How you pack your things can make a big difference—pack them the right way and they’ll arrive safe, pack them the wrong way and you might open a box full of broken glass. Wine bottles and wine glasses are items that many people find tricky to pack properly. Here are some simple and helpful tips to make sure your wine glasses and bottles stay safe during the move.
Cell Boxes Are Perfect for Packing Wine Bottles
Wine bottles are often delivered from suppliers in what’s called a cell box. These boxes have built-in dividers that hold each bottle separately, helping prevent damage. Many moving companies offer these kinds of boxes to make packing delicate items like wine bottles safer and easier.
Cell boxes aren’t just for wine bottles—you can also use them for liquor bottles and even glassware like stemware. If the moving truck hits a bump and the box moves around, the dividers inside help keep your items from breaking.
Packing Without Cell Boxes
Cell boxes are the safest way to pack and you can usually get them from your moving company. But if you’ve left packing until the last minute, they might not be available. In that case, try calling your movers to see if they can handle the packing for you. If that’s not possible, you’ll need to find another way to safely pack your wine bottles and glasses without using a cell box.
If you don’t have tissue paper, you can start by wrapping your wine glasses in brown paper bags. Then, create your own dividers inside the box to keep the bottles and glasses from bumping into each other. Styrofoam plates work well for making these dividers. Don’t forget to add padding at the bottom of the box too—you can even use a sweatshirt if you’re short on packing materials.
Wrap Your Wine Glasses in Plain Paper
Crystal wine glasses should be wrapped in plain paper—not newspaper. Newspaper ink can stick to the glass and you’ll end up having to scrub it off later. While the glasses might make it through the move, the extra scrubbing could accidentally cause damage.
Wrap each wine glass using white tissue paper instead of newspaper. Use a separate sheet for every glass. Place the glass at an angle on one corner of the paper and roll it up. Then, fold in the ends to secure it. Now your wine glass is safely wrapped and ready to pack.
Bubble Wrap Works Great—Just Use It Carefully
Bubble wrap is a popular choice for protecting fragile items. If you’re using it to pack wine glasses, don’t wrap the bubble wrap directly on the glass. First wrap the glass in tissue paper, then add the bubble wrap on top. This way, you can tape the bubble wrap to the paper instead of the glass, so you won’t risk damaging the glass when removing the tape.
Keep Wine Bottles at a Safe Temperature
Wine can go bad if it gets too hot or too cold. If you plan early, you can get special wine shipping containers from your moving company. But if you didn’t plan ahead, use a cell box and take the wine bottles with you in your own car so you can control the temperature. Let the movers handle the rest of your things but try to keep the wine with you if you can.
Besides keeping wine at the right temperature, how you place the bottles also matters. Some red wines should be packed upside down to keep the cork moist and stop sediment from settling. Also, avoid opening a bottle right after the move—it needs about a week to settle because the movement can affect its quality.
Mark Boxes as “Fragile”
To make sure your wine bottles and glasses are handled gently, clearly label the boxes with “Fragile” stickers. This lets the movers know they need to be extra careful with those boxes.
Follow these tips to pack your wine bottles and glasses more safely for your move. If you’re not confident or want to be extra careful, consider hiring a professional moving company to handle the packing, moving and unpacking for you.
