Packing bottles of wine and stemware might seem like an easy task, but when it’s not done properly, accidents are waiting to happen. Partnering with an experienced Chicago packing and unpacking service can help keep these fragile items safe (and take a lot of worry off your mind). Using the appropriate boxes, cushioning and handling methods will help prevent cracks, chips and leaks. With these three simple tips, you’ll be able to pack your wine and wine glasses like a pro.
How to Move Wine and Wine Glasses Safely
Whether it’s moving valuable items like pianos or works of art, or it’s a matter of packing fragile china and silverware, we understand how many things can fall or break during a move. Following our discussion of creating a dish box to transport your dishes and other breakable kitchen goods, we next take a look at that most breakable of glassware packing tasks of packing wine and wine glasses. If you’re transporting some serious vintage bottles or simply aren’t interested in buying a whole new wine glass set or replacing the one you received from your wedding, here’s what you need to know when packing wine and wine glasses.
1. Get the Best Boxes
We’ve talked about it before, but getting the right packing materials and boxes that can accommodate your belongings, reducing the amount of room for items to bump up against, is super important. Wine boxes, or cell boxes, are used to store both glasses and bottles alike, and there are several ways you can pack them, which we will get into further.
One thing to consider is whether you want your bottles packed vertically or horizontally. Horizontal packing is arguably a better fit for wine than for wine glasses, as less pressure is applied to glasses when placed vertically, though this can be minimized with heavy padding. We strongly support using cell boxes because they are designed with the highest level of protection. If you can’t find any that are right for you, it’s simple to fashion your own by using folded paper plates to create the barrier.
2. Don’t Use Newspapers
As we discussed in our previous piece on packing plates and silverware, it may be tempting to use newspaper for any and all types of padding needs but let’s not forget how your fingers look after a few minutes of reading the Tribune. Right? Right. While glass might not have the oily surface that will attract as much ink, it can still easily be spread across their exterior.
Instead, use clean, white tissue paper to achieve the gentle touch your glasses need. One sheet of tissue can protect against a number of different possible scratches obtained from the box moving around while in the moving truck.
One last piece of advice from the pros. If you decide to use bubble wrap to protect your wine glasses when packing, place the tissue paper down first, then wrap the glass or wine bottle in bubble wrap on top of the tissue paper. Otherwise, a suction force is formed between the bubble wrap and wine glasses meaning broken stems and more.
3. Learn About Your Wine
OK, this last tip is mainly for those winos out there who have an impressive collection that are worth at least the price of a small home. As you likely know if you’ve taken the time and care to curate your own wine collection, you need additional research on each year and bottle to learn about any particularities, like packing them upside down or at a different angle. Be sure to label the box with these instructions so you don’t forget any specific needs, and communicate them verbally to any of the best Chicago movers you’ve hired.
Ensure Your Wine and Stemware Arrives Safe and Sound
From choosing the right boxes to properly wrapping bottles and glasses, packing and moving wine does require a lot of planning and attention to detail. By using adequate padding, clearly labeling boxes, and hiring a professional moving service that has experience handling fragile items, you can be sure that your bottles of wine and stemware will arrive at your new home intact and ready to use.
Protect Your Wine Collection With Chicago’s Trusted Moving Company
If your upcoming move involves wine bottles and glasses, you can count on the team at New City Moving to keep your collection well-protected. Call us today at 872-314-2148 or request a free online quote now.