Packing tips from the pros: protecting fragile items

Good packing is less about brute effort and more about using the right materials in the right way — and it's usually the difference between belongings arriving intact and an afternoon spent gluing a favourite mug back together. Here's a practical, professional-style approach to packing, particularly for anything fragile.

Start with the right boxes for the job rather than whatever's lying around. Double-walled boxes offer meaningfully more crush resistance than standard single-walled ones and are worth the extra cost for anything heavy or fragile. Small boxes should be reserved for genuinely heavy items — books, tinned food — since a large box packed full of heavy items quickly becomes too heavy to lift safely or carry without the bottom giving way; save the bigger boxes for lighter, bulkier items like bedding, cushions and lampshades. Specialist boxes are worth using where they exist for a reason: wardrobe boxes with an internal hanging rail keep clothes on their hangers and creaseless, while dish and glass cartons come with built-in cell dividers specifically designed to keep individual plates or glasses from touching each other in transit.

For genuinely fragile items — glassware, china, ornaments, picture frames — the core technique professionals rely on is wrapping each item individually before it goes anywhere near a box, using bubble wrap or plain packing paper (avoid printed newspaper directly against anything that could pick up ink transfer). Glasses and cups should be wrapped and then stood upright rather than on their side, since that's their strongest orientation for absorbing weight from above. Plates pack best on their edge rather than stacked flat, since a flat stack concentrates pressure straight down through the most fragile point of each plate. Once items are individually wrapped and placed in the box, fill every remaining gap firmly with crumpled paper or extra bubble wrap — a box where nothing can shift in transit protects its contents far better than one that's merely full. For picture frames and mirrors, cardboard corner protectors on each corner plus a flat layer of bubble wrap front and back, ideally with an "X" of masking tape across any glass to control shattering if it does break, is standard professional practice.

A labelling system is what turns a pile of identical brown boxes into something manageable on the other end, and it's worth setting one up properly rather than scrawling a single word on top. Label every box on at least two sides (so it's readable however it's stacked) with the destination room and a general contents description, and mark anything fragile clearly and visibly — professionals commonly use a distinct colour of tape or a bright sticker specifically for fragile boxes so movers spot them instantly rather than reading small print. Numbering boxes against a simple written or digital inventory list is a further step worth taking for a larger move, since it makes it obvious immediately if something hasn't turned up. It's also worth clearly marking which boxes need to be opened first — a "first night" or "essentials" box for toiletries, chargers, basic kitchen items and any medication saves a lot of hassle after a long moving day.

Some items are genuinely specialist and worth handing to professionals rather than attempting yourself. Pianos are the clearest example — an upright piano typically costs roughly £75-£150 to move locally (from around £250 in London) or £150-£300 for a longer-distance move, while a grand piano typically runs £400-£550, reflecting the specialist trolleys, ramps, manpower and insurance genuinely heavy, awkward instruments need; specialist movers commonly charge per person per hour, roughly £7-£15, on top of the base job cost. The same logic extends to genuine antiques and fine art, where age, fragility and often irreplaceable value mean specialist handling, padding and sometimes bespoke crating are worth the extra cost rather than risking it with standard packing.

Finally, it's worth knowing what removal firms simply won't take, since finding out on moving morning is a genuinely bad time to discover it. Commonly excluded items include hazardous or flammable liquids and gas bottles or cylinders, paint and paint thinner, loose batteries, aerosol cans and fire extinguishers, perishable food, and firearms, ammunition or anything classed as a weapon under UK law. Household plants can commonly travel within the UK but are still often declined by firms due to the risk of soil spills and foliage damage in transit, and moving plants internationally can require formal certification under plant-health and import rules. Valuables, important documents, medication and anything irreplaceable are best kept with you rather than packed on the van, and pets always need separate arrangements. If you're genuinely unsure whether something is allowed, ask your removals firm directly and get the answer in writing before moving day — it's a much easier conversation to have in advance than on the doorstep with a loaded van outside.

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