Broken dishes are the classic moving-day heartbreak — and almost always avoidable. Knowing how to pack dishes and glasses for moving takes a little technique and materials you probably already own. Here’s the budget-friendly method the pros at TheBestCheapMoversNYC use to get fragile kitchenware to your new place in one piece.

What You’ll Need

• Small or medium boxes (a dish-pack box is ideal but not required)
• Packing paper — or newspaper, towels, and t-shirts to save money
• Cardboard dividers for glasses (liquor-store boxes come with them free)
• Tape and a marker

How to Pack Plates (Pack Them on Edge)

1. Cushion the box: crumple paper across the bottom for a shock-absorbing layer.
2. Wrap each plate individually in paper.
3. Stack and pack on edge: place plates vertically (on their sides), like records in a crate — they resist breakage far better than when stacked flat.
4. Fill the gaps so nothing shifts, and add a paper layer on top.

How to Pack Glasses and Stemware

1. Stuff hollow items: ball up paper inside each glass for support.
2. Wrap from corner to corner so each glass is fully cushioned.
3. Use dividers: stand glasses upright in a divided box — one per cell.
4. Heaviest on the bottom, delicate stemware on top.

Pro Tips to Prevent Breakage

• Don’t overpack. A dish box should be heavy but liftable — keep it under about 40–45 lbs.
• No empty space. Any gap lets items rattle and crack — fill every void.
• Label “FRAGILE” and “THIS SIDE UP” clearly on all sides.
• Never lay a dish box on its side — plates packed on edge must stay upright.