Guide
How to pack glasses for moving
Glasses break less on the road than inside the box, against each other. Packing them well comes down to stopping two things — them touching, and them moving.
Updated October 1, 2026
What you'll need
- Small, sturdy boxes — a big box full of glasses gets heavy and the bottom gives way
- Plain packing paper or tissue paper, two or three sheets per glass
- Bubble wrap, for wine glasses, stemware and crystal
- Cardboard dividers, if you have them — the ones from a wine or liquor box work
- Wide packing tape and a marker
Step by step
Prepare the box
Tape the bottom in a cross and line it with a thick layer of crumpled paper. That's the cushion for everything that goes on top.
Stuff each glass
A crumpled sheet of paper inside the glass makes it stronger — a filled glass takes a squeeze better than a hollow one.
Wrap them one at a time
Lay the glass on one corner of the sheet, roll it up diagonally and keep tucking the edges of the paper into the opening. Never two glasses in the same sheet.
Stand them upright
Vertical, snug against each other, the heaviest at the bottom. Lying on its side is when glass can take the least weight.
Fill the gaps
Crumpled paper between the glasses, in the corners and on top. Shake the box gently — if you hear anything move, it still needs more paper.
Close and label
Tape it shut and write “Fragile” and “This side up” on more than one side. Whoever carries it only sees the side that happens to face them.
Everyday drinking glasses and mugs
Water and juice glasses are the easiest to pack, and also the ones packed with the least care — which is why they’re the ones that break most. The rule is the same for all of them, mugs included: one glass, one wrap.
If you have the cardboard dividers from a wine or liquor box, use them — it’s the simplest hack for packing glasses. Each glass gets its own cell, wrapped in a single sheet, and the box fills up in half the time.
Packing glasses and plates for the same move? Plates go in on their edge, not stacked — the method is in how to pack dishes.
Wine glasses, stemware and crystal
The weak point of a wine glass is the stem. Start there: wrap the stem in bubble wrap or paper until it’s as thick as the bowl, and only then wrap the whole glass. That way the force of a squeeze is spread out instead of landing on the stem.
Crystal glasses and thin stemware deserve a box of their own, in a single layer. Don’t put anything on top.
Paper or bubble wrap?
For ordinary glasses, paper is enough, and it’s quicker: it shapes itself to the glass and fills the gaps. You can pack everyday glasses without bubble wrap. Bubble wrap is bulkier — fewer glasses fit in each box — and it’s worth it where the risk is higher: wine glasses, crystal, glassware you inherited. And if you run out of paper too, a clean sock over each glass is an old trick that works.
The two together work well for the most fragile pieces: paper against the glass, bubble wrap on the outside.
Packing glasses in a box: how many layers
Pack glasses in small boxes — one holds one or two layers. Between layers, put a sheet of cardboard or a good depth of crumpled paper, and keep the heaviest glasses at the bottom. If the box feels heavy when you lift it, take a layer out.
On the outside of the box
A box of glasses should tell whoever picks it up three things: that it’s fragile, which side is up, and which room it’s going to. Write them on two sides and on the top.
And number it. “Kitchen” written on eight boxes won’t tell you which one has the glasses for Saturday’s dinner.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using big boxes. Glasses weigh more than they look, and a heavy box gets dropped or gives way at the bottom.
- Wrapping two or three glasses together to save paper. They touch inside the wrap and chip.
- Laying the glasses flat in the box. Standing up, they carry weight; on their side, they break.
- Using only newspaper on clear glass or crystal. The ink can rub off onto the glass — use it as filler, outside the wrap.
- Leaving the box half empty. If it isn't filled to the top, it caves in as soon as another box goes on it.