how do I pack fragile items for a house move

Protecting fragile items during a move comes down to three principles: individual wrapping, proper cushioning, and sensible box-loading. Skipping any one of these is the most common reason glassware, ceramics, and ornaments arrive broken. Taking an extra twenty minutes at the packing stage almost always saves the cost and heartache of replacing damaged possessions.

• Choose the right box. Use double-walled cardboard boxes rather than single-walled supermarket cartons, which flex under load. Smaller boxes are better for heavy fragile items such as stoneware or books of glassware – a box you cannot comfortably lift with both hands is already too full.
• Wrap every item individually. Start with a sheet of plain packing paper (not printed newspaper, which can transfer ink) and wrap from corner to centre, tucking the ends in. Add a layer of bubble wrap – bubble side facing inward – for anything particularly delicate such as wine glasses, picture frames, or ceramic figurines. Secure with tape.
• Layer the box correctly. Place two to three inches of scrunched packing paper or foam peanuts in the base before adding anything. Put the heaviest, sturdiest items in first, then work up to the most delicate. Fill every gap firmly so nothing can shift in transit – if you shake the box and hear movement, add more padding.
• Pack glasses and stemware upright on their rims, not their bases. This is a professional removals trick: a glass standing on its rim distributes pressure more evenly and is far less likely to crack than one sitting flat on its base. Partition cells inside the box provide even better protection for a full set.

Once packed, seal the box firmly with at least two runs of packing tape along every seam, then label all four sides and the top clearly with 'Fragile', 'This Way Up', and a brief description of the contents. When the removal crew arrives – whether that is our team at Astra Removals or anyone else – labelled boxes mean fragile items are handled and loaded last, kept upright, and unloaded first at the destination.