When you have to transport large items you have to take special care for the packaging. Often it’s not as easy as putting the stuff in a box and shipping it away. Bulky items require a bit more effort in order to secure them properly for transportation.
So, some preparation is needed before you hand the goods to your large item courier. Of course, some couriers will help you out with that, but it still better to make sure you have put in the needed effort as you have the best knowledge about the type of item and the specifics.
The basics of securing large items
Let’s explore the basic steps you need to take to prepare your special items for transportation.
Size matters
Depending on the type of the item, you may be able to ship it with a big box. But for many large items like appliances, furniture or special equipment, that’s not possible. Using a pallet to place the item onto it will be of great help for the couriers for moving and securing the shipment. This is especially useful for large and heavy items.
Avoid the use of oversized boxes as they will simply take space (increase the costs for you) and will not protect the items better than a properly sized box with decent amount of bubble wrap and other packing materials. Keeping the shipment as compact as possible is important for optimizing costs and ease of transportation.
Note the details
Depending on what your large items are, you have to do different additional steps to prepare. For example, if you’re shipping a cupboard, make sure to remove the shelves inside and to secure the doors so they don’t open during transport. See if it is possible to disassemble the item. Or, if you’re going to transport something big as a wardrobe which can’t be taken apart, then see if it’s possible to add additional struts inside, so that it keeps a sturdy shape during travelling and won’t warp or break.
The same goes for appliances and machines. Make sure you secure the moving parts in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Remove cushions from sofas and so on. Some large item couriers will also help you out here by using professional bubble wrap to secure the goods.
Mind the shapes and weight
Some items will have various shapes. This is especially true for furniture and machines. These shapes can make the transportation quite the challenge. Especially for top-heavy items with a high center of gravity.
It’s important to take note of these details and plan your parcel securing accordingly. For example, use a pallet and tie down the item with straps. Cover sharp and/or protruding angles and points. Try and keep the center of gravity as low as possible.
Waterproofing
Some items won’t “like” being exposed to water. Unfortunately, that is always possible, especially if it’s raining on your shipping day. This is why it’s also important to spend some time and effort waterproofing the item if that’s required.
At the very least, use good, strong tape along gaps, seams, flaps and so on. Make sure the item is well secured with bubble wrap that’s taped together tightly. You can also individually wrap more delicate parts to give them extra protection.
Appropriate labels
It’s important to add the appropriate labels to the goods, so that the large item couriers are informed how to handle them. Yes, you will talk to them, but often it is possible that one parcel will go through several couriers so these labels will be very helpful for them to quickly identify the needed approach. So, add “fragile”, “keep dry” or other labels as needed. Be honest and don’t add labels that aren’t true.
Communication
As with many things in life, communication is key for proper shipments, too. Talk with your large item courier beforehand and inform them of all of your requirements. Ask for advice and for their requirements to make sure the process goes smoothly and your goods arrive at the destination in great shape.