Moving house or transporting valuable or fragile goods is a major undertaking. It’s natural to want to try and find savings wherever and whenever you can. But while you can shop around and find a great packing and removals company that can help you at an affordable price, one area you should always steer clear of is using cheap packing supplies,
In this guide, we’ll explain why using packing materials that are cheap can do more harm than good highlight the top-quality boxes and supplies that we use at Happy2Move.
Why should you avoid them?
Because packing materials generally look pretty similar, it can be easy to assume that buying cheap packing supplies gives you the same results at a lower cost.
The best way to think about it is like buying a crash helmet. If you want to protect something valuable (your head, in this case!), you want the best protection you can afford. Similarly, if you’re protecting your valuable possessions in a house move, or priceless family antiques and heirlooms, you want to invest in the best protection around.
There are three main reasons to avoid cheap packing supplies:
Lack of quality
Cheap packing materials are understandably are basic in standard. For items at low risk of damage or with a small financial value, this is probably enough. Using low-grade supplies may not be adequate for protecting valuables, or large items like furniture that can sometimes be marked in transit.
Environmental impact
When packing materials are made to a price, cost concerns naturally trump environmental factors. If it’s cheaper for manufacturers to chop down trees to make packing paper rather than using recycled paper, for example, then they will always choose that cheaper option. Additionally, many packing and removals operators still use non-recyclable plastics in many of their projects: while this is still unavoidable in some cases, the use of these plastics can easily be minimised.
Impact on local businesses
Most cheap packing materials tend to come from larger retailers who have the clout in the marketplace to be more competitive on price. Buying from Amazon may provide more convenience, but compared to buying from or selecting a local business, it means money disappears from your local economy and makes it harder for local businesses to continue offering viable services. This article by Forbes takes a deeper look into the issues Is Amazon Killing Small Businesses?
What packing materials do we use and sell?
At Happy2Move, we don’t use cheap packing materials, because ensuring the safety of the goods that we pack and transport is just as important to us as it is to you. View our full range of Packing Materials and place an order today! When you use our packing services, you get top-quality materials from start to finish, including:
Boxes
We use strengthened double-wall boxes that take heavy loads, and ensure the right-sized boxes are used for the right items. We use small boxes (approximately 45cm x 30cm x 30cm), large boxes (approx. 45cm x 45cm and 45cm) and wardrobe boxes for the biggest loads (approx. 120cm x 50cm x 45cm).
Bubble wrap and bubble wrap roll
Good old bubble wrap still stands the test of time by giving the cushioning protection of air pockets against damage or impact. We can apply bubble wrap in small specific areas that are particularly vulnerable, or wrap up entire items using large-scale, heavy-duty bubble wrap rolls.
Packing paper
Good packing paper acts as a protective film around items, so that they don’t get marked or scuffed in transit. They are also protected from the elements when outdoors at any point during a house move. We use and supply packing paper in batches of 100 sheets, so every item has the layers of protection it deserves.
Mattress covers
Mattresses are big, bulky items to move and store. Beeing fabric-based, they are prone to dust and damp if not packed correctly. That’s why we use mattress covers that envelop mattresses entirely. Whenever they’re unpacked, they’ll be in just as good condition as they were when they were packed up.
Packing tape
Good packing tape can be relied upon to hold everything together. They make sure that all the other packing materials that we use stay exactly where they should be. We’ve used our years of experience to hand-pick the best packing tapes around, so that everything remains under wraps.
Permanent marker
Even the best packing materials are pretty much the same brown colour. This is unhelpful when you’re unpacking and face countless identical packages. That’s why we depend on our trusty permanent markers, so we can mark up all your items with relevant information, and clearly indicate if items are fragile and need handling with care.
Paper blankets
Many items of furniture are wrapped in polythene, which is bad for the environment. This doesn’t allow moisture inside to escape, which is how furnishings end up damp and musty. To prevent these issues from happening, we use non-abrasive paper blankets. These give the perfect balance of protection from knocks and scratches, while still allowing the items inside to ‘breathe’.
Contact us for all your packing needs!
As you can see, at Happy2Move, we have all the packing materials you need for your move or item transportation. We also have a full suite of vehicles, expertise and removal services. We sell Packing Materials and offer a comprehensive Packing Service. To find out more on how we can help you, get in touch with our friendly team today.
