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Wrap each device in anti-static material, protect screens and ports, bag cables separately, and pack everything in a rigid box with cushioning on all six sides. Power devices off first, and keep loose batteries and chargers from touching screens.
Static electricity is invisible damage: a small discharge can weaken or kill a circuit board without leaving a mark, and the failure may show up weeks later as random crashes. Ordinary bubble wrap and foam peanuts can build up a static charge as they rub against a device in transit, which is why electronics ship in pink or silver anti-static bags and foam. If you kept the original anti-static bag or fitted foam insert, reuse it. If not, an anti-static bag from an office supply store costs little and is the single cheapest insurance for a bare board, a hard drive, or a phone without a case.
| Item | Packing move that matters most |
|---|---|
| Bare circuit board or hard drive | Anti-static bag, sealed, then foam on all sides |
| Phone or tablet | Screen covered, case left on, powered off |
| Laptop | Closed, wrapped, packed so the lid cannot flex |
| Loose cables and chargers | Bagged separately, kept away from screens |
| Loose lithium battery | Terminals taped, packed apart from metal objects |
Screens crack from point pressure, not from general squeezing, so the enemy is a hard object pressing one spot: a charger corner, a pen, a buckle. Cover the screen with a microfibre cloth or soft foam sheet, taped at the edges only, and never tape directly to glass. Stuff open ports lightly with a small piece of foam or leave a port cover in place, so grit and bent pins are less likely; a bent charging port is a common arrival complaint that a bit of foam prevents. For laptops, close the lid and wrap the whole machine so the lid cannot bow under stacking weight. A thin sheet of foam between the keyboard and the screen stops keys from marking the display during a long trip.
Cables cause more damage than people expect. A coiled cable left loose in a box works its way against the device and rubs the finish raw, and a heavy charging brick becomes a hammer in a drop. Coil each cable loosely, tie it with a twist tie or velcro strap, and put it in its own small bag. Keep that bag away from screens, or tape it to the inside wall of the box where it cannot migrate. Label the bag if several devices share one box: the recipient should not have to guess which charger belongs to which device. Remove batteries from remotes and accessories when you can, and tape over the terminals of any loose battery so it cannot short against coins, keys, or another battery.
Pick a new, rigid corrugated box, not a soft reused grocery box and not a padded envelope, for anything heavier than a phone. Electronics are dense for their size, so a box that feels fine empty can crush under a stack of heavier parcels. Line the bottom with two inches of cushioning, set the wrapped device in the middle, and fill all six sides so the device sits in a cushion nest rather than touching any wall. Use a second box around the first for high-value gear: the outer box absorbs the hits and the inner box keeps the device still. Seal with wide packing tape in an H pattern, top and bottom, and write "this side up" only if the device truly cares about orientation; most carriers treat such marks as a request, not a promise.
Power every device fully off, not just asleep, so it cannot wake, heat up, or drain in transit. Sign out of accounts or factory-reset anything you are selling or giving away, and pull out memory cards and SIMs you want to keep. Photograph the device working before you pack it, and photograph the packed box with its label: those two photos settle most "it arrived broken" arguments fast. Check the carrier's battery rules before drop-off, since loose lithium batteries and damaged batteries face limits that a device with its battery installed usually does not. In Canada, a LetterAgent label covers Xpresspost parcels up to five kilograms within Canada, so weigh the finished box before buying the label.
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