There are a lot of things that you should think about – even when you are moving short-distance. There are movers to call, packing supplies to gather and finally a lot of packing to do. One of the biggest concerns that our clients face daily is how to protect glassware during transport. There simply are items that need more care than the others – and we are well aware of that. Things like mirrors, family heirlooms, or just your typical glassware and silverware all need proper handling. In this article, we take a look at how to transport your breakable items, and how to best prepare them for this trip.
Packing supplies will protect glassware during transport
One of the best resources you will have when trying to protect glassware during transport is the material you will use. The boxes, the padding – they all go into making sure your items arrive at their new home in one piece. However, just like with every other type of furniture you will be moving, certain things work better than the others with glassware and fragile items.
First, if you have a box that the item arrived in, you should probably use it. Not only are these boxes sturdy and can take some pressure, but they also often have padding designed especially for the item you are packing. If you don’t have these, then you either need to go grab some packing material yourself or you can call professional packing services NYC.
So, you may ask what kind of box you need to your items? This, of course, depends on their size. Then, how many items you have and how much they weight also goes into this decision. When deciding on the size of the box, think along these lines. A box needs to be light enough to lift and carry, yet sturdy enough not to bend under pressure. Also, you should not overpack it, because the items inside can bump into each other and break if you don’t secure them well.
How you prepare the boxes matters!
There are a lot of things you can do to prepare the boxes and ensure the smooth transportation of your items. Depending on what you are using as padding, there are different things you can do. If you are using packing paper (or newspaper), crumple them up and stuff them at the bottom of the box. If you are using towels, then just lay them down. You should create a layer of a couple of inches. This way, you are protecting your items from bumping into the bottom of the box and breaking.
Then, you should save some extra paper for the top layer as well. Do keep in mind to make optimal storage packing at all times – don’t overstuff your boxes with items. This will lead to them breaking under the pressure of itself, which is again something you do not want to have happened.
Finally, keep in mind that if you are using old newspaper to pack your glassware, you will need to wash everything off after you move. A lot of old paint sticks to the newspaper, and it can get onto the dishes. This way, it leaves toxic materials on your items, which you can easily digest with food. Avoid that by keeping them clean in your new home.
Think about stacking items
Another great way in which you can protect glassware during transport is in the way in which you stack them together. One of the best moving companies Upper West Side offers advice you separate your glasses by their weight. Then, put the heaviest ones on the bottom of the glass, and go for the lighter ones as you build up the stack.
This serves two purposes. First, the heavy glasses won’t press down the lighter ones and break them that way. The second purpose of this stack to stabilize the box. By putting the heavy items on the bottom, you are shifting the weight of the whole box lower. This makes it more stable and less prone to bouncing around in the moving truck.
When it comes to wrapping up glasses, think about whether you will stack them one into another or wrap them separately. If you are wrapping them separately, make sure you crumble some wrapping paper and put it inside the glass as well. This will protect it from breaking inwards. When it comes to stacking them, try and wrap each glass in a separate paper. Then, wrap the whole stack of 3-6 glasses together.
Dealing with mirrors and windows
When talking about glassware, we need to take a look at windows and other, bigger glass surfaces. When trying to protect these, there is a simple thing you can do. Grab some masking tape, and “draw” an asterisk on the surface of the glass. This way, you are protecting the glass from micro vibrations that can happen and easily shatter it.
To protect the glass pane even further, put it between two sturdy pieces of cardboard. This way, even harder pressure, or items bumping into the pane will not break it.
Conclusion
As you can tell, there are many ways to protect glassware during transport. Whether you are moving or taking it to storage facilities in Manhattan, you have a wide choice of things to do. If you ever get stuck, remember that you can always give us a call. We are movers with experience, and our packing services are there for your every need. We can ensure your glassware and fragile items are safe from harm during transport. You can rest easy, knowing that your items will arrive safely to their new destination with us.
