Here are my best tips and tricks to get you shipping like a pro.
Shipping is intimidating if you aren't familiar with it, but it doesn't have to be. Here are the basics to packaging items to ship:
TIP ONE: Figure out your box size by determining if the item you're packing is 'fragile' or 'standard'.
My Fedex training stated that fragile items should have a minimum of 4 inches on all sides between the item and the box. Standard items only need 2 inches clearance on all sides.
A 'fragile' item is anything that can break or become damaged with impact. It doesn't have to be your grandmother's porcelain tea set. Even though my vintage candles are made of metal and very sturdy, I still pack them 'fragile' because I want to insure that they arrive at their destination safely.
Since 'standard' items are far less intimating to pack (ex: fabric or clothing can just go in a mailer bag with no extra padding and little thought), most of these tips will be geared toward 'fragile' items.
Personal Rule: When shipping something fragile, pick a box that is at least as wide as it is tall if you can. That box will have a better chance of being set on it's 'bottom', and boxes are designed to be able to hold the most weight that way.
TIP TWO: Pick your filler based on what you're shipping.
There's bubble wrap, peanuts, Instapak, Versa-Pak™ wadding, cushion wrap, foam sheets, crinkle paper, newspaper, kraft paper, and the list goes on. Packing peanuts used to be the standard, but they allow things to move around in the box, and the person receiving your package will thank you when they see that you didn't use peanuts.
Overall Top Pick - In most shipping situations, I recommend 1/2" bubble wrap (or the 'bigger bubbles' if you have an option of two sizes). I've found that this bubble wrap gives the best of both worlds when it comes to cushioning items from impact and it remains lightweight which is beneficial for the cost and safety of your package.
Eco-friendly Pick - If plastic use is a concern, and bubble wrap is a no-go, then cushion wrap or Versa-Pak™ wadding are good options, but you may go through more of them, and your boxes will be heavier making the total cost to ship a little more.
Extremely Fragile Pick - If you are packing something that can't be safely wrapped in a packing material, there is an alternative product called Instapak. It is an expanding foam that can be molded into custom shapes to protect your item. It comes in a packet that you have to 'pop' to mix the chemicals, and the foam will start to expand and cool right away. There's a little bit of a learning curve when using this stuff, so order extra.
See TIP FOUR for my personal alternative for extremely fragile shipments.
TIP THREE: Always fill the box completely.
The item you are shipping should always be secure and not move around the box. I always give my boxes a shake test after they are packed. I shouldn't hear any movement or feel any shifting as I shake the box.
Even if you are shipping a 'standard' item that's not at risk of breaking, especially if it is heavy, this is a good idea. A shipping box could be weakened or damaged by the item jostling around and a box with a hole could arrive at it's destination empty. The box could also get crushed in by another box if it is full of air with nothing inside to support it.
Personal Rule: There are exceptions to every rule, and I do break this 'fully packed' rule with my lamp shades. Instead, I create a center support for strength and safety. It keeps the shade securely suspended in the center of the box and this minimizes any risk of denting.
If an item is secure in the packaging (it can't move at all), and the box is properly reinforced, then having some extra air is fine.
TIP FOUR: Sometimes, you just need to double box an item.
If an item is extremely heavy or very fragile, adding an additional layer of protection can give you extra safety and piece of mind.
Fragile pack the item in a box, and then fragile pack that first box like it is a fragile item. Even if the exterior box gets damaged in shipping, there's a strong chance that the interior box remains untouched.
I double box my lampshades, and because they are so light, I only add filler to the top, bottom, and the corners of the boxes, suspending the first box in the second box and creating a mostly-air layer of protection.
In my years of seeing damaged packages, I've found that damage happens most often to heavy boxes, or boxes that can't easily slide away from an impacting box. If shipping a heavy fragile box is unavoidable, use more filler, use double walled boxes made with thicker cardboard, and double box the shipment. That will ensure that your packaging holds up to the weight of your item.
TIP FIVE: Center supports are your friend.
If you have a very large box, and your item allows you to add support through the center of the box, do it. It reinforces the strength of the box and better transfers weigh. Large boxes have a better chance of ending up at the bottom of a stack of boxes, so that extra support can make a difference during the journey.
TIP SIX: H-tape your packages.
Not just tape down the center - tape on each side, too, covering the edge seams. It might seem like an unnecessary detail, but at Fedex if a box wasn't H-taped when it came to us, we had to tape it before it got on the truck. It doesn't just serve to keep things out of the box, it actually reinforces the edges and corners of the boxes. Corners can get a lot of beatings, and that is one of the simplest ways to fortify your box for transit.
Fun Fact - Tape is actually the strongest part of your box.
TIP SEVEN: Take the weather into consideration when shipping.
Extreme heat can melt candles. Extreme cold can crack wood. Filler can act like an insulator, especially when boxes end up in the back of trucks that aren't temperature controlled or on a porch sitting in the summer sun for most of the day. Adding extra filler during the hottest or coldest days of the year is never a bad idea. You can also just postpone a shipment until the weather chills out a bit.
Personal Rule: I live in Wisconsin, and we get some pretty cold days here. I err on the side of caution, and I have a rule that I don't ship on days it is below zero.
TIP EIGHT: Shipping art? There's a box for that.
There are specialized boxes that suspend the art in the center of the box, but they can be a little pricy. Also note, when shipping higher value items, shipping companies have insurance limits. Always ask what the insurance cap is for shipping art if that is a concern. You may have to get your art privately insured in advance, or you may have a clause in your home owners insurance that covers art shipments.
Note: if the art is oversized or has a large frame and can't be placed in an art box, the safest way to ship it would be to have it crated. That may change the shipping service to a freight carrier to ship it. Although, I have seen privately insured, crated art ship via Fedex Express; it depends on the size.
TIP NINE: Set your box up for success with labels.
These next suggestions may seem nit-picky, but why not get into some good habits when shipping?
1. Put the label on the side of the box. The drivers will stack boxes up, and they appreciate it if they can just scan the boxes in the stack without having to shift them all.
2. Don't use "Fragile" or "This Side Up" stickers. Really. I was told this by multiple drivers (from different carriers). A disgruntled driver will take frustrations out on that box over the others. Drivers are trained to handle each and every box with care, but when that doesn't happen, all you are doing by adding that label is singling your box out.
3. Another note about "This Side Up" stickers - there is no way to actually ensure that packages stay upright through the journey. Drivers will do the best they can to follow that, but when the box is on conveyor belts, it will get rotated. The automation of the system can't guarantee a package's orientation at all times, so just account for that when packing.
TIP TEN: You can always take an item into UPS or Fedex to have it packed.
If you don't feel confident packing a fragile item yourself, the major carriers guarantee their pack jobs, and you don't have to buy any supplies if you are only shipping one item.