After doing this for 13 years, I've seen what happens when fragile items aren't packed correctly. Broken dishes. Cracked mirrors. A grandmother's china set that didn't survive the ride. Most of it is preventable.
Here's how we actually pack fragile items - and the mistakes I see people make most often.
The biggest mistake: not enough padding
People consistently underestimate how much packing paper and bubble wrap it takes to properly protect something. The goal is that when you pick up the box and shake it, nothing moves. If something shifts inside, it will break.
For dishes, we use a full sheet of packing paper per plate, wrapped individually, then stacked vertically - not flat. Plates packed flat put pressure on each other. Plates packed on their edges distribute weight better and are far less likely to crack.
Glasses and cups
Each glass gets wrapped from the bottom up, with the paper tucked inside the glass before wrapping the outside. Then they go into a cell-divided box if possible. If you're using a regular box, crumple packing paper to fill every gap.
Never pack glasses two layers high without a full cardboard divider between layers.
Mirrors and framed art
Mirrors and large framed pieces need corner protectors and a picture box - a telescoping box specifically designed for flat items. If you don't have a picture box, use two regular boxes cut and fitted together as a custom-size flat box. Wrap the piece first in bubble wrap, then in moving blankets.
Mark the box FRAGILE and THIS SIDE UP - and actually pack it that way in the truck.
The box itself matters
Don't use old, weakened cardboard boxes. Moving boxes are double-walled for a reason. A weak box will fail under the weight of other boxes stacked on top of it, and fragile items on the bottom of the load will pay the price.
When to let us pack it
If you have items that are genuinely irreplaceable - china, antiques, artwork, anything with sentimental value that can't be replaced - let us pack those pieces. Our Princess Packing™ service exists specifically for situations like this. We bring the materials, we do the packing, and we're accountable for it.
If you're packing yourself and something breaks, it's hard to file a claim. If we packed it and something breaks, that's on us.
Call us if you want to talk through your move, or learn more about our packing services.
- Joe Caronna