How to pack a parcel for the journey between the UK and Lithuania

Start with the right box

The box does most of the work. Choose a sturdy cardboard box, ideally double-walled, that is only a little bigger than what you are sending. Supermarket boxes for crisps or bananas are fine for light, soft items, but they are often too weak for books, jars or tools. Removal boxes from DIY stores are a good, inexpensive choice for heavier parcels.

Avoid boxes that are torn, damp or soft at the corners. A box that has already travelled once can be reused if it is still rigid, but cover or remove old labels and barcodes so there is no confusion about the destination. Suitcases and sports bags work well for clothes and soft items, as long as they can be closed securely.

Heavy at the bottom, light on top

Put the heaviest, most solid items at the bottom of the box and lighter, softer things on top. This keeps the box stable and stops heavy objects crushing fragile ones. Spread the weight evenly from side to side, so the box does not tip when it is lifted.

Keep an eye on weight. Our medium parcel covers 1 to 30 kg and our large parcel 30 to 35 kg. A box full of books can easily exceed what one person can lift safely, so split very heavy contents into two smaller boxes.

Protect fragile items

Wrap each fragile item individually in bubble wrap, with extra layers on corners, handles and edges. Place glass and ceramics in the centre of the box, with at least a few centimetres of padding on every side. Crumpled paper, bubble wrap, towels and soft clothes all make good padding.

Some items should travel in their original packaging with the original protective inserts: televisions and monitors, cameras, phones and other electronics. Our parcel rules also ask for extra care with ceramics, light bulbs, lamps, vases, mirrors and glass. If you no longer have the original box, wrap the item very generously and tell us when you book.

• Bubble wrap each fragile item separately
• Keep glass away from the sides of the box
• Fill all gaps with paper or soft clothes
• Mark the box FRAGILE on several sides

Jars, liquids and food

Homemade preserves and honey are among the most popular things people send between Lithuania and England. Check that the lid is tight, wrap the lid with cling film, then put each jar in a sealed plastic bag before wrapping it in bubble wrap. That way, even if a jar cracks, nothing leaks onto the rest of the parcel.

Our vans are not refrigerated, so choose food that keeps at room temperature. Meat and dairy are sensitive to temperature changes and are sent entirely at the sender's responsibility. Our guide to sending food explains this in more detail.

The shake test and sealing

Before you seal the box, close the flaps and give it a gentle shake. If you hear or feel anything moving, add more padding. Then seal it with strong parcel tape, not household sticky tape: run tape along the middle seam and across both edges, top and bottom, in an H pattern.

Do not wrap the whole box in layers of tape or plastic film. It does not add much strength and makes the box harder to handle. Strapping or string is unnecessary for a well-taped box.

Label it clearly

Write the recipient's full name, address with postcode and phone number clearly on the top of the box, and put a second copy inside in case the outer label gets damaged. Add your own name and phone number too. If you send several boxes to the same person, number them, for example 1 of 3, 2 of 3 and 3 of 3.

Use the same details on the box as on your order form. The phone number matters most: we call the recipient before delivery to agree the time.

What not to pack

Some items cannot travel in our parcels, however well they are packed. These include tobacco, alcohol, weapons, prescription medicines, drugs, money, securities, precious metals and stones, antiques, and dangerous, flammable or corrosive substances. If you are not sure about an item, ask us before you pack it. It is easier to take something out now than to have a parcel held up later.