Bubble wrap is a great tool for keeping fragile household objects from getting damaged during long-term self storage. Even objects that most people wouldn't consider fragile, such as books and plastic toys, won't wear down nearly as quickly if they have bubble wrap around them. So to ensure that you use the bubble wrap you have on hand for storage as effectively as possible, follow these three tips.
To Maximize Storage Space, Put Bubble Wrap In Boxes Before Objects
It's understandable if you're planning to cover your objects in bubble wrap before you place them in a box. But while this certainly isn't a bad idea for more fragile items, you'll have more storage space if you put protective bubble wrap layers around the inside of your boxes instead.
When you emphasize bubble wrap in the box itself instead of bubble wrap on the objects you want to store, you're also less likely to use more of the plastic sheets than you have to. Even if you're storing something delicate like a laptop, there's never any need to put more than one bubble wrap layer in a particular box.
Use Lots Of Tape To Hold The Bubble Wrap In Place
Obviously, bubble wrap on vertical box sides needs some tape to hold it in place. But to maximize the utility of every bubble wrap sheet, you'll need to completely cover both your box's top edges and bottom with strong scotch tape.
While duct tape will work too, it tends to press hard enough on bubble wrap sheets to pop some of the bubbles. Too much pressure on the sheets also means that your things won't be pushed away from box sides as much. Finally, in comparison to scotch tape, duct tape isn't very good when you fold it up to hold a sheet on a box bottom.
Before Closing Boxes, Search For Air Pockets Between Bubble Wrap And Cardboard
Even if you're very diligent at applying lots of tape to the bubble wrap sheets on your boxes, air pockets can still form on bottom corners. These pockets can create danger zones in your box where your objects aren't receiving any protection.
So after your bubble wrap sheets have been disturbed by all the items placed around them, reach with your hands down to each bottom corner on your boxes and clear any air pockets. If you want to be absolutely sure that the pockets won't reform once you've moved your boxes around, take the items out and apply extra pieces of scotch tape to the corners.
Even if it seems like most of the objects you plan to store don't need more than a minimal amount of protection, it still pays to apply your bubble wrap sheets with care. A little saved effort now simply isn't worth potentially broken and worn items in the future.
Share18 April 2015
Nothing is more difficult than starting up your own business. Over the years, I have started and sold twelve different businesses, and some have been a lot more profitable than others. However, the mistakes that I have made over the years have taught me a lot about what it means to run a profitable, successful business. I hope that as you read through the articles on my website, you will learn more about how to operate a successful company, so that you stay in the black. Remember that running a business isn't always easy, but if you make wise decisions and stay focused, you can build a business that you can be proud of.