Careful packing is one of the most important steps in having a smooth and damage-free move. In particular, you should learn how to pack glasses and other delicate or breakable items to make sure they arrive at your new home intact. There’s an art to wrapping and boxing up fragile glassware—and you can learn it!
Set up a packing station with the right materials
When you start organized and stay organized throughout your packing process, you’ll be able to pack more quickly and efficiently. So don’t just dive into packing willy-nilly. Set up a packing station with the following materials:
- A nice, flat surface like a table or countertop
- Packing paper to wrap each glass
- Material to fill the voids in the boxes between the glasses, such as crumpled up packing paper or soft, lightweight items like kitchen towels
- Small or medium moving boxes
- Packing tape
It might be tempting to use bubble wrap, but try to avoid this whenever possible. Bubble wrap is difficult to wrap around a glass’s contours and curves—plus, it can leave a pattern of bubbles on your glassware. If you have particularly fragile glasses, consider using box dividers instead of bubble wrap.
When you set up your packing station with the right materials, you’ll learn how to pack glasses like a a pro!
Getting started
First, assemble a few moving boxes and tape the bottoms securely. Then, place some soft towels or crumpled up packing paper on the bottom of each box to create a thick, soft barrier between the box floor and the delicate glasses.
Crumple up some more packing paper and place it inside each glass to fill the cavity. Then, use the burrito method! Place one glass at a time diagonally on your packing paper. Roll it up and tuck in the corners. For particularly delicate glasses, don’t be afraid to use a couple more pieces of paper for even more protection.
Pack the largest, heaviest glasses first
Whenever you pack any items into boxes, you should always place the heaviest items at the bottom. This helps preserve the box’s structural integrity and prevents more weighty contents from crushing lightweight and delicate pieces.
This is especially important in packing breakable items like kitchenware—and, in particular, glassware. Place the larger, heavier glass items in the bottom of the box. Mason jars and pint glasses can make a great base layer, and you can fill in the rest of the box with lighter weight items.
Build layers and completely fill each box
When you consider how to pack glasses the right way, think of how to keep the contents safe should the worst-case scenario happen if the box is accidentally dropped. The more padding you have between the glasses, the more protected they’ll be. As you pack each box, gently stuff in some crumpled up packing paper or soft towels. These items will act as cushioning and shock absorption when the boxes’ contents jiggle around while being carried to and from the moving truck, and while being transported inside the truck.
Additionally, gently fill up every cubic inch inside each box. Place paper or linens in the voids between your wrapped glasses. Any unfilled space will allow the glasses to clink around in transit, which can lead to damage. While broken glasses are frustrating, sharp shards of glass can also be dangerous. So stay safe and frustration-free by building layers and filling those voids.
Specific tips on how to pack wine glasses
It’s one thing to pack up your pint glasses and juice glasses, but wine glasses present a different challenge. How do you effectively wrap and protect the fragile bases, delicate stems, and thin glass walls? Here are a few tips:
- Consider using box dividers so each wine glass gets its own protective cubby. You’ll still need to wrap each glass in packing paper, but cardboard dividers create a nice barrier.
- Stuff the cavity of each glass with packing paper, then use the burrito method to wrap them. Use 4 or 5 sheets of paper on each wine glass to make sure it’s well protected.
- If you have kitchen towels or small bathroom towels, use them for even more wrapping—or to fill the box’s voids between the glasses.
- Place the wine glasses standing upright inside the box, just like you’d set them inside your cabinet. This will create stability and help prevent the stems from snapping.
Remember: be patient! Since packing is such an important step in preparing for your move, take your time and give each delicate wine glass the packing material and the attention it deserves.
Become a label master
Each time you fill and close up a box with perfectly packed glasses, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment. And while you should pat yourself on the back for a job well done, don’t forget about labeling!
Label the top and sides of each box (and, if you’re using blank boxes with no markings, write “THIS WAY UP” with an arrow). Write “FRAGILE—GLASSES” on each side, and be sure to include the room each box should go to at your new home. This will help your unpacking process go as smoothly as your pack and move!
We’re the pros on how to pack glasses for moving
Learning new skills can be fun, but becoming a pro at how to pack glasses for a move isn’t at the top of many people’s bucket lists. You’re in luck: not only do we love packing glasses—we’re great at it! Our team of professional packers will bring all the necessary supplies to safely and efficiently wrap, protect, and pack your delicate glassware.
Contact us today to learn how we can help you have a great packing and moving experience!