Safely Packing Glassware For Your Move: Here’s How It’s Done

If you’re looking to end up with a box of glass shards at the end of your move, there’s no reason to read on. If, on the other hand, you’d prefer to have intact glasses, plates and other dishware at the other end of your journey, you need to know how to pack glassware safely.

How to Pack Dishes and Glassware

While it may seem like a pretty intuitive endeavor, there are easy to overlook mistakes that most people make when packing glassware and dishware. Follow these easy tips to avoid turning your dainty kitchen things into a hazardous mess.

Use the Right Packing Materials For Glassware

Packing delicate things requires you to use appropriate packing supplies. Expensive, fine glassware should go into dedicated boxes designed expressly for packing glasses. These are sturdy and contain an insert grid for each individual glass. Tissue or small packing nuts can go in and around the glasses for extra support. Packing paper should go all around edges, individual glasses, and on top and bottom. Use bubble wrap and soft packing paper, and mark your glass boxes with a permanent marker just to eliminate packing errors.

Prepare Glassware Moving Boxes

After you’ve got all the right packing materials gathered up, inspect your moving boxes for glasses and other glassware for strength, cleanliness, and integrity. You don’t want boxes falling apart during a long drive and you don’t want any dirt or grit grinding away on your fine glassware as you trundle across town. A good way to eliminate the guesswork and unnecessary stress is to buy new boxes made for packing glasses. After you’ve got your glasses packed in nicely, use packing tape around the edges and across the top and bottom in an X pattern to reinforce your boxes.

Sort Out Your Glassware Collection

Before you pack, set all of your glassware to the side and sort them out by type. The fine and most delicate pieces, pieces in sets, and other like items should go together. Check for any cracked or chipped pieces and throw them away. If a glass cracks or breaks during your move, it can weaken the integrity of the box it is packed in and create an abrasion hazard for the other items.

Pack Correctly

No matter how well your glass boxes are packed, they are still the most vulnerable items in your load. Make sure they go on top of the other items. The easy way to do this is to set them aside and pack them last. Also, make sure they are not going to slide around in the truck. The sound of sliding boxes and breaking glass are the last things you want to hear while going down the road.

Packing Wine Glasses

The best way to pack glassware is to be very generous with the packing material, packing it in tight, and don’t be afraid to get more boxes. Wine glasses are more of a challenge and take a bit more care to pack properly. Make sure you pad up the slender stem with packing paper or bubble wrap that’s built up to be even with the outer edge of each glass. Then you can pack each glass into the same grid-shaped inserts as your other glassware. Just make sure to mark it “wine glasses,” since they are still more delicate than your other glasses.

Takeaways

• Pack by glass type
• Separate any cracked or broken glasses before and after your move
• Pack ‘em last- remember, glass boxes should go on top
• Mark boxes so they don’t get packed under heavy things

For more help packing delicate valuables for a move or for storage purposes, get in touch with Tiger Moving & Storage today. We can provide you with packing materials, moving tips, and professional grade help with the task of moving to your new home.