If the thought of learning how to pack glasses for moving gives you nightmares, don’t worry, this guide has you covered. The entire process is relatively easy. Like with all other relocation preparations, following a specific set of rules and guidelines will allow you to prepare everything fairly quickly, ensuring nothing happens to the glassware before it reaches your new Philly home.
The process of securing all your glassware is reasonably straightforward. You’ll have to acquire all the necessary supplies, secure each container, wrap and box up every item, finishing everything with labeling. However, this is only a tiny part of your overall relocation preparations, with a lot more work coming in the weeks and months ahead.
How Do You Pack Dishes and Glasses for Moving? Get All the Necessary Supplies First
Considering you can’t even pack books without proper materials, it’s going to be next to impossible to secure these fragile items before getting all the necessary supplies first. If you want to protect all the glassware adequately, it’s crucial to add the following things to your to-do list:
- Boxes – Although you might need some large containers for other belongings, it’s best to secure glassware and other dishes in small and medium-sized ones.
- Packing papers – From shoes to china and glassware, this is one of the best and most important materials you’ll need when securing your belongings. Considering it’s used for almost everything, you’ll want to get as much of it as possible.
- Bubble wrap – While it might not be required for your sturdier mugs, it’s essential for protecting stemware or any other delicate objects you have at home.
- Tape – You’ll need plenty of it to seal all the containers and reinforce their bottom sides. This is the only thing that will keep them from crumbling under the weight, so it’s better to be safe than sorry and not skimp on the tape.
- Marker – Since most containers come in similar sizes, you’ll need a tool that will allow you to differentiate them. Otherwise, you won’t be able to find anything without unpacking entirely.
As you can see, you won’t need a huge variety of materials to secure your glassware. Hiring a Philadelphia moving company is the better choice, though, as professional packing services include all these materials and more.
Where Can I Find Some Paper and Other Supplies for Free?
While most of these supplies are relatively affordable, relocation expenses can quickly pile up if you have too many things that need to be packed. Fortunately, there are several ways to acquire some essential supplies for free. For starters, you can easily find paper and boxes at one of the local shops or bookstores, as they often separate leftover packaging for recycling. Try visiting Barnes & Noble, the Book Corner, the GIANT Heirloom Market in the Central City Philadelphia neighborhoods, or Target, IKEA, and ACME Markets in South Philly.
Your friends and family will also gladly help you look, so don’t hesitate to ask them about it at your going-away party. They might even have some leftover supplies to lend you. Lastly, try searching for materials on Freecycle or post on social media that you’re relocating and list everything you need. You have nothing to lose, so it’s worth the shot.
How Do You Pack Glasses for Moving Without Paper?
If you’re looking for relocation hacks that will save you even more money on supplies, try using some everyday household items to secure your glassware. Towels, linens, and clothes are great for padding, serving as perfect alternatives to standard packaging materials. Socks are particularly useful, as they are excellent for stuffing the hollow part of each glass as well as wrapping. You can also use old newspapers, but be aware that you’ll have to rewash everything after you unpack.
Set up Containers Before You Start Packing Anything
Now that you’ve got all the necessary materials, you’re probably thinking it’s time to start packing glassware. Well, not quite, as you’ll have to set up all the boxes first. No matter how well you’ve wrapped an item, it will still break if it’s not properly secured inside the box. While a single glass might not weigh much, a dozen of them stacked together would quickly cause the bottom of the container to fall through. Fortunately, this can easily be fixed by reinforcing the box with tape and an additional layer of cardboard.
Adding Extra Padding on the Bottom of the Container Will Protect Each Glass
Before you start placing your wrapped glassware in the container, make sure it has a layer of padding on the bottom. Placing several crumpled-up paper sheets is often more than enough, but you can also use some more expensive materials if you want to be extra careful. Many Philadelphia moving companies use air cushions for securing most delicate belongings, but even the typical bubble wrap should do the trick.
Learn How to Pack Glasses for Moving Like a Pro
Now that you have everything ready, it’s time to learn how to pack glassware for moving like a true professional. Considering the entire process is very similar to packing dishes, anyone who knows how to pack plates will get the hang of it very quickly. Still, let’s go over the essential steps for all the newcomers:
- Place a sheet of paper on a flat surface, preferably a table,
- Take a glass and place it on the end of the sheet on its side,
- Roll the item from one end of the sheet to the other,
- Fold the excess and secure the entire thing with tape,
- Place the wrapped item upside down in a prepared container.
See, that wasn’t too hard, was it? Now that you know what to do repeat the process with all glassware until you’ve filled the entire container.
Add More Padding to the Box Before Sealing It
Similarly to packing a computer, you want to make sure that nothing can move inside the container. Considering you’re placing cylindrical objects inside squared containers, there’s usually a pretty big gap between individual items. It’s best to fill in the voids with additional padding material to avoid any potential damage that might occur from all the movement in transit. You also don’t want to overpack the container with too many objects either, so once it’s filled to a certain level, add another protective layer on top before sealing it with tape.
How to Pack Wine Glasses for Moving?
If you think that regular glassware is delicate, wait until you have to deal with a wine glass. Considering how easy it is to break one, you’ll have to use additional materials when preparing it for shipping. For starters, have the stem wrapped with paper, then roll the entire glass in bubble wrap. Those who want to be extra careful can also enclose the item in cardboard, wrapping it once again afterward.
If you’re going to do everything by the book, you should also use specialized moving boxes for glasses. These are equipped with dividers that prevent contact between objects within them, making them ideal for moving and storage in Philadelphia.
How Do You Prepare a Mug for Shipping?
Despite the fact that they are made out of clay and not glass, some mugs can be just as fragile as stemware. Their handles are particularly sensitive to damage and can easily fall off if not properly secured. If you want to learn how to prepare them for transport and shipping, check out the video below.
Remember to Label Everything You Box Up
Although labeling is a crucial part of the entire process, it’s still one of the more common things people forget to do, particularly when relocating in a hurry. Failing to label each container you’ve packed right away could cause you to accidentally mishandle these delicate objects, potentially breaking them in the process. To avoid all the unnecessary relocation stress, write down “FRAGILE” and “THIS WAY UP” on every container with glassware. This is particularly important when hiring movers in Philadelphia, PA, as they’ll need to know which boxes contain what from the get-go. Otherwise, you’ll lose precious time when loading the truck, or maybe even some of the items.
Prepare the Most Commonly Used Glassware Separately
Unless you want unpacking to be the first thing you do after relocating, it’s good to prepare a separate box with your most commonly used glassware. A few of these, along with some pots and pans and other essential dishes, will allow you to set up your kitchen quickly and without the need to unpack completely.
Be Careful When Loading Delicate Objects Onto the Truck
Once you’re done with labeling, you’ll be ready to load everything onto the truck, and considering that’s the last thing to do before relocating, it’s crucial to do it properly. If you’re not sure how to pack glasses for shipping, most moving companies in Philadelphia would recommend you only start loading boxes with lighter and more delicate belongings after the furniture and all the other large objects have already been loaded. Don’t put these containers on the bottom of the truck, as stacking things on top of them would easily crush most of the objects inside. It’s much better to place these between furniture, as this will prevent any unnecessary movement and keep them safe during transportation.
What Is the Best Way to Pack Glasses for Moving? Hiring Professional Philly Movers to Do It for You
That was about all the information on packing glasses we have for you. As you can see, the process is relatively simple, so follow our guidelines, and you won’t have to worry about replacing glassware right after relocating. However, it’s important to note that this is only a tiny part of the entire packing process. You’ll still have to pack furniture, learn how to organize important documents at home, and change your address. With so many other things to do before the big day, hiring a professional relocation company is the only way you can move efficiently.
If you choose Philadelphia Movers to assist you, you’ll be getting some of the best residential moving services in Philadelphia. Our incredible movers and packers will carefully load all your belongings onto the truck, ensuring the glassware stays intact for the entire trip. Anyone who books an apartment move or a commercial relocation can also expect the same high-quality service, as our team always gives their best no matter the circumstances. If you need more information on all the things we have to offer, contact us right away and request a free quote from our representative.