How to Pack a Parcel So It Survives the Journey

Most damaged-parcel claims trace back to one thing: weak packing. The good news is that a few cheap habits eliminate almost all of it.

Pick the right box

Use a double-walled corrugated box one size larger than your item, leaving room for cushioning on every side. Reusing a soft, previously-shipped box is a false economy.

• Fragile items: 5–6 cm of cushioning on all sides.
• Heavy items: double-box with padding between the two boxes.
• Documents: rigid envelope, never a flimsy poly bag.

Cushion, don't just fill

Bubble wrap, air pillows, or crushed paper should immobilise the contents. Shake the sealed box — if you hear movement, add more.

Rule of thumb: if it rattles, it cracks.

Seal in an H-pattern

Run packing tape along the centre seam and both edge seams on top and bottom. Skip the cellophane tape — it peels in transit.