How to Pack Fragile Items for Moving — Glassware, Electronics, TVs & Artwork

Most damage in a house move happens to a small handful of item types: glassware, electronics, screens and framed items. They're awkward shapes, easily scratched, and often the things you'd mind losing most. The good news is that with the right materials and a bit of patience, all of them can be packed to survive a move safely — here's how we do it.

Packing glassware and stemware

Stuff the inside of each glass loosely with packing paper before wrapping the outside — this stops the glass flexing under pressure, which is how most breakages happen, not from impact. Wrap stemware around the stem separately with extra padding, since it's the thinnest and weakest point. Stand glasses upright in a divided box where possible, never on their side, and never pack more than two layers deep without a cardboard divider between them.

Packing electronics safely

Original boxes with fitted foam inserts are the best option if you've kept them — they're designed for exactly this. Without one, wrap each item in bubble wrap (electronics-safe, non-static where possible), photograph cable arrangements on the back of routers, TVs and consoles before disconnecting so reconnection is quick, and bag and label cables separately rather than leaving them loose. Keep electronics upright in the van rather than flat — most are designed to sit that way and internal components can shift if laid down for a long journey.

How to pack a TV for moving

• Use the original box if you have it — it's fitted to the screen's exact dimensions
• No original box? Use a TV-specific moving box or a flat-screen box from a removals supplier, not a generic cardboard box
• Wrap the screen face in a soft blanket or moving pad before boxing — screens scratch more easily than they crack
• Never lay a flat-screen TV flat during transport — always transport it upright, secured so it can't tip
• Keep the TV away from direct contact with other furniture in the van; it should never be a load-bearing surface for other boxes

Packing artwork, mirrors and framed pictures

Corner protectors on all four corners first, then bubble wrap or a picture-specific moving box sized to the frame. For anything valuable or glass-fronted, tape an X across the glass with masking tape before wrapping — it won't stop a break, but it holds the glass together if it does, protecting the artwork underneath. Transport frames upright and separated with cardboard, never flat under other weight, and never stacked directly against each other without padding between.

Fragile item packing materials checklist

The three mistakes that cause most breakages

• Leaving air gaps in the box — anything that can move in transit eventually will, and that's when it breaks
• Mixing weights in one box — a heavy item on top of something delicate crushes it long before the van sets off
• Skipping the individual wrap 'because it's just going a short distance' — most damage happens in loading and unloading, not the drive

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