How To Ensure Your Christmas Gifts Make It To Their Destination Safely

It is better to give than receive is the saying and it is certainly a wonderful feeling when you give a loved one the exact present that they were secretly dreaming of. However, if circumstances dictate that you are in a different state or even country over the holiday period, then you will need to ship your gift, and the last thing you need after choosing the perfect present is for it to be damaged in transit.

The absolute best option is to bring your Christmas and Birthday gifts into one of our showrooms and let us pack and ship your items. But, we understand this convenient service isn’t for everyone. So we compiled a list of tips to help you successfully get your packages to their final destination.

So here are some tips and ideas that will ensure your gift arrives in perfect condition.

Check Modified Holiday Deliver Schedule

During the Christmas holidays, UPS, Fedex, and the USPS is overloaded with shipments. This causes delays in their shipping times. So, make sure you check and make sure your package even has a chance to make it on time. You might have to opt for overnight shipping or 2-day shipping to make up for waiting too long to get your packages out.

Use New Packing Materials Every Time

Using new packing meterials might seem an obvious thing to say, but many people will spend a lot of money on the gift and then try and save money by using an old cardboard box to post it in. Cardboard deteriorates quite quickly the more you use it, especially at the points of impact, such as the corners, so there is no benefit and a lot of risk, if you decide to reuse an old box. New cardboard boxes are not an expensive purchase, and will certainly increase the chances of a successful delivery at the other end.

Ensure There Is No Space Inside The Box

Almost regardless of what you are sending, but especially if you are sending more than one item, such as two wine bottles, for example, the biggest risk to your parcel arriving safely will most likely be from the contents themselves! In other words, the two bottles if not packaged correctly will hit against each other causing breakages. To prevent this ensure that the box is packed tightly with newspapers or other packing materials, that prevent the items from moving around inside the box.

Use The Proper Tape To Seal The Box

Now that the box is properly packed nice and tight, the next biggest risk is that the box will burst open during transit. This is where using the correct tape to seal your box is essential, and a worthwhile investment. Do not use string, duct tape or even sellotape, as none of these products are fit for purpose. You can actually buy packing tape, which is specifically designed for the job and has much more durable qualities, so spend a few extra dollars to ensure safe delivery of your gifts. This excellent video demonstrates perfectly how to package a delicate item for shipping.

Use Absorbant Packing Materials If Sending Liquids

If you are sending a few bottles of wine, for instance, the biggest risk after one of the bottles breaking, is that the contents leak out of the box onto the ship or plane. If this happens, then the likelihood is that the entire box will be destroyed or thrown away, even if only one bottle out of ten was broken. The best way to prevent this from happening is to try and pack the base of the box with highly absorbent material which will soak up any spillages before it leaks out of the box. This may sound pessimistic, but it is better only to lose one bottle than the entire contents of the package.

We hope that these few tips ensure the safe delivery of your package and that the lucky recipient is happy with their gift.