Most breakages happen inside the box, not on the road
People imagine things break because a van goes over a pothole. In practice, most damage happens because an item moved inside its own box, or because the box below it collapsed.
That is good news, because both are fixable with technique rather than luck. A properly packed box of glassware will survive a journey that would destroy a badly packed one on the same shelf of the same van.
Here is how the professionals do it, item by item.
Get the right materials first
Fragile packing is where cheap materials cost money.
- Small, double walled boxes. Heavy and fragile items go in small boxes, always. A large box of crockery is too heavy to carry safely and puts enormous pressure on the items at the bottom.
- Packing paper, plain newsprint rather than newspaper, which transfers ink onto china and glass.
- Bubble wrap, with the bubbles facing inward against the item.
- Corner protectors for frames and mirrors.
- Picture and mirror boxes, which are shaped for the job and worth the money.
- Dish packs or cell dividers if you have a lot of glassware. They separate each glass and remove most of the risk.
- Strong parcel tape and a marker.
Everything is available from our packing shop, delivered.
The three rules that matter most
Tape the base properly. Two strips along the seam and one across each end. Boxes fail from underneath, usually while being carried.
Cushion top, bottom and sides. A layer of crumpled paper in the base, packing around the sides, and a layer on top before the box is closed. Nothing fragile should touch the cardboard.
Fill every void. Then shake the closed box gently. If anything moves, open it and add more filling. That single test prevents most breakages.
Plates, bowls and china
Wrap each piece individually in paper, then stand plates on edge, vertically, like records in a rack. Stacked flat, the lower plates carry the weight of everything above and crack under it.
Bowls nest with paper between each one, then travel upright.
Heavier items go at the bottom of the box and lighter ones on top. A dinner service is a small box job, not a large one.
Glassware and stemware
Wine glasses are the most commonly broken item in any move, and the stem is the weak point.
Stuff a twist of paper inside the bowl, wrap the glass individually with extra padding around the stem, then pack upright, never on their sides. Cell dividers are ideal. Without them, keep glasses off the sides of the box with plenty of paper between each one.
Decanters and anything with a removable stopper travel with the stopper wrapped separately, since it will otherwise chip the neck.
Mirrors, pictures and frames
Glass goes on edge, vertically, in every case. Flat is how glass breaks, because it flexes under its own weight and takes the load of anything placed on it.
Wrap in bubble wrap with corner protectors and use a purpose made picture or mirror box. For artwork, put acid free tissue against the surface first, and never wrap a painting directly in bubble wrap, which can mark it in warm conditions.
Some people still tape an X across the glass. It does not stop the glass breaking, and tape can lift the surface of an old mirror. Corner protection and correct orientation do the work.
Lamps, vases and ceramics
Lamps come apart. Shade, bulb and base all travel separately, with the shade boxed alone and nothing packed inside it, since it will deform.
Tall vases are top heavy and awkward. Fill the inside with crumpled paper, wrap the outside, and pack upright with padding all round rather than lying down.
Ceramics with handles or spouts need the protruding parts wrapped first and separately, because a handle is a lever and takes the impact.
Televisions and electronics
Use the original box if you kept it, which is the one situation where hoarding packaging pays off.
Otherwise, photograph the cabling before you unplug anything, then wrap the screen in a blanket or foam sheet and box it. Screens travel upright, on edge, never flat, since pressure on the panel is what cracks it.
Small electronics travel better with their cables coiled and bagged, labelled with what they belong to.
Label so nobody has to guess
Write FRAGILE on the sides, not just the top, along with the destination room and what is inside. Add THIS WAY UP with an arrow on anything that must stay upright, which is most of what is on this page.
The crew cannot see through cardboard. A box that says nothing gets treated like a box of books.
The insurance point nobody mentions
This matters more with fragile items than anything else you own.
Goods in Transit insurance commonly excludes items packed by the customer, on the reasonable basis that the company cannot verify what happened inside a box it did not fill. So if you pack the china yourself and something breaks, you may have no claim at all.
That is the honest argument for a partial packing service. Have the crew pack the kitchen, glassware and anything valuable, and do the books, clothes and linen yourself. The kitchen is the slowest room to pack properly and the one where the insurance question actually bites.
For high value pieces, declare them in advance, get valuations, and photograph everything before it moves. Our guide to making a removal inventory covers the evidence side, and moving pianos, safes and other awkward items covers the pieces that need specialist handling.
Fragile items in storage
The same packing applies, plus one addition: nothing damp goes in, and nothing gets stacked on top of a box marked fragile.
Load fragile boxes last so they sit at the top of the container, note on your inventory which container they are in, and remember that a box you might want back mid storage should be near the door. Our guide to how container storage works covers access and notice periods.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pack plates so they do not break? Wrap each one individually in packing paper and stand them on edge, vertically, in a small double walled box. Cushion the base, sides and top, and fill every gap so nothing can shift.
How should wine glasses be packed? Paper inside the bowl, wrapped individually with extra padding at the stem, packed upright rather than on their sides. Cell dividers or a dish pack remove most of the risk.
Should mirrors be transported flat or upright? Always upright, on edge. Flat glass flexes under its own weight and takes the load of anything above it. Use corner protectors and a purpose made mirror box.
Does taping an X on glass stop it breaking? No. It does not prevent breakage and the tape can damage the surface of older mirrors. Correct orientation, corner protection and a proper box are what matter.
Can a TV be transported lying down? Better not. Screens should travel upright and on edge, since pressure across the panel is what cracks it. Use the original box if you have it, and photograph the cabling before unplugging.
Are self packed fragile items covered by insurance? Usually not. Goods in Transit policies commonly exclude anything packed by the customer, which is why having the crew pack fragile items is often worth the cost.
Talk to us
RMV Storage & Removals has packed and moved fragile household contents across London for over fifteen years, with full or partial packing services, materials delivered to your door, container storage and man and van work, across every area we cover including North London.
For general packing technique see our practical packing guide. If you would rather not pack the china yourself, get in touch and we will quote for that part alone.
Written by Riki Migliori, Director at RMV Storage & Removals. Originally published April 2017. Fully reviewed and updated summer 2026.