How to Pack and Protect Everything in Your Home — Fragile, Valuable and Everyday Items

 

Packing is where most moving day damage happens — and almost all of it is avoidable. Whether you are wrapping everyday crockery, protecting a large mirror or preparing antiques for transit, the principles are the same: the right materials, the right technique and enough time to do it properly. Here is a room by room and item by item guide to packing everything in your home correctly.

 

Start with the kitchen — it takes longest

The kitchen is the most time-consuming room in any move and the one that generates the most breakages when packed carelessly. Start with items you use least — the serving platters at the back of the cupboard, the cake tins, the spare casserole dish — and leave everyday items until the morning of the move.

Plates go in vertically, not flat. This is the single most important piece of advice for packing crockery. Plates stacked flat on top of each other are vulnerable to cracking under pressure. Plates standing upright on their edge — like records in a crate — distribute force across the rim and are significantly less likely to break. Wrap each plate individually in packing paper first, then stand them on their edges in a small or medium box with a generous layer of crumpled paper at the bottom.

Glasses should be wrapped individually in packing paper — start with paper inside the opening of the glass, tuck it in, then roll the glass forward so the paper wraps around the outside. Stand glasses upright in the box, never on their side and never rim down. Fill gaps between glasses with crumpled paper. Label every glass box FRAGILE and THIS WAY UP on all sides.

Pots and pans do not need individual wrapping but should have a layer of packing paper between each one to prevent scratching. Heavy cast iron goes in a small box alone — never mixed with lighter items. Non-stick surfaces scratch easily so always separate them with paper or a cloth.

Small appliances should be wrapped in bubble wrap with packing paper padding on all sides. Remove blades and attachments and pack them separately, clearly labelled. Empty and dry any water tanks in coffee machines or similar appliances before packing.

Oils, sauces and liquids should each be placed in a plastic bag before packing — even sealed bottles can leak in transit. Pack all liquids upright in a dedicated box and label it UPRIGHT LIQUIDS on all sides.

 

Mirrors and large framed artwork

Mirrors and large framed pieces are among the most frequently damaged items in any house move, usually because they are treated as ordinary furniture rather than as the fragile items they are.

Use purpose-made picture boxes where possible — flat reinforced boxes available in a range of sizes. Place foam corner protectors on all four corners first, wrap the piece in bubble wrap, then slide it into the picture box. If a picture box is not available, sandwich the piece between two sheets of thick cardboard, wrap in bubble wrap and secure with shrink wrap.

Never lay a mirror or large framed piece flat in the van. Always stand it on its edge. Laying flat creates uneven pressure on the glass and significantly increases the risk of cracking.

 

Televisions

Original packaging is by far the best option for televisions. If you no longer have it, purpose-made TV boxes are available in standard screen sizes. Wrap the screen in bubble wrap first, then in a moving blanket. Pack the TV facing forward and ensure it travels upright in the van — never face down or on its back.

 

Antiques and collectibles

For genuinely valuable or irreplaceable items, document each piece thoroughly before the move. Photograph from multiple angles in good light and note any existing condition issues — chips, cracks, previous restoration work. Check your removal company’s per-item insurance limit and arrange separate specialist insurance if your items exceed it.

For particularly significant pieces — valuable artwork, rare antiques, instruments — consider using a specialist art and antique shipper for those specific items, even if you are using a standard removal company for everything else. Specialist carriers use crated packaging and appropriate insurance as standard.

 

Jewellery, watches and small valuables

These should never travel in the removal van. Pack them in a personal bag and keep them with you throughout the move. This is not about trusting your crew — it is about practical security. Small valuables in a van on a street during loading are exposed in ways that items in your personal vehicle are not.

 

Important documents

Passports, birth certificates, property deeds, wills and original financial documents should always travel with you personally. Pack them in a document folder that stays in your car throughout the move.

 

Electronics and computers

Use original packaging wherever possible. Remove detachable components — hard drives, ink cartridges, loose cables — and pack them separately. Back up the contents of every computer before moving day. Drives can fail from vibration in transit and it is not worth the risk of losing data to save ten minutes.

 

Labelling — do it properly

Label every box with the room it is going to and a brief description of contents. Mark every fragile box on all four sides and the top — not just the top, because boxes get stacked and rotated. The clearer your labelling the faster and safer the loading process, and the easier your unpacking will be at the other end.

 

General rules that apply to everything

Never fill large boxes with heavy items — a large box full of books is impossible to lift safely and risks the base giving way. Use small boxes for heavy items, large boxes only for light bulky things like duvets and cushions.

Double tape every box base in an H-pattern before loading anything into it — one strip down the middle and one across each end. Cheap tape fails under weight and in cold conditions. Use proper 48mm packing tape throughout.

Never leave empty space inside a box — fill gaps with crumpled packing paper so nothing shifts in transit. A box that rattles when you shake it is a box where something will get damaged on the journey.

The difference between a careful pack and a careless one is usually a few extra minutes per box. Those minutes are worth it every time.

House Relocators offers full and partial packing services across Kingston, Surrey and London. If you would rather leave the packing to us, call 020 3337 5003 or email sales@houserelocators.co.uk.