More people than ever are shipping goods around Australia and worldwide and with quality courier delivery providers that can transport just about anything from point A to point B, it’s never been more easy. In all but a few cases, the sender will need to prepare the package they are sending, so if you’re in this position it’s good to have a rough idea to pack in the very best way for a secured baggage freight.

The main thing when it comes to packing is to ensure you provide sufficient protection for the items you’re shipping. But overdoing it or over-packing it isn’t the most efficient way to go about it either; it can be wasteful both in terms of time and resources.

This article suggests a number of ways you can pack in an affordable way that also provides the necessary protection to the items you are sending.

1. Recycling your packing materials

As well as helping you save a bit of money, recycling obviously benefits the environment greatly. So you should certainly try to do it whenever you have the chance and also try often to get rid of the stuff that you don’t need. Particularly if you work in an office environment and frequently post and receive packages, it’s worthwhile to keep boxes, paper and other packing materials handy for when you’ll need them in the future. The same goes for bubble paper, if you can resist the urge to pop it. It really makes no sense to throw away these materials and have to go out and buy more when needed. Keep in mind that if you are using an old box, be sure to remove old shipping labels.

2. Pack tight to restrict movement

The main principal you should adhere to when packing is to ensure that the item can’t shift around inside the box too much, if at all. Obviously this comes down to selecting a box that isn’t excessively larger the item that contains it. It also requires that you surround it with plenty of paper, and bubble paper to the sides of the box. Moving the box around should not result in the actual item shifting at all.

3. Use newspaper with caution when packing

Newspaper is handy when you are packing – it’s easy to get your hands on, it’s cheap and you can use it after you are done with it so it’s a good way to recycle. It also works really well when crumpled up to help cushion the item you are packing. By all means it can be used in many cases however keep in mind that the ink can often rub off and damage/deface items you are shipping.

4. Consider packing with two boxes

When you’re dealing with an especially fragile item, it’s important to pack as carefully as possible and protect the contents. One great method that works particularly well for smaller items is to pack the item into a box that is within another box. Pack the item into the box as you normally would, then place the package into a larger box in such a way that the smaller box can’t move around. You don’t want to be using a considerably larger second box to a point that the smaller one is getting thrown around in there. If done correctly, you’re giving the item double the protection and it greatly reduces the chance of damage.

5. Use packing tape rather than duct tape

If you seal your box up with regular duct tape, there’s a good chance your package will arrive to its destination in much worse condition than you have sent it in. If it’s a local delivery you might get away with it but more times than not it’s better to avoid taking the risk. You can purchase special packing tape at hardware stores, newsagents and post offices. It does not stretch and is much stronger, which keeps the box in good condition. Duct tape however is likely to loosen as time goes on and pressure builds up.