How to pack fragile and awkward items for moving

How do you pack fragile items for moving?

Wrap each piece individually, pad the box on all six sides, pack it tight so nothing moves when you shake it, and keep the box light enough to carry comfortably. Most breakages come from items touching each other or sliding about, not from the van itself.

1. Start with a strong box. Use a new double-wall box and tape the base along the seam and both edges.
2. Line the bottom with a thick layer of crumpled paper.
3. Wrap every item on its own in packing paper, then bubble wrap for anything thin, tall or valuable.
4. Heaviest at the bottom, lightest on top. Plates and bowls go low, glasses and ornaments go high.
5. Fill every gap with crumpled paper until nothing shifts.
6. Top with more padding, close the box and do the shake test. If you hear movement, open it and add filler.
7. Label it “Fragile”, with the room, the contents and an arrow showing which way up.

Never put heavy boxes on top of fragile ones, and never overfill a fragile box to save a trip. For the rest of the house, the order of packing and how to label everything, see our guide to packing for a house move.

What packing materials do you need for fragile items?

Packing peanuts and foam also work as filler, although paper is easier to clear up afterwards. We deliver boxes, bubble wrap and tape across North London, priced per pack: see packing materials.

How do you pack glasses, plates and vases?

Plates travel on their edge like records, not stacked flat. Wrap each plate in paper, bundle three or four together in a second sheet and stand the bundle upright in a padded box. Bowls can nest in small wrapped stacks.

Stuff each glass and mug with crumpled paper before wrapping it, and stand glasses upright, ideally in a cell divider. Fill vases and other hollow pieces with paper too, so the walls are supported from inside, then wrap them in bubble wrap and box them snugly. Mark the box “Fragile, this way up”.

How do you move a glass table top or glass furniture?

Glass travels on its edge, never flat, and nothing is ever stacked on top of it. That is the one rule behind almost every glass table top that arrives in one piece. Take the glass off its base, clean it, sandwich it between two sheets of corrugated card, wrap the edges in bubble wrap and the whole panel in a blanket, then stand it on edge against a padded van wall and strap it.

Heavy and large tops need two people to lift, with a firm grip on the long edges. Our full step-by-step, including when to let a removal team handle it, is in how to pack a glass table top for moving. Glass shelves and cabinet doors follow the same method on a smaller scale.

How do you pack a mirror for moving?

Treat a mirror like a glass table top: on its edge, faces protected, corners covered. Fit cardboard corner protectors, lay sheet card over the glass, wrap the whole thing in bubble wrap or a blanket, and slide it into a mirror box or between two pieces of card taped together. Label the box “Glass, do not lay flat”.

Take large wall mirrors off their fixings and remove any mirror attached to a dressing table or wardrobe before the furniture moves. The old trick of taping an X across the glass does not stop it cracking.

How do you pack a TV for moving?

Pack a flat-screen TV upright, never lying flat, and protect the screen from pressure. The original box and foam are the best option. Without them:

1. Photograph the cable connections at the back, then unplug everything.
2. Remove the stand or wall bracket and bag its screws.
3. Cover the screen with a soft blanket, not bubble wrap pressed hard on the panel.
4. Put it in a TV box or wrap it in a second blanket with card over the screen.
5. Carry it by the frame with two people, and load it upright, strapped, with nothing leaning on the screen.

Pack remotes and cables in a labelled bag in the same box.

How do you move marble tops and marble furniture?

Marble is moved like glass, on its edge, but it is much heavier and it cracks along its veins if it flexes. Separate a marble top from its base before moving it; never carry a table with the top still on. Wrap the slab in blankets, protect the corners and polished edges, and carry it upright with enough people to support its full length. Never lift a marble top by one end or lay it flat across other furniture in the van.

Marble fireplaces and fitted worktops usually need a fitter to remove and reinstall them. Tell us about marble on the quote so we bring the right number of people.

How do you pack artwork and picture frames?

Frames travel on their edge, in a box that fits, with the glass protected. Put a strip of masking tape across any glass (never on the canvas or artwork itself), fit corner protectors, wrap the frame in bubble wrap and box it with card on both faces. Stand pictures upright in the box, not stacked flat.

Unframed canvases need a clean, acid-free layer against the paint before any bubble wrap, because bubble wrap can mark a painted surface. For valuable or irreplaceable pieces, ask about specialist fine art packing and check your cover before the move.

How do you move an aquarium or fish tank?

Never move a tank with water or gravel in it. Move the fish separately, then move the tank empty.

1. Stop feeding the fish a day or so before the move.
2. Move the fish in bags or a lidded bucket filled with water from their own tank, kept out of the sun and the cold.
3. Keep the filter media wet in tank water, so its bacteria survive.
4. Drain the tank completely and take out the gravel, plants and decorations.
5. Wrap the empty tank in blankets and carry it upright, supported from underneath.

Set the tank up first at the new home so the fish spend as little time in transit as possible. Mention large tanks on your quote.

How do you prepare a piano for moving?

Pianos are heavy, top-heavy and awkward on stairs, so the preparation is mostly about the route. Close and lock the lid, remove anything stored on or inside it, and measure every door, turn and staircase between the piano and the van. Do not try to dismantle it or move it with a few friends.

When you ask for a quote, tell us whether it is an upright or a grand, which floor it is on, and how many steps there are at each end. We will tell you plainly whether it is a job we can take on or one for a piano specialist. Have it tuned after it has settled in its new room for a few weeks.

How should fragile items be loaded and unloaded?

Heavy, sturdy furniture goes into the van first to build a stable base. Fragile boxes go in later, on top or at the sides, never under anything heavy. Tall items and anything glass stand on edge, strapped to the van wall. At the other end, unload fragiles to one clear room, check each item as it comes out, and note any damage straight away.

When is it worth having fragiles packed for you?

If your time is short or your kitchen is full of glass and china, a fragiles and kitchen pack is the part of packing most worth handing over. Ours is from £99, packed by our own team, usually the day before the move, with the rest of the house left for you to pack. It pairs with a house move, and anything that will not fit the new place yet can go into storage. For the full timeline, work through the moving house checklist.

Call 020 3475 0377 or get a free quote.