standard pallet storage, is usually the better fit.

For electronics beyond TVs, laptops, speakers, game consoles, keep original packaging if you have it, remove batteries where possible, and bundle cables separately and labelled so reassembly later doesn't turn into a guessing game.

The most common packing mistake isn't using too little material, it's leaving empty space inside a box. Gaps let contents shift during transit, which is when most breakage happens. Fill empty space with packing paper or soft items rather than leaving a box that rattles when you shake it gently.

Flag anything that needs special handling before pickup rather than assuming standard wrapping covers it. Our team can advise on the right approach for anything unusual or high-value in your inventory.