Why awkward shapes need a little extra thought

A mug with a handle, a stitched toy with dangly legs, a pair of secateurs, a stained-glass star — lovely things to give, and a quiet nightmare to post. Odd shapes create gaps, and gaps let a parcel rattle about in transit. Every knock is a chance for a chip, a snapped stem or a cracked corner. The good news is that a few minutes with tissue paper, a sturdy box and plenty of padding will get almost anything safely to the other end, card and all.

The kit worth keeping in the cupboard

If you post gifts more than once or twice a year, keep a small stash together so you are not hunting for it on a birthday morning. You do not need much:

• Tissue paper in a couple of colours — it cushions, fills gaps and makes the unwrapping feel like a gift rather than a chore.
• Bubble wrap or recycled corrugated card for the fragile bits.
• Packing peanuts or paper offcuts to fill the voids once the gift is in.
• Clear packing tape and a decent dispenser — thin tape peels away in the cold.
• Two or three box sizes, including one double-walled box for anything heavy.
• Blank labels, a marker pen and a card in an envelope.

Building a snug nest with tissue paper and padding

The trick with odd shapes is to make them less odd before they go in the box. Start by wrapping the item in a layer or two of tissue paper, folding rather than crumpling, so the bundle sits closer to a rectangle. Tape the tissue lightly where it overlaps, then add a layer of bubble wrap around anything that could crack, snap or scratch.

For genuinely eccentric shapes — a teapot, a model aeroplane, a bundle of dried flowers — try the box-in-a-box method. Pack the item snugly inside a small box first, then set that box into a larger one with at least two centimetres of padding on every side. Two thin walls with a cushion of air between them are far stronger than one thick one.

A few specifics that save parcels every week:

• Wrap handles, spouts and stems separately before you wrap the main body, so they cannot press against the box wall.
• Pop a small piece of card over any sharp point and tape it down.
• Use tissue paper to fill the corners of the box, not just the middle, so the gift cannot slide from side to side.
• Shake the finished box gently. If anything moves, it needs more padding.

Choosing the right box and taping it securely

Choose a box slightly larger than the wrapped item — too big and the padding has to work harder, too small and you will force the lid and weaken the corners. If you are reusing a box, remove old labels and tape, and check that the base has not gone soft.

When you seal it, use the H-tape method: one strip down the centre of the lid, one along each edge where the lid meets the sides. Then run a strip along the base seams too, and add short overlapping strips over the four top corners, where boxes take the most punishment in a sorting office. Press the tape down firmly with your thumb — cold cardboard needs that friction to grip properly.

If the shape is very long or very flat, reinforce the middle of the box with a band of tape all the way around. Flat parcels bend in the middle; a band stops them folding like a book.

Weighing, labelling and choosing a postal service

Padding adds weight, and weight decides your postage band, so weigh the finished parcel on kitchen scales before you set off. A gift that started at 400g can easily reach 900g once it is properly protected. It is worth knowing that figure in advance, because the difference between postage bands is often the price of another card.

Write the address clearly on a label and stick that to the box, rather than writing straight onto the cardboard — if the parcel gets scuffed, the label is easy to replace but marker pen is not. Put a second copy of the address inside, along with your own details, in case the outer label is lost.

Match the service to the parcel. Anything over a couple of kilograms, or any box that is bulky for its weight, will usually travel as a parcel rather than a large letter. Fragile or valuable items deserve a signed-for or tracked service, and if the contents are breakable, a FRAGILE label and a note on the declaration will not go amiss. Ask at the counter about compensation limits before you commit — and keep the receipt until you know the gift has arrived.

Finishing with a handwritten note

Tuck a card inside the parcel rather than posting it separately. A few handwritten lines, written before you seal the box, arrive warm and uncreased alongside the gift. Write the date, mention something small and specific about the recipient, and sign it properly rather than just with your initial. It is the cheapest part of the parcel and the part most likely to be kept. If you are sending several gifts to different people, a short note in each one also stops the boxes getting muddled at the other end — and gives the recipient something to read while they wrestle with the tape you so carefully applied.