Breakages during a move almost always trace back to the box, not the journey. Fragile things need the right combination of materials, packed in the right order, so that nothing can shift or press against anything else. Here is how to tackle the items that cause the most worry: glasses, china, mirrors and framed pictures.
Gather the right materials
Before you start, collect plenty of clean packing paper, bubble wrap, strong tape and sturdy double-walled boxes in small and medium sizes. Newspaper is tempting but the ink rubs off onto plates and glasses, so plain paper is the safer choice. Avoid large boxes for anything breakable: once filled with crockery they become too heavy to lift safely, and heavy boxes are the ones that get dropped.
Each material has its own job. Paper wraps and fills gaps. Bubble wrap cushions against knocks. The box gives structure. Fragile items need all three working together.
Glassware and stemware
Stuff the bowl of each glass with crumpled paper first, then wrap it in two or three sheets, rolling from one side and tucking the ends in. Wine glasses need extra paper twisted around the stem, which is the weakest point. Fragile or valuable glasses then get a layer of bubble wrap on top.
Line the bottom of the box with a thick bed of scrunched paper. Stand glasses upright, rims up, with heavier tumblers at the bottom and delicate stemware in a top layer. Cardboard dividers make this much easier. Fill every gap so nothing rattles when you gently rock the box.
Plates, bowls and china
Plates travel more safely on their edges, like records in a rack, than lying flat in a stack. Wrap each one individually, then bundle three or four together in a further sheet. Bowls can nest inside one another with paper between them. Cups should be wrapped separately, with extra paper around the handles.
Fine china, teapots and serving dishes deserve bubble wrap as well as paper. Put a final layer of crumpled paper on top before sealing, then mark the box as fragile on every side and note which way is up.
Mirrors and framed pictures
Flat items are vulnerable to pressure on the glass. Make a cross of masking tape over the glass, which helps hold it together if it does crack, then protect the corners with cardboard corner guards or folded card. Wrap the whole piece in bubble wrap and slide it into a picture or mirror box, padding any spare space.
Always carry and load mirrors and pictures upright, never flat, and never stack heavy items against them. Several small pictures can share a box, standing on edge with card between each one.
When custom crating makes sense
Some pieces are too valuable, too large or too awkward for any cardboard box. Large gilt mirrors, original artwork, glass-fronted cabinets, antique ceramics and sculptures are good examples. A custom crate is built to the object’s dimensions, so it cannot move inside, and its rigid sides resist knocks and pressure in a way that cardboard simply cannot.
This is where handing the job over pays off. Mario Moving, a London removals firm, offers professional packing services that range from full packing to fragile and specialist packing, along with custom crates for antiques, electronics, glassware and artwork. They can also take on the unpacking at the other end, which is often where fragile items are most at risk from rushed handling.
Many households choose a middle path: they pack books, clothes and everyday kitchen items themselves, and leave the china cabinet, the mirrors and the art to someone who wraps fragile items every day.
Unpacking with care
Open fragile boxes on a table rather than the floor, and unwrap each piece over the box so anything small falls back in. Check every sheet of paper before throwing it away; it is easy to discard a saucer or an earring still wrapped inside.
Careful packing takes time, but it is time well spent. With good materials, patient wrapping and the occasional crate for the irreplaceable pieces, your glass and china should reach the new home exactly as it left the old one.
