How to package a parcel so it arrives safely

Good packing protects your item and can also save you money by keeping your parcel in a cheaper size band. Here's how to do it properly.

1. Choose the right packaging

• Mailing bags are ideal for clothes, soft goods and anything unbreakable. They're light, waterproof and cheap.
• Padded envelopes suit books, games, CDs and small items. Keep them under 2.5cm thick to qualify as a Large Letter.
• Cardboard boxes are essential for anything fragile or rigid. Use a sturdy box and choose one that leaves 3-5cm around the item for padding.

Reusing boxes is fine – just remove or completely cover old labels and barcodes so they can't be scanned by mistake.

2. Pad it properly

Your item shouldn't move when you shake the box. Use bubble wrap, packing paper, air pillows or crumpled newspaper. Put a layer on the bottom, place the item in the middle, then fill every gap and add a layer on top.

3. Fragile items

• Wrap each item individually in at least two layers of bubble wrap.
• Fill hollow items (mugs, vases) with paper.
• For very fragile things, use the box-in-a-box method: pack the item in a small box, then put that box inside a larger one with padding between them.
• Mark the parcel "Fragile" – but pack it as if nobody will read the label.

4. Seal it securely

Use proper parcel tape (not sticky tape or masking tape). Use the "H" method: tape along the centre seam and across both edges, on the top and bottom of the box.

5. Label clearly

• Put the address label on the largest flat surface, not over a seam.
• Write the postcode clearly on its own line.
• Add a return address on the back or inside the parcel.
• For mailing bags, a printed label in a clear pouch stops rain smudging the ink.

6. Check what you can send

Some items are prohibited or restricted – including aerosols, perfume, batteries and liquids. Read our guide to what you can't send in the post before packing.