Of course, you want to make sure these are packaged correctly and protected, particularly if they are fragile items. But you also want to make it easier for the courier to handle and reduce the risk of it being damaged in transit.

Well, the good news is we are here to talk you through some techniques for shipping unusual-sized items. Check out our top tips below.

Examples of unusual-sized items

Let’s start by looking at what we mean by unusual-sized or shaped items, as this will give you a better idea of why we suggest packaging them in the way we do. Some examples include:

• Bikes or cycling equipment
• Instruments like guitars and drum sets
• Furniture, such as chairs
• Home decor items like chandeliers, lamps or ornate vases
• Sporting equipment like golf clubs or hockey sticks

And these are just a few examples; there could be all manner of things that you need to send that aren’t a conventional size or shape.

Use secondary packaging or shipping boxes

You might think you have done an excellent job of packaging that unusual-sized item, but often it’s best to use secondary packaging to make the item more manageable. For example, you might have put your guitar in its case and carefully added plenty of soft packaging around it to protect the guitar. You might have even broken down a box and wrapped this around the guitar taping it in place.

However, this is still an awkward item for a courier to deal with. Therefore, it’s best to find a box that is big enough to place the guitar case into and then add additional packaging to stop this from moving around inside.

Often finding a rectangular or square cardboard box is enough. That being said, in the case of very heavy and unusual items, you might wish to use a wooden box for extra strength and support. In this case, it’s really about using your judgement and then doing all you can to ensure that your goods won’t be damaged in transit.

Use a wooden pallet

For really heavy items, you’re going to want even more support. Therefore if it’s something large and heavy, it might be best to place this on a wooden pallet before putting it inside the box or crate. 

This will make it easier for the couriers to handle and will give you extra peace of mind, knowing that your goods have that extra bit of strength. This, again, will reduce the risk of it being damaged in transit.

If you’re concerned about the item sliding around on the pallet and possibly knocking against the box it’s placed in, it might be best to strap this down if you can. Alternative cable ties might be enough to keep it in place for the duration of its journey.

Take it apart

If the item you are shipping is made up of several different components and these come apart, it might be easier to disassemble the item for shipping. This way, you can find a box or crate that it fits in perfectly, and you can individually wrap all the pieces for extra protection. Of course, depending on the item, this is not always possible, for example, you can take a drum kit apart into several pieces, but a guitar still remains one item.

Package every item carefully

No matter what you’re sending, no matter how big or heavy or in how many pieces, you need to make sure that you always package carefully. This requires you to use padding such as packing peanuts or bubble wrap. And always choose a box or bag that is big enough so the item will not become damaged. You might feel like you’ve gone over the top with your packaging and the amount of padding involved, but if it means that your item gets to the recipient in one piece, then it’s totally worth it.

Choose the shipping provider carefully

You might wish to choose a specialist courier service that specialises in unusually sized or heavy items. Alternatively, just do some research and choose a provider that you know you can trust.

That being said, it doesn’t matter which provider you go with, you should always let them know about any special requirements, such as unusually sized or fragile goods within your package. This way, they will already be alerted to the fact that they need to be extra careful with it. They might even need an extra set of hands to help them get in and out of the van. This is particularly true if you are expecting them to move items that have been packaged in large crates or using wooden pallets.

Always label your package accordingly

In many cases, when you organise to have your goods shipped, you will be asked to give a rough size or weight of the parcel. You will also be instructed to print off the shipping label and attach this to the package. You must make sure that all labels are correct, citing the right weight and size of the content and that it is carefully and clearly displayed on your package. Again this will help the courier to recognise that special care and attention must be taken with this particular item.

Consider pointed edges or longer items

Finally, your large and unusual-sized items might have some pointed edges. If this is true for your goods, then you need to make sure you protect these as well. It’s probably best to attach a small bit of foam or other soft protective packaging to any pointed or sharp edges. This way, you can reduce the risk of your item getting damaged. It could also stop your package from injuring the courier or even damaging another parcel, so it’s definitely worth considering.

Similarly, you might find that if you are shipping longer items such as hockey sticks, tall lamps even some instruments, the middle section might be weaker and, therefore, might require a bit more reinforcement. A couple of extra layers of bubble wrap or perhaps a bit of wood to support the centre of the item should suffice.