01The golden rule: no movement inside the box
If you can shake the box and hear anything move, repack it. Use crumpled paper, towels or clothes to fill every gap.
02Plates — vertical, not stacked
Wrap each plate individually in packing paper, then stand them on edge in the box like vinyl records. A plate flat on top of another cracks at the first bump; on edge it survives a dropped box.
03Glasses & stemware
Stuff paper inside each glass first, then wrap the outside. Heaviest at the bottom of the box, lightest on top. Bonus tip: dish-pack boxes with cardboard dividers cost €3 and pay for themselves immediately.
04TVs, mirrors and frames
Always transported standing up, never flat. Tape an X across the glass — it doesn't prevent breakage, but it keeps shards together if it does break. Wrap in a moving blanket and secure with stretch film.
- Original TV box = best protection
- No box? Sandwich between two pieces of cardboard + blanket
- Mark with arrows + 'THIS WAY UP' on every side
05Label everything FRAGILE in red
Movers handle 100+ boxes a day. A clear red label tells them which box not to put at the bottom of the stack.
Fill every gap, stand plates on edge, and label in red. Do that and breakage drops to almost zero.