How to Pack Fragile Items for Moving

Moving to a new home is stressful enough without the worrying about your precious items getting damaged. It involves more than just getting enough boxes for all of your stuff. You’ll also need fragile packing materials to provide the extra protection to keep dishes and glassware from rattling during the ride to your new place. The process isn’t hard once you have the right things.

The items most vulnerable to getting broken during moving include:

• Plates
• Drinking glasses
• Lampshades
• Mirrors

There are right ways and wrong ways to pack each of them. It starts with getting the proper packing boxes. Ones made to store specific items are sturdier than those which you can get from the grocery store. They’ll include the extra padding and divisions to keep things from moving around until you can unpack them.

You’ll also find more durable options like wooden crates or flat boxes for unwieldy items like mirrors. Remember, the extra precautions you take now will pay off in the end with all your things making it safely to your new home—and that, after all, is priceless.

Other supplies for moving that you’ll need include:

• Packing paper
• Eco-bubble wrap
• Tape
• Markers for labeling boxes and individual pieces

Packing paper offers a better option than newspaper, which can stain objects because of the ink. The last thing you’ll want to do after you’ve brought in the last box is to wash dishes. You can use it to wrap each thing and to pad the bottom and space in between items. Don’t hesitate to use plenty for some added assurance against breakage.

However, you’ll need more than just a few rolls of packing paper. Eco-bubble wrap is the ideal choice for odd-shaped pieces like lampshades. Besides that, it’s an Earth-friendly choice. Don’t overpack the boxes. Everything should fit snugly with enough crumpled paper between pieces to keep things from shifting during the move.

It’s always a smart idea to pack like things together in the same box—and we can’t overemphasize the point about proper labeling. Make sure to write what each box contains, along with the word “FRAGILE” in large bold letters as a heads-up to the movers. Close each box and tape it shut securely. Don’t forget to check that the bottoms of them are intact.

Ready to get packing? This infographic from the professionals at Shleppers Moving & Storage provides step-by-step instructions for keeping your treasures safe from damage.