How to pack fragile items when moving

When packing fragile items, like wine glasses or china dishes, it's important to protect the items by wrapping and storing them carefully.

Common mistake: Not taking the time to carefully wrap and pack fragile items can lead to things breaking.

While accidents happen and things break sometimes, you can try to prevent this with proper packing. Take these steps to protect your fragile items when moving.

Delicate items should be stored in sturdy, small or medium-sized boxes. Containers like a firm cardboard box or plastic tote will provide a hard external layer to prevent anything inside from being crushed.

Fragile items should be protected from each other inside the sturdy box as well. There are several materials that can be used to protect dishes, including Bubblewrap, paper, foam, honeycomb paper and cloth. You will also need tape to hold the wrapping together.

Pro tip: Try collecting recycled items — such as newspapers, dish towels and small pieces of cardboard — to use. If you kept the original packing, you can use it to protect fragile items. Cardboard grid dividers are great for packing stemware and other cups.

Wrap each item in a protective layer and secure it with tape.

For glasses, mugs and vases, be sure to fill the inside of the cup and wrap the entire thing.

Plates and dishes should have a layer in between them so they don't rub against each other during the move.

Pro tip: For small figurines, the packing method may change, but using bubble wrap is a good method for extremely fragile items.

Boxes with fragile items need to be full — not with items, but with packing material. The method can vary, but first you will need to lay down a protective layer. This could be paper, packing peanuts or another space filler.

Once the bottom layer is down, carefully place the wrapped fragile items in upright. While dishes are typically sturdier and can be stacked, avoid stacking wine glasses and other extremely delicate items.

After the items are packed in the box, you should fill in any extra space on top. All the protective paper, cloth or foam will keep items in their place and prevent shifting.

Common mistake: Not filling all the extra space in a box could cause it to get crushed or items inside to move around and break.

Pro tip: Add an extra layer of tape around the box to be sure it won't fall apart.

Label “fragile” on multiple sides of the box, along with what is in the box. You can purchase fragile stickers or a stamp, or label it yourself. Use a bright color like red to warn movers.

Pro tip: Once a box is loaded with fragile items, try not to stack things on top of it. Make sure they are secure and won't fall over in the moving truck.

Common mistake: If you don't keep track of the fragile boxes, they could be handled roughly or stacked on, causing items inside to break.

If you are using movers, communicate where the fragile boxes are and how they are labeled so they can be extra careful with those items.