In this guide we will explain in detail how to pack a package for shipping. Follow our advice and you can ship safely with the certainty that the contents of your package arrive at their destination intact and in perfect condition.

How to pack a package for shipping: three basic premises

Before starting let us remind you of three fundamental aspects for correct packaging.

Choose the box well

The choice of the box is not as simple as it may seem. The box at the bottom protects the contents of what you want to ship and accompanies it during the journey. Please note that your package can travel on different vehicles and in different conditions. This can give you an idea of ​​the importance of choosing the correct wrapper for him.

Wrap with care

The items contained in the box will need to be packed. When packing individual items you will have to take into account their size, shape, material they are made of, and also the best material to use to wrap them (the items to be shipped can be wrapped in normal newsprint or even in fabric; sometimes even pillows are used). You will then have to decide whether to wrap the items to be stored in your package in pairs , in groups or individually, depending on their size or fragility.

Take good care of the outside of the box

The outside of the box is very important; do not underestimate this aspect in order not to have problems during the shipment . What is written on the outside of the box is essential both for the contents of the package itself and for its journey. It is important not to make any mistakes about what we write out of the box. Keep in mind that it is the only part that our courier will be able to see, and based on what is written on it he will be able to verify the destination of the trip.

How to pack a package: the choice of the box

When you have to send a package, especially if its contents are fragile or otherwise valuable, you need to get the right box. And not all boxes are.

Many think that to send a package it is enough to use any box perhaps found among those we already have at home, perhaps long ago in the garage or in the attic. Nothing more wrong.

A used or old box, even if it was originally sturdy and resistant, can be worn and fragile. Its structure may have weakened perhaps due to weather and humidity.

Not to mention that he will surely bring images or writings of various kinds on his facades (which can create problems for the success of his trip, as I will explain later).

So if you want to make sure you are doing it right, we recommend that you buy a new box.

You may be wondering: what features must the box have for shipping?

The main difference between shipping boxes is the thickness of the carton . The most resistant boxes are precisely those of corrugated cardboard. And the types of cardboard vary according to the height of the waves.Clearly the types are numerous depending on the combinations that can be obtained with wavy lines juxtaposed with each other and of different thickness.

The main types of boxes most used for shipments are:

• Single wave or simple wave (less resistant).
• Double or triple wave (more resistant).
   

Keep in mind that the size of the box is also very important.

A box that is too large for its contents, for example, risks creating empty spaces between the various objects contained within it and causing them to rub or even break. Always choose a box of the right size to avoid accidents.

You could experiment with boxes you already own in your home and then use them as a template when you go to buy the new one for shipping.

What you need to pack a package for shipping

Before you start packing, make sure you have all the materials you need so you don't have to interrupt and start all over again.

To pack your package you will need:

• One or more cardboard boxes.
• A utility knife.
• A pair of scissors.
• A sturdy roll of scotch tape.
• Bubble wrap.
• Styrofoam sheets.
   

Clearly, depending on the type of objects you will have to pack, you may need different tools or materials and maybe not everything will be needed.

Packing a parcel Diifferent Types of Objects

When a package is well closed and packaged, it is loaded onto the courier's means of transport and begins its journey. Inside the courier truck all the boxes look the same . In reality, their content can be of various kinds. Large and small, heavy and light packages travel inside the truck, but what is inside them is only known to the sender who has carefully packed it. So what can be inside a package to be sent?

It is not easy to list everything that can be sent . We will try below to report the main categories of objects that a sender may decide to send. Depending on the type of goods to be sent, we will give criteria on how it is more correct to pack the individual objects.Different types of objects require different packaging .

1 - How to pack books

If you've moved, you will surely know that books are one of the easiest things to pack. The only aspect to pay attention to are the edges of the cover (especially if it is rigid). To prevent the edges from bending or being damaged during the journey, wrap the book in bubble wrap . This way you will protect the box you want to ship it with from scratches or breaks, and of course the book itself.

If you don't have bubble wrap at hand, you can use similar material to protect the cover of the book and any protrusions (you could also use cardboard or polystyrene sheets).

Books are as simple to pack as they are heavy to carry. The advice if you have to ship more than one book is not to exceed a certain weight per box . Surely you will have to choose resistant cartons in which to insert them for transport (double or triple wave).

2 - How to pack clothes

The clothes are also very easy to pack. Those who send clothes generally do so for commercial reasons, so the main concern is not so much that they break (they are obviously not fragile objects and do not risk being damaged by bumps or falls of the package), but rather the only risk that a package containing clothes is to get wet and thus spoil the contents even if only a few drops filter inside the package.

The advice, if you are an online clothing seller or if you want to send clothing to friends or acquaintances, is to close each item of clothing well in a plastic bag. In this way the dress, in addition to being well folded, remains well protected and avoids getting wet.

3 - How to pack food

We must remember that not all types of food can be shipped (perishable goods, for example, are sensitive to temperature variations and it is unthinkable that a shipment inside a package, transported on different means, can guarantee the ideal conditions for this. kind of food).

If you have doubts about which foods can be shipped, check the information about them on the AustransLogistics.com blog . There you will find every detail about which foods you will be allowed to ship and which you will not.

If you have verified that the goods you want to ship are allowed by the carrier of your choice, make sure you pack them correctly.

You will have to take into account the overturning of the box during the journey , or in any case the risk of bumps or jolts. The package can then be superimposed and crushed by other packages. The best way to prevent the contents of your package from spoiling in this case is to use over-packing.

Over-packing is nothing more than a method of packing which consists in inserting the food you want to transport in two or three boxes, one inside the other . This method allows you to protect the contents of the box inside from any unforeseen events that the package may encounter during the journey.

The over-packing method can be useful for any item you want to ship.

These are just some types of items that can be shipped in a package.

We have seen three very different examples from each other (books, clothes, food), so that you know at least the main packaging techniques and above all the criteria that guide them. Once you understand these criteria , you can further document yourself and try your hand at any type of shipment , and therefore packaging.

Before moving on to the next topic, that is the closing of the package, we summarize below three guiding points:

• Always use strong boxes (at least double wave).
• Insert fillers between one object and another (pack with bubble wrap or other material).
• Use the over-packing method.

The last stage of packaging: closing the package (when and how to close the package)

The protection of the contents of your package also passes through small precautions to which we generally give little importance but which can prove to be fundamental for our shipment. The closing of the package is one of them.

Have you ever thought that a package is much more likely to open right where the tape was laid than anywhere else where the cardboard is intact and strong?

For this it is essential to practice a correct closure.

That a package is well closed and sealed also depends on the quality of the materials we use to close it. We advise you toalways use very strong scotch tape for this purpose. It is also good that you spread several layers of scotch tape on all ends of the package. Don't skimp on duct tape - buy a large, sturdy roll. The package will pass from hand to hand and if the tape is not well glued it can risk coming off and letting out the contents of the package.

Another valid reason for sealing a package well is that it must not be easily opened by anyone other than the recipient. Austrans Logistics couriers are correct and reliable and you will not have to fear for the safety of your package. However, it is always good to be careful in sealing the package:other people may come into contact with your box during the shipping process.

When you close a package you will also need to make sure that nothing comes out, that there are no protrusions that could in any way change the shape of the box . The transporters who collaborate with Austrans Logistics care that your shipment is successful and cannot accept packages with protrusions that would risk creating loading problems . A poorly packaged package is more prone to damage due to unavoidable pressure from other packages during the journey.

There is one last precaution that we suggest before closing your box for good.

If you start the shipping procedure with Austrans Logistics, when completing the shipment booking form you will be asked if you want to give a name or an identification code to your package.

Let's say that you intend to start a multi-layer shipment (with AustransLogistics.com you have the possibility to do it and it is a very simple procedure), and therefore you have more boxes to send, in that case it might be useful to name the boxes to store the contents.

As already mentioned, all closed boxes all look the same and, in the case of a move for example, no one would like to see a mountain of identical boxes delivered without knowing which contains the books and which the plates and glasses. If then, again in the case of a multi-layer shipment, the packages are to be delivered to different recipients, it will be all the more convenient for you to avoid exchanging them and confusing their contents.

You must also know that you cannot write anything on the outside of the box in any way, as this would risk creating confusion regarding the address or other data of the recipient. This is also the reason why we always recommend buying new boxes free from any writing or image.

Before closing the package , therefore, check its contents carefully and pin it on a sheet , perhaps numbering the box, so as not to risk reopening it later and throwing all the packaging work upside down.

Packing a package to be sent: weight and measurements

Too many times, those who send a package worry excessively about choosing the right courier , either for economic or security reasons. This is not wrong.

But we should be equally concerned about getting the right data from our package before rushing to book shipping . The shipment booking form on online shipping sites such as Shipping is very simple to fill out and does not take too long.

But you need to be prepared first and know what data to enter in the required fields. One of these fields is that relating to the weight and measures of the package.

To simplify, I will report below some steps to make it clearer how to take the measurements of your package and what is meant by weight and measurements.

• The weight of the package generally refers to the "volumetric weight". Most shippers require this type of weight, also called "volume weight". It is nothing more than the parameter that measures the volume of the entire neck . Generally it is on the basis of this data that the shippers calculate the shipping costs (the size of a package makes the difference during transport, especially if this happens by air and not by road).
• The measures of the package instead are divided into length, width and height . The length always corresponds to the longest side of the box, whatever the shape of the package. It is therefore the horizontal side of the largest front panel of the package. The width, on the other hand, corresponds to the shorter side of the box, i.e. the smaller horizontal side of the side panel of the pack . Finally, the height is the measure that goes from the base of the box to its top, and must be calculated vertically.

Now that you know the main data that will be required for shipping, you can start taking measurements. To measure your package you will need:
A scale (any scale you already own at home is fine; clearly, if you have a parcel scale you better use that one: you will certainly be more accurate).

A ruler (for smaller packages), a tape measure, a tape measure or a bricklayer.

Pen and paper to write down the measurements.
At this point you may be wondering: how do I proceed to measure the weight of the package?

If you are asked for the actual weight (and not the volumetric weight) , the procedure is very simple. If the package is small, simply place it on the scale plate and note the indicated weight on your sheet. Nothing simpler.

If, on the other hand, the package is large (and therefore may not fit on the weighing pan), double weighing must be carried out . Double weighing is also very simple.

1. First you have to step on the scale. Take note of the weight and get off.
2. Step back onto the scale holding the package in your hands, and note the weight again.
3. Now subtract the first weighing figure from the second weighing figure, and you will get the actual weight of the package.

The volumetric weight is instead more complex to calculate and to do it you will first need to have the data of: width, length and height.

To measure the length of the package, simply stop the end of the tape measure at the left edge and unroll it up to the right edge. You can do the same for the width. The height will instead be measured by fixing the meter at the end of the pack and making it descend vertically to its base.

You now have all the data to calculate the volumetric weight of your package.The volumetric weight is in fact obtained after defining the perimeter of the box (according to the formula: height + width). Then the result obtained is multiplied by 2, and the value of the length is added.

Always remember to check the maximum dimensions allowed by the courier you have chosen to avoid having to redo the package from scratch. Indicatively, if you decide to ship with Austrans Logistics, the dimensions of a standard package are:

• Weight: maximum 200 kg.
• Longest side: 274 cm.
• Shortest side: 157 cm.
• Height: 157 cm.

If you find that your package is not within the set limits, be careful. It could automatically be considered a “cumbersome or special shipment” and thus predict a higher price than what you had budgeted for.

Make sure you have taken all the measurements correctly and have done the calculations correctly.

The risk of your package being rejected because it exceeds the size declared at the time of booking is not so unlikely. But don't worry. If you have done everything explained with the utmost precision, you will not have to fear for your shipment.

Now all you have to do isbook your shipment on the online booking form and wait for the courier to collect the package.

What to write on the package

We have reached the end of the path. Your box is closed, the items well packed and the shipment booked. However, the package packaging process is not finished yet.

If you have followed the instructions that have been given to you up to this point , you will have a well-packed and sealed package in your hands , and its external surface will be completely free from writings and images. So good.

At this point it will be up to you to write all the data relating to the sender and recipient of the shipment on the outside of the box.And here the first questions arise: Can I write on the outside of the box? What do I write with and how do I write it? And finally: where do I write the sender and where do I write the recipient?

No problem.

First , you don't have to worry about writing on the outside of the box.

It's true: we said that any writing on the outside of the package could create confusion for the courier. But this happens because the only information that must be present outside the box is the sender and recipient data. Therefore it is correct to handwrite this information and no other information on the package.

You will certainly have happened to send an envelope and have to indicate by hand the address of the recipient and that of the sender. Here: for a package it is not very different. Even a package that needs to be sent needs the recipient's information, online booking and the tracking number are not enough to identify it.

You may be wondering where in the package it is correct to write: a box has four sides and is not like a simple envelope. Which side do I write on? Where is it more correct to write, top or bottom, right or left?

Take the stable side of the package - not the base of the package, nor the top side, which will probably be largely occupied by the tape used to seal it,to write sender and recipient.

Remember to write everything in capital letters and legibly and clearly. It may seem like a trivial piece of advice, but writing an address or a name well often helps to avoid wasting time and avoiding misunderstandings.

The recipient (who receives the package) must be written on the top left; while the sender (who sends the package) goes to the bottom right. Pay close attention to these directions. It may happen that you end up confusing the sender with the recipient and vice versa.

Top lefttherefore you will write the name and surname of the person or the name of the company to which you want to send the package (recipient), the address, the Postal Code (Cap), the name of the city and the province.

Before writing the data of the recipient, indicate the wording "recipient" in order to be even more precise.

You will need to do the same at the bottom right. After indicating the wording "sender" , you will write the name and surname of whoever sends the package (sender), the address, the Postal Code (Cap), the name of the city and the province.

Some boxes already have pre-printed sender and recipient fieldson the cardboard. Otherwise we recommend that you define them well, tracing the two fields so that everything is clearer and more orderly.

A further precaution that can make the difference in the delivery phase can be to write in the recipient field (especially if it is a company) the name of who will have to collect the package in person. You can do this by writing your name and surname, and indicating in brackets the words "for the attention of".

If then the recipient has given you other information regarding the place of destination , which you think may be useful to the courier for the delivery of the package(such as data relating to the staircase, the interior or the office), we recommend that you specify them next to the address in the field dedicated to the recipient.

It is true that when you book your shipment online you are sent a waybill , where all these data are already present, and you are asked to paste it on top of the package for shipping. So why rewrite all the same information on the box too?

It's very simple. During the journey the packages are stacked and often rub against each other. It is therefore

not uncommon for the plastic bag that often contains the waybill to be damagedand therefore the sender and recipient data may be lost.

Writing the same data well directly on the package is a guarantee of greater security. Even if the waybill were lost, your package would arrive safely at its destination without a hitch.

Now you will ask yourself: but if I wrote sender and recipient on the outside of the package, have I finished the packaging process? Will I not have to write anything more?

Generally the sender and recipient data are sufficient as information to be indicated on the outside of the package. However, there are some cases in which it is necessary to add symbols that can guarantee additional safety to the transport.

This is the case with packages that contain delicate, fragile or even dangerous goods, if not handled with care. There are internationally recognized symbols that are intended to require special attention for the transport of that particular package.

We will list the main transport symbols below, in case you deem them useful for your shipment, dividing them into three categories: symbols useful for the movement of the package, symbols that help warehouse workers in storage, symbols that indicate dangerous goods.

The first group (that is, the symbols that indicate how to handle the package during transport) are:

• Two arrows side by side and oriented in space: they indicate which side of the box to be oriented upwards.
• A glass, which indicates a fragile content (it is often replaced by the word "fragile").
• A crossed hook: indicates the prohibition of using hooks to move the package.
• A crossed curved bidirectional arrow: indicates the prohibition of overturning the package.

The symbols that are intended to help warehouse workers are:

• An umbrella: Indicates to keep the package away from moisture.
• The sun: Indicates not to leave the box in direct sunlight.
• Two overlapping boxes, crossed out: Indicates not to overlap multiple boxes.
• Multiple numbered boxes: Indicates the number of maximum stackable boxes.

Finally, there are the symbols designed to signal potentially dangerous content. And I'm:

• A triangle with an exclamation point in the center: Indicates general danger.
• A triangle with a central flame: indicates the presence of flammable goods.
• A rhombus depicting a fish out of the water: it indicates the presence of polluting goods for the marine environment.

It is likely that you will not have to use all these symbols for the shipment of your package, but it is always good to know them to know that the contents of the packages are not all the same and that we can help couriers with a few simple indications to know how to behave and how to handle our package.

By now you will have understood that your contribution to the success of the expedition is more than important. Help the courier to take care of your package in the most appropriate way and you will not have to worry during the shipment, whatever the conditions in which he will travel.