How to pack dishes and glasses for a move

Updated October 23, 2026 · About 10 minutes to read

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The short version

Use small or medium, sturdy boxes (ideally double-wall "dish pack" boxes), never large ones.
Put a thick cushion of crumpled paper in the bottom.
Wrap every piece. Stand plates on edge, like records, not stacked flat.
Heaviest items at the bottom, glasses and stemware at the top. Fill every gap so nothing moves.
Label "FRAGILE – THIS SIDE UP" on the top and sides.

Dishes rarely break from one big drop. They break because they move inside the box, knock into each other on every bump, and because a box that's too heavy gets dropped or crushes. Everything below is about stopping movement and keeping weight under control.

What you'll need

Dish pack boxes (paid link) (double-wall, extra strong) or sturdy small/medium moving boxes
Plain packing paper (paid link): more than you think. Unprinted is best, because newspaper ink can rub off onto dishes.
Cardboard cell dividers (paid link) for glasses and stemware (often sold with dish pack boxes)
Optional: foam pouches (paid link) for fine china, which are faster than paper
Packing tape (paid link) and a marker
Free padding you already own: dish towels, tea towels and soft linens (they need packing anyway)

How to tell if a box is strong enough

Many corrugated boxes have a small printed stamp on a bottom flap, called a box maker's certificate, that states the box's strength rating and often a maximum weight. For dishes, pick the strongest boxes you have, and double-wall if possible. If a box has no stamp, is soft, or has been used several times, don't trust it with your kitchen.

Step by step

Set up a packing station. Clear a table, stack your paper at one end, and bring the dishes to you one cupboard at a time.
Build and tape the box properly. Tape the bottom seam, then tape across both edge seams too (an "H" pattern). A single strip down the middle is how box bottoms give way.
Cushion the bottom. Put 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) of loosely crumpled paper or a folded towel in the bottom of the box.
Wrap plates one by one. Place a plate in the middle of 2–3 sheets of paper, fold the corners over it, and add the next plate on top. Bundle 3–4 wrapped plates together with more paper.
Stand plates on edge. Put plate bundles into the box vertically, on their edges, like records in a crate. A plate is much stronger edge-on than lying flat under a stack. Biggest, heaviest plates go in first, at the bottom layer.
Bowls next. Wrap each bowl, nest 2–3 together with paper between them, wrap the stack, and place it in the box.
Add a divider layer. Put a layer of crumpled paper or a piece of flat cardboard on top of the first layer before starting the next.
Mugs and cups. Stuff a little paper inside, wrap extra paper around the handle (it's the weakest point), then wrap the whole mug. Put these in an upper layer.
Glasses and stemware go on top, in dividers. Stuff each glass with paper, then wrap it. For wine glasses, wrap the stem with extra paper before wrapping the whole glass. Place them in cell dividers so no two glasses touch, with the most delicate items in the top layer.
Fill every gap. Push crumpled paper or towels into any space. Close the flaps and gently rock the box. If you hear clinking or feel anything shift, open it and add more padding.
Top it off and seal. Add a final cushion layer so the flaps press lightly on padding, not on glass. Tape it shut.
Label two sides and the top. "KITCHEN – DISHES – FRAGILE – THIS SIDE UP" with arrows. Labels on the sides matter because boxes get stacked and the tops get covered.

How heavy is too heavy?

Dishes are dense, so boxes get heavy fast. A good rule of thumb is to keep each box light enough that one person can lift it comfortably and carry it down stairs. That's why small and medium boxes are better than large ones here. If the box has a weight limit on its stamp, stay well under it.

Common mistakes

Stacking plates flat. A flat stack puts all the weight and shock on the bottom plates. Stand them on edge.
Using large boxes. They get far too heavy, and heavy boxes get dropped.
Skipping the bottom cushion. The bottom of the box takes the hit every time it's set down.
Leaving gaps. Movement inside the box is what breaks dishes. The rock test catches it.
Newspaper on good china. Ink can transfer. Use plain paper, at least for the first layer.
Pots and pans on top of glasses. Heavy goes at the bottom, or in a separate box.
Taping just one strip on the bottom. Use the "H" pattern.