By definition, collectibles are items which have high value and are important to different collectors. However, a lot of times, these items have a value that is more meaningful than the monetary one. Namely, people are usually sentimentally attached to the items they have have been collecting for years, if not decades. So, what happens when, for one reason or another, you have to pack your collectibles and transport them overseas? In that case, you come to Kokusai Express Japan, as we have all the answers. Today, we deal with the proper way of packing collectibles for international transport, so that you do not have to panic the next time you find yourself in this situation.

Know when to ask for help

When it comes to this topic, no matter who you ask, you will hear the same thing. In the situation where you have to pack collectibles for transport, the best thing you can do is get professional help. Even though you might have some experience when it comes to packing, professionals are ones who have spent years dealing with this task. Thus, they know the best way of packing your collectibles without damaging them. And, we are sure that the safety of your precious items will be your biggest concern in the days to come. 

However, if you feel like you are perfectly capable of packing your collectibles by yourself, you still cannot do this entire thing by yourself. The first thing you must do is find experienced international air freight forwarders that will transport your valuable items from point A to point B. And, remember that every half-decent company will be busy weeks ahead. You need to be quick and book a good company as soon as possible.

When packing collectibles for international transport, there are certain items to set aside

As previously mentioned, people collect all sort of things. From stamps to toys and everything in between, there is hardly an item that cannot be seen as collectible. However, if you are getting ready to ship some of your items to a different state, you need to know which items are too precious for such transport. If moving, it is a better idea to keep these items next to you at all times.

• Fine and expensive jewelry
• Coins and currency
• All papers of importance

Even if you hire the best company there is, there can never be a 100 guarantee that all of your items will stay completely safe. Any item that is too expensive should be on the plane directly with you. After all, no one will take better care of an item that is yours than you will.

Get the finest packing materials

We understand that international shipping is not cheap, not by a long shot. And, we know you will try to save as much money as possible on packing materials. However, if the security of your items is an important thing for you, you cannot be frugal when it comes to packing materials. While using last month`s newspaper is okay, reusing old cardboard boxes is not a good idea. This especially goes if you are handling heavy lift cargo. Any item that weighs too much can be classified as heavyweight cargo. However, no matter how heavy, every item needs to be properly packed. For such items, you need new and sturdy cardboard boxes, in which you can fit items that weigh 60-70 pounds.

Besides cardboard boxes, you need to gather some other packing materials, as well. For example, since a lot of your collectibles can be fragile, you need lots of protective packaging materials. When packing collectibles for international transport, packing peanuts will be your best friends. Go big when buying this handy invention, as you will use up every last one of them! 

How to pack your collectibles

Step by step, and we came to the most important part of this whole venture. Now is the time for you to carefully start packing your precious items. However, as you can imagine, you need to be very careful if you want everything to go right.

• The most important thing is to secure your collectibles and prepare them for what is ahead. To do that, you need to wrap every item, big or small, in packing paper. Of course, you can use any material that will protect your item from dust and superficial damage. Once you carefully wrap an item, you must bind the paper on its ends with tape.
• Before putting anything inside a box, you need to prepare it. Cushion the box by using any sort of linen you can find. This will provide extra protection for your collectibles.
• You need to make sure there is no extra between the items inside a box. Any space that is not filled is potentially harmful to your items, as they will start jiggling during the transport. As you can imagine, this can lead to all sorts of damage. Filling up space is easy, as all you have to do is throw in some foam peanuts.
• Finally, once you go through this procedure with every item you have, there is one more important thing to do. Tape every box, and never forget to mark it as `fragile.`

The conclusion

To prospect of packing collectibles for international transport may seem frightening to you now. And, truth be told, this is no walk in the park you are about to go through. However, we are sure you have done more difficult things in your lifetime. As long as you follow our tips, and act in due time, you will have no problem with this task. You will see that shipping your collectibles will be easier than you thought. Good luck to you and remember to remain calm and stress-free!