Breakages almost never happen because a box was dropped. They happen because items moved inside the box for two hours on the freeway. The whole art of packing fragile things is eliminating movement.
Materials worth buying
- Double-walled book cartons for anything heavy — never supermarket boxes.
- Butchers paper or packing paper (newspaper ink transfers onto crockery).
- Bubble wrap for electronics, glass and anything with a protruding part.
- Foam pouches for stemware and champagne flutes.
- Picture and mirror cartons, or flat-pack TV boxes.
- Wide packing tape and a permanent marker.
The universal method
- Tape the base of the carton across the seam and again across the width.
- Line the bottom with 5cm of scrunched paper.
- Wrap each item individually — no two fragile pieces should ever touch.
- Pack heaviest at the bottom, lightest at the top.
- Fill every void with paper until nothing shifts when you gently shake the box.
- Add a final layer of padding, seal, then label the room, contents and the word FRAGILE on all four sides.
Plates and bowls
Wrap plates individually, then stack them on their edge like records in a crate rather than flat. A plate standing vertically distributes impact through its strongest axis; a flat stack transfers the full weight of every plate onto the one at the bottom.
Glasses and stemware
Stuff paper inside the bowl of each glass first, then wrap from the base upward and twist the paper closed over the rim. Pack glasses upright in a cell-divided carton, never on their side, and never more than two layers deep.
Televisions and monitors
The original box is always best. Failing that, tape a sheet of cardboard across the screen, wrap the whole unit in bubble wrap, and transport it standing on its edge — never flat. Laying a large flat panel face-up lets the panel flex over bumps, which is how most screens crack in transit.
Mirrors, artwork and glass tabletops
- Tape a large X across the glass so a crack cannot travel.
- Add corner protectors, then bubble wrap, then a picture carton.
- Always transport standing vertically, wedged between soft items.
- Never lie framed art flat on the floor of the truck.
Small appliances and electronics
Photograph the back of your TV, PC or stereo before unplugging so reconnecting is obvious. Coil cables, bag them and tape the bag to the device. Remove ink cartridges from printers, and drain and dry anything that holds water — a coffee machine left full will leak over every box beneath it.
Short on time? Our packing team can wrap an entire three-bedroom home in a single day using exactly this method, with all materials supplied.
Planning this move yourself?
We move Melbourne families and businesses every day of the week. Get a free written quote and see how affordable doing it properly actually is.