Should plates be packed flat or on edge?

On edge. Standing plates spread the load along their rims; flat stacks crack under the weight above.

How many glasses fit in a box?

It depends on the box and the glasses. A dish-pack box with cell dividers keeps each glass separate, which matters more than the count.

Do I need bubble wrap as well as paper?

For most dishes, paper is enough if the box is packed tight. Use bubble wrap for heirlooms, thin crystal, and anything with a delicate handle.

Can I wrap several plates together?

Yes, with a sheet between each so they don’t rub, folded into one bundle and packed on edge.

What kind of box is best for dishes?

A small, double-walled box or a dish-pack box. Big boxes get too heavy and crush what is at the bottom.

Illustration of dinner plates wrapped in packing paper and packed on edge in a small box

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How to Wrap Dishes and Glasses With Packing Paper

Most broken dishes in a move break the same ways: plates packed flat and stacked, glasses touching, and boxes with room to shift. Wrapping them well isn’t about using as much paper as possible, but about putting it where the stress goes. This guide covers plates, bowls, glasses, and stemware, and how to pack the box they go in.

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Set up first

Clear a large, flat work surface and stack the paper at one end.
Line the bottom of a small, sturdy box with a few crumpled sheets.
Keep a marker and tape nearby to label each box fragile and which way is up.

Plates and bowls

Put a plate in the centre of a stack of sheets, pull a corner of the top sheet over it, place the next plate on top, and repeat, then fold the whole bundle in the remaining paper. Pack plates on edge, like records — they are much stronger standing up than lying flat.

Bowls can be nested in pairs or threes with a sheet between each, then wrapped as one bundle. A box of twelve dinner plates at two sheets each, with four crumpled sheets for cushioning, takes 28 sheets.

Glasses and stemware

Stuff a sheet inside each glass to support the walls.
Roll the glass diagonally across a sheet, tucking the ends in as you go.
For stemware, wrap the stem and foot first with a half sheet, then the bowl, then the whole piece.
Pack glasses upright, rim up, never touching each other; a dish-pack box with dividers helps.

Packing the box

Heaviest pieces at the bottom, lightest on top.
Fill every gap with crumpled paper until nothing moves when you shake the box gently.
Finish with a layer of crumpled paper on top, then tape the box closed with an H pattern.
Keep dish boxes small; a box too heavy to lift easily is a box that gets dropped.

Wrapping Dishes and Glasses FAQ

Should plates be packed flat or on edge?: On edge. Standing plates spread the load along their rims; flat stacks crack under the weight above.
How many glasses fit in a box?: It depends on the box and the glasses. A dish-pack box with cell dividers keeps each glass separate, which matters more than the count.
Do I need bubble wrap as well as paper?: For most dishes, paper is enough if the box is packed tight. Use bubble wrap for heirlooms, thin crystal, and anything with a delicate handle.
Can I wrap several plates together?: Yes, with a sheet between each so they don’t rub, folded into one bundle and packed on edge.
What kind of box is best for dishes?: A small, double-walled box or a dish-pack box. Big boxes get too heavy and crush what is at the bottom.