Broken glasses and cracked picture frames are almost always the result of how an item was packed, not how carefully the movers drove. Getting fragile items ready the right way before move day cuts down on damage claims and makes the actual loading go faster. Here is how to pack the items that break most often, and what to skip.
Start With the Right Materials
Packing paper, bubble wrap, and sturdy boxes matter more than tape. Use small or medium boxes for anything heavy or breakable, since a large box packed with dishes gets too heavy to carry safely and the extra shifting room inside makes breakage more likely. Line the bottom of every box with a few inches of crumpled packing paper before you add anything else.
If you are moving with professional packing services, most of this is handled for you, including the specialty boxes for mirrors, artwork, and electronics that are hard to find at a regular store.
Wrap Each Item on Its Own
Every fragile item should be wrapped individually, not bundled together in a sheet or towel. Wrap glasses and stemware around the body first, then stuff the inside with paper. Wrap plates in a stack of no more than five, standing them on edge in the box rather than laying them flat, since a stack of flat plates cracks under its own weight far more often than plates stood on their sides.
For picture frames and mirrors, use a mirror box or two layers of cardboard cut to size, taped together with the glass sandwiched in between. Mark the box “glass” and “this side up” on more than one side so it stays oriented correctly no matter how it gets stacked in the truck.
Fill Every Gap
A box that rattles when you shake it is a box that will arrive with something broken. Fill every empty space with crumpled paper, not newspaper, since newsprint rubs ink onto dishes and glassware. Top off the box with another few inches of paper before closing it, so nothing shifts once it is sealed and stacked.
Label for the Movers, Not Just for Yourself
Write “fragile” on the top and at least two sides of the box, along with which room it belongs in. This does two things: it tells the movers to keep the box upright and on top of the stack, and it means you are not hunting through every box on move-in day to find your kitchen glasses.
What to Handle Separately
Some items are worth moving yourself rather than boxing them at all. Jewelry, important documents, and anything irreplaceable should travel with you in the car. For large fragile items like glass tabletops or curio cabinets, our item loading and unloading service can handle the heavy lifting once everything smaller is boxed and ready.
Once you are done packing, a lot of what is left over is bubble wrap and packing paper rather than trash. The EPA’s recycling guidelines cover which packing materials can go in a standard recycling bin and which need to be reused or dropped off separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use old towels and blankets instead of buying packing paper?
Towels work for padding between boxes, but they do not wrap tightly enough around an individual glass or plate to keep it from moving. Use packing paper or bubble wrap for direct contact with fragile items, and save your towels for filling gaps in the box.
How many boxes of fragile items is normal for one household?
It depends on how much glassware, dishware, and artwork you own, but most homes end up with somewhere between five and fifteen boxes marked fragile. If that sounds like more packing than you want to do yourself, our team can pack just the fragile items and leave the rest to you.
Ready to Move?
Tidal Town Moving handles packing, loading, and local and long distance moves across Hampton Roads. Request a free quote and we will help you plan the move, fragile items included.