“How do I pack my dishes so they don’t shatter halfway through the move?” is one of the most common questions we hear from clients booking with Two Chicks Moving — especially from anyone who’s already lost a serving bowl or a picture frame in a past move. Packing fragile items well isn’t complicated, but it does take the right materials and a technique that holds up over hours of riding in a moving truck. As a mover in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Estero, and Bonita Springs, here’s exactly how we recommend packing your breakables so they arrive in one piece.
Q&A: How Do You Pack Fragile Items So They Survive the Move?
Q: What materials do I actually need?
A: Start with the right supplies before you tape a single box: packing paper (not newspaper — the ink smears onto everything it touches), bubble wrap for your most delicate pieces, and smaller boxes rather than large ones. According to Move.org’s guide to packing fragile items, smaller boxes are actually safer for breakables because they hold less total weight, reduce shifting inside the box, and are easier to carry steadily than an oversized box packed to the brim.
Q: What’s the right technique for wrapping something breakable?
A: Wrap each item in packing paper first to cover sharp edges and corners, then add a layer of bubble wrap around anything especially delicate, and seal it with tape. Fragile items should never touch each other or the bare sides of the box — add crumpled paper between wrapped pieces and around the inside walls so nothing can shift or knock together in transit.
Q: How should I pack dishes and glassware specifically?
A: Plates pack best standing on their edge, like records in a crate, rather than stacked flat — it distributes pressure more evenly and cuts down on breakage dramatically. Glasses and stemware should go in individually wrapped and stood upright, never on their side, with a folded towel or extra paper on the bottom of the box to absorb any bump.
Q: What about mirrors, artwork, and electronics?
A: Mirrors and framed artwork need a flat picture box (or two layers of cardboard taped over the glass with corner protectors) and should always travel standing on their edge, never flat — flat stacking is exactly what cracks glass under weight. Electronics travel best in their original manufacturer boxes if you kept them; if not, wrap them in anti-static bubble wrap and pack them upright, never lying flat.
Q: How do I know a box is packed safely before I tape it shut?
A: Give it a gentle shake. If you hear or feel anything shifting, open it back up and add more crumpled paper until nothing moves. Then label every side “FRAGILE” and mark which way is up — our crew treats a clearly labeled box differently than an unmarked one, and so will anyone else who handles it along the way.
If you’d rather skip the bubble wrap altogether, our full-service packing services handle the wrapping, boxing, and labeling for you, so your breakables are packed by people who do it every day.
Local Area Guide: Bonita Springs Welcomes USA Ninja Challenge
If you’re settling into Bonita Springs with kids in tow, there’s a fresh reason to celebrate: USA Ninja Challenge held the grand opening of its new Bonita Springs gym on Aug. 8, bringing obstacle-course fitness classes for kids ages 2½ to 17 to a new location on Bernpine Court. Owners Duane and Anna Wiggins built the gym after struggling to find engaging fitness options for their own daughter in Southwest Florida, and the location was chosen specifically for its spot between Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, and North Naples — and for the area’s fast-growing population of young families.
Classes run Tuesday through Saturday and include structured weekly programs, homeschool classes, and seasonal camps focused on balance, coordination, agility, and confidence-building. The gym is also an approved Step Up for Students provider, so eligible Florida families can put scholarship funds toward classes. If your family is moving into Bonita Springs this fall, it’s a solid new option for getting the kids active while everyone settles in. Take a look at our Bonita Springs area page for more on what’s nearby and how our crews serve the neighborhood.
Whether you’re packing a single box of grandma’s china or an entire household, Two Chicks Moving is a trusted mover in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Estero, and Bonita Springs — ready to help your move go as smoothly as possible from the first box to the last.
