At least one of the following: bubble wrap, packing paper, or recycled newspapers
Boxes
Box dividers
Labels or markers
Moving an entire house can be stressful, especially if you get to your new home and discover that your favorite mug didn’t make the trip safely.
Learning how to pack mugs for moving is an essential step, especially because coffee is the perfect beverage to rock out some productive unpacking. Learn how to pack mugs for moving safely and efficiently in this seven-step guide.
Angi Tip
Prevent fragile items like wine glasses and electronics from breaking during your move by wrapping and stuffing them with bubble wrap, using paper to fill gaps inside moving boxes, and padding the base of the box.
If you use recycled boxes and packing materials, you’ll save money and avoid packing waste, which is a win-win in our book. You’ll also need to figure out how many moving boxes you’ll need for your move.
Here are some easy ways to acquire recycled items to help you move:
Ask your local newspaper for old newspaper for packing
Ask your local recycling vendor for used cardboard boxes and packing materials
If you can’t find sturdy boxes from a secondhand source, ordering cell boxes is your best bet. They cost between $2 and $3 per box and usually come in packs of 4, 10, or 16.
Inspect Your Mugs
Drinking glasses are one of the most common fragile items that get damaged when you move. But when you think about it, moving is the perfect opportunity to assess your current mug collection and downsize a few unused pieces.
Which mugs can you donate or recycle? Which mugs can you offer up to friends? Is anyone in your family moving soon or going to college, and need to furnish a new kitchen? If your mugs have serious cracks, chips, or other damage, it might be time to put them in the recycling bin.
Sort Your Mugs By Size, Weight, and Sentimental Value
Photo: FreshSplash / Adobe Stock
Next, divide your mugs according to how you’ll pack them. This will save you time later and keep them organized during transit. If you have a sizable mug inventory, sort your pieces by size and weight to ensure the large, heavy mugs are evenly distributed throughout your packing boxes.
If you have sets of mugs that go with plates, dishes, or other kitchenware, you might also choose to keep these all together in one box, especially if some items are going to storage and others are going to your new home. Or if you have sentimental items that you want to unpack on moving day, set those mugs aside to pack last.
Prepare Your Moving Boxes
Photo: Drobot Dean / Adobe Stock
Depending on the equipment you’ve gathered for this packing project, you may need to:
Assemble your new boxes
Insert cardboard dividers into your boxes
Grab packing tape and scissors
To prepare your moving boxes for your mug collection, line the box with a layer of newspaper or bubble wrap to protect your mugs.
Wrap Each Mug Individually
Photo: Studio Marmellata / Stocksy / Adobe Stock
Wrap each mug with two layers of bubble wrap, newspaper, or packing paper, and then tape off the excess underneath the glass to seal it. For additional protection, put a small piece of crumpled paper or bubble wrap inside the mug.
If you aren’t using cardboard cell dividers, gently layer the mugs on top of one another in the box.
Fill Any Empty Space
Tight packing is the key to preventing damage to your mugs during your move. Empty space inside a box spells trouble for coffee- and tea-drinking vessels and can cause them to bounce around during the move, leading to chips, cracks, or a total break.
You can use bubble wrap or any impact-absorbing material to fill in the gaps between mug layers.
Seal and Label Each Box
Seal each box with packing tape. Use a label maker or a marker to label each box with helpful information for your family or the movers, such as:
The box’s contents
The box’s final destination
The room it should be placed in
Whether it’s heavy or fragile
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
It’s manageable to DIY pack your mug collection, but if you want to avoid the packing and moving process, a local moving company can tackle the rest of the tasks for you. The national average cost to hire movers is around $1,400. Keep in mind that moving services can assist with much more than packing mugs securely, including loading and unloading your moving truck, moving heavy items, unpacking services, and more. Plus, a professional moving company can supply the packing materials you need to secure your mugs for transit, such as bubble wrap and packing paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
The key to ensuring your mugs don’t break during the moving process is to use plenty of padded packing material, wrap each mug individually, and pack the moving box tightly. If your mugs can’t shift around in the box, they have a much better chance of arriving at your destination intact. Be sure to label mug boxes as “fragile” to remind your movers to handle them with care.
Bubble wrap is a handy tool for packing mugs. After lining the bottom of the moving box with this packing material, wrap it around each mug, tucking the ends of the sheet inside the mug for a snug fit. You can also pack extra bubble wrap in the empty gaps between mugs to avoid movement during the trip.
You can pack multiple mugs into moving boxes as long as they’re bubble-wrapped individually and aren’t packed too tightly. Avoid packing more than 10 mugs in a moving box—otherwise it will become very heavy to carry. You can also consider using a moving box with slots in it to keep the mugs separated during the trip to your new home.
Ben is a writer, media strategist, and DIY enthusiast. A former teacher, he's written two books and published articles on major publications like Business Insider and Elite Daily. He lives in Denver.
Ben is a writer, media strategist, and DIY enthusiast. A former teacher, he's written two books and published articles on major publications like Business Insider and Elite Daily. He lives in Denver.
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