Packing glass cabinets – tips and tricks

When you are moving, it is important to pack everything properly. This will ensure the safety of your items during transport. However, certain pieces of furniture can be quite tricky to pack. One of those would be glass cabinets. Usually, glass cabinets are very beautiful and elegant. You probably use them to display your small figurines, pictures, trophies, and other small valuable items. For this reason, packing glass cabinets should be handled with care since your home would feel empty without them. That is why you should read all the tips and tricks for packing glass cabinets. In addition to this, find out if you need to get moving insurance as well. 

Hire a good moving company 

Something people often forget is that hiring reliable movers can save you half the trouble when you are moving to a new place. This job is not always easy, however, and is one of the most important ones. There are a few ways to be 100% sure whether you are hiring reliable movers such as:

• Asking your friends and family, especially if they know someone who has recently moved. You can widen your search and ask your colleagues for some recommendations.
• Check the local newspapers as they usually feature ads about moving companies. 
• Surf on the Internet and check several blogs. Do not settle on the first one you find as that can be dangerous. Always check throughout. 
• Visit the official web pages of several moving companies that are near you.

In addition to this, you should pay attention to moving reviews. If you see mostly negative feedback, then you should avoid that particular moving company. Lastly, ask for an in-house estimate to see how much money you will have to spend on moving fees. This way you are making sure you are hiring the right moving company that can make your move feel like a walk in the park. Additionally, some moving companies offer to pack your items for you (at an additional cost) and this can save you a lot of time and energy while insuring your items are in good hands.

Packing materials: what will you need

When packing fragile materials, especially glass materials, there are a few important packaging materials you will need. This will help you in the long run as you will know what types of materials to prepare before you start packing. These are some crucial things you will need:

• Cardboard boxes or wooden crates. This goes without saying, but cardboard boxes are essential when you are packing for a move. Some people like to go the extra mile and get wooden crates to be 110% sure nothing is going to get damaged. When packing glass cabinets this isn’t essential as you will be protecting the glass with different materials. Despite this, the boxes need to be sturdy, so hard cardboard is a must. The best part is you can get free moving boxes and not pay for them.
• Protective packaging materials. This is another must. When packing glass it is important to ensure that the extra space in the box is filled with softer materials so it doesn’t move and collide against the wall of the box. These materials include foam peanuts, tissues, or newspaper. These you can get at a hardware store, or if you already have some, reuse them!
• Bubble wrap. Bubble wrap is used to make sure your glass doesn’t get scraped. It is highly recommended to use it but can be a bit difficult to wrap your whole glass cabinet in it.
• Thick blanket. You can use this instead of bubble wrap.
• Cardboard. You can use cardboard as extra protection.

Must-haves when moving

Besides these items, there are also a few common-sense items that will help you with your packing:

• Tape. So that you can secure your boxes.
• Scissors or utility knife.
• Labels. Not a necessity, but still highly recommended. Getting ‘Fragile’ labels will let your moving crew know that the item is fragile, and they will be extra careful with it.
• Markers. If you don’t have labels, writing ‘Fragile’ with a marker, in bigger and bold letters is another great option.

All of these items must be on your moving checklist as they are crucial for moving your fragile items and packing your glass cabinets.

The process of packing glass cabinets

What to do at the beginning?

After gathering all of the necessary packing materials, it is time to do a little bit of research and consulting. You might want to find out which route the moving company is taking and let them know you have fragile items made of glass. It is their duty to be careful and ensure nothing breaks. You need to know how to pack properly, otherwise, inadequate packing will cause damage. The moving company is not the one to blame if you did a poor packing job. In addition to this, during the transport, you might lose some items if you do not seal the boxes properly so make sure to do that as well. 

Inspect your glass cabinets and the items in them

As with any large piece of furniture, you should inspect its overall condition. It is common sense to do this ad the moving company is not responsible for the damage that occurred before the move.

Then, when you make sure there are no significant damages, you should take out all the smaller items. Place your small items on the table and arrange them carefully so they will not break. Now, it is time to decide whether to pack those small items and take them with you, donate them or sell them. Some pieces might have lost their value or you need space for the new one, so it would be better to leave them behind. If you want, you can organize a garage sale, or sell your items on the Internet. This way you will earn some money, save money on moving fees, and get rid of the items you no longer want. 

What is next?

Once you take out all the smaller items, you should clean your glass cabinets. Take a rag and some cleaning supplies for wood and glass. Then, make sure to clean the cabinets thoroughly from the inside and outside. In addition to this, you need to check that your glass cabinets are completely dry before you start packing them. It is important to clean them before packing since dust and dirt can cause damage to your furniture. Apart from cleaning your cabinets, you should clean the whole house before you move out. This is especially important if you plan to sell your home. No one will want to buy the house if it is dirty. 

Now it is time to pack glass cabinets properly 

When you have prepared everything, now it is time to start packing your kitchen cabinets. Usually, you can disassemble your cabinets so make sure you do this first. Then put all the screws and bolts into one small bag and label it so you will know where they came from. In addition to this, slowly and with great care remove the glass shelves and other glass parts. Use protective gloves if necessary. Place the glass parts directly onto the bubble wrap or the thick blanket that you prepared. Then, use large pieces of cardboard to act as additional protection. Make sure to tape the bubble wrapping and cardboard well. These are some of the best moving tips when it comes to packing glass.

If you decide not to disassemble your cabinets, then use tape to fix the door in one place. This will prevent an accidental opening during transport. If possible, wrap the whole thing in bubble wrap just to make sure is extra secure. Some moving companies like to place the cabinets upright, while others lay them on their side. So, before wrapping it in bubble wrap, consult with your moving company. Lastly, write down FRAGILE on glass parts in order to inform the movers. 

Packing smaller glass items 

All the items you took out from your glass cabinets should be packed properly as well.  If you decide to take them with you that is. That is why we also want to give you some packing tips on how to pack smaller glass items,

Just like with the glass cabinets, carefully place them and wrap them with bubble wrap. Most of your items probably have an irregular shape. So, putting them in between two cardboard pieces like glass is not an option. Do not be stingy with your bubble wrap! You need to make sure the items don’t get scratched or broken during the move. Secure everything with tape Place the protected item in a box that is just right for it and fill the box with protective materials. Close up the box and label it ‘Fragile’. This is how to be 100% sure your items are safe when moving. The worst thing you can do is leave them in your glass cabinet. So, if you don’t do that, and just spend a little time packing, everything should be fine.

Packing glass cabinets properly is important 

You should not skip packing glass cabinets. They are not like the rest of the furniture since they are made of glass. This means that even the smallest bump can break the glass if not packed properly. Additionally, leaving your items in the glass cabinet can lead to unnecessary damage that can easily be avoided.

The best additional tips we can give you:

• Invest in some quality packing supplies.
• Let professionals handle loading and unloading.
• Make sure you get good moving insurance as even movers can make a mistake which can result in some serious damage. Especially when you are dealing with fragile items such as glass cabinets.  
• Make sure you let the movers know they are dealing with fragile items.

What about unpacking?

When it comes to unpacking your glass cabinets and glass items, you first need to unpack your bigger items: the cabinets. After your moving crew has unloaded all of your items, carefully unpack your glass cabinets and reassemble them. Put them in their place and wipe them down as dust could have collected during the move. Then carefully start unpacking all your other boxes. Take the glass items out of them, wipe them down, and place them in the glass cabinets. This way you are killing two birds with one stone: unpacking and decorating your new home. Repeat this until all your items are unpacked. We don’t recommend throwing the cardboard and packing materials away. Recycling them or keeping them for when you need them are the best options.

All the tips and tricks 

As you can see, these would be all the important tips and tricks for packing glass cabinets. By following all of them you are ensuring your items will not get damaged or broken. We at Master Moving Guide know how important these items can be. Not only can they be expensive but they can also have sentimental value. That is why we have prepared this guide for you. So, make sure to follow this guide so you can avoid unnecessary damages that will cost you heartbreak and too much money.