Eighty percent of DIY damage claims involve fragiles. Almost all of them come down to under-wrapping, over-filling, or missing base padding. Here's the professional method.
The four rules of fragile packing
- Pad the base — minimum 5cm of crumpled tissue or bubble wrap on the bottom of every box.
- Wrap individually — no two fragile items touching, ever.
- Heaviest at the bottom — plates, casseroles low; glasses, cups on top.
- Fill every void — a fragile box should feel solid when gently shaken.
Glassware & wine glasses
Two sheets of tissue per glass, twisted into the bowl. Wrap in bubble. Load upright in a dish barrel with cardboard dividers. Never lay wine glasses on their side.
Plates & china
Stack in fives with a sheet of bubble between each. Wrap the stack. Load vertically (edge-on) in a dish barrel — plates crack under downward pressure, never sideways.
Mirrors & framed art
Tape a big X of masking tape across the glass first (contains shards if it breaks). Wrap in bubble, corners triple-padded. Load standing on the long edge, between mattresses or thick blankets, never flat.
TVs, monitors & screens
Original box if you kept it. Otherwise, mattress-cover-style TV wrap with corner blocks. Always transported upright.
Ceramics, statues, ornaments
Individual bubble-wrap. Fill boxes to the top with crumpled paper — the enemy is movement inside the box.
Materials shopping list
- Dish barrel (double-walled, sturdy sides): 1 per 40 plates or 60 glasses
- Bubble wrap 50m roll: 1 per major room
- Tissue paper (acid-free): 1 pack per 20 fragile items
- Corner protectors for framed art
- Masking tape (for glass X)
When to hand it to the pros
Anything irreplaceable — grandma's tea set, wedding china, insured art. Our fragile-only packing service is £95–£220 depending on volume and comes with our full goods-in-transit cover.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
- What's the best way to pack fragile items for moving?
- Pad the base of every box with 5cm of tissue or bubble wrap, wrap each item individually so no two fragiles touch, load heaviest at the bottom, and fill every void with crumpled paper so nothing moves. Use dish barrels for china and glassware, never regular cardboard boxes.
- How do I pack wine glasses for moving?
- Stuff two sheets of tissue into each bowl, wrap in bubble wrap, and load upright in a dish barrel with cardboard dividers. Never lay wine glasses on their side — they crack under sideways pressure but survive downward pressure standing up.
- Should I let the removal company pack my fragile items?
- For irreplaceable items — antique china, wedding gifts, insured art — yes. Our fragile-only packing service covers those under our full £50k goods-in-transit insurance, which self-packed items are typically excluded from.
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