When moving home, particular concern is often placed on those more delicate and damage prone items. Typically, the more fragile an object, the higher the value it holds to the movers, in terms of monetary or sentimental worth. Items such as fine china, antiques, glassware and ornaments can be among the most treasured in the house, but are also at risk of falling victim, to the ongoing process which is moving home. With everything being placed in a box and put on the back of a lorry, what can a person do to ensure that their most delicate items reach the new home entirely in one piece? One of the most important factors to consider when packing away items is the space which they are given. Whilst it should seem logical that the more space an item is given, the safer it would be, the opposite is often true. When placing items into a box, allowing more space is allowing more space in which the item can move into. This kind of movement during travel can often place unnecessary stress and strain on delicate items, causing them to move around within their packing. If you are filling a box with fragile items, it pays to eliminate as much empty room as possible, meaning that there is nowhere for the item to roll, fall or otherwise move in to. When packing, it is also important to consider the manner in which you pack an object. Simply placing a series of china ornaments into a box is a dangerous game, even if you fill all of the available space. Instead, pay attention to the packaging materials you use. The more value an object has, the more it will benefit from being properly packed. Bubble wrap is perhaps the most important protective material when it comes to transporting delicate objects, but be sure to use newspaper and polystyrene chips and pellets in order to fill in the gaps between items. This combination of eliminating empty space and ensuring correct packaging can go a long way to making sure that your items are boxed up safely. If you are attempting to prevent scratches, dents and bumps, you need to pay particular attention to possible contact issues. All of the above are possible as a result of the items coming into contact with something other than soft packaging material. If there is an exposed surface and it is hit in a physical manner, this can often lead to a mark or crack. As such, determine where possible contact points might be on your items and then do your best to secure against them using packaging materials. When it comes to larger items which might need to be placed into the lorry on their own, consider how you can strap them down in order that they do not risk touching anything which might cause damage. For those looking to transport delicate items in an efficient manner, the concept of contact should be something which you take extra care to guard against. Despite all of your best work when it comes to packaging, perhaps the best way to make sure that something does not get damaged is to make sure that everyone involved in the moving process is aware of the dangers of breakage. Marking a box as fragile is important, but it can easily be overlooked. If you are aware which boxes have the most delicate items in, take particular care to monitor their progress throughout the move. By remaining vigilant throughout, and encouraging other to do the same, you make sure that everything is doing their best to protect your possessions.