How to pack mugs for moving

Mugs, especially coffee mugs and tea mugs, are one of the most frequently used kitchen items in the home.

Chances are that you’ll have a favorite coffee mug or a tea mug too, or maybe even more than just one cup. And why wouldn’t you? Basically, your day starts with your mug as it’s one of the very first things you see in the morning after waking up.

The bad news is that mugs are rather delicate and easily breakable simply because they are almost always made of porcelain. Mugs may look kind of sturdy and almost unbreakable in a way, but that’s definitely not the case.

Therefore, when the time comes for you to move out, you’re going to have to pay extra attention to making sure your mugs stay well protected until they reach their intended destination – the kitchen of the new place.

Read on to learn the best way to pack mugs for moving.

Step 1. Sort out your mugs

The very first thing to packing mugs for moving is to make sure you’re only taking the cups that you love and intend to continue to use in the new home.

Don’t pack and move dead weight – that is, mugs that you will pack and move only to shove into a kitchen cabinet later on and never ever use. Think about this: any household items you transport to the new address and don’t use after the move means is a waste of your money.

• Take out all the porcelain mugs you own and arrange them on the kitchen table.
• Inspect each mug carefully for signs of damage – stains, cracks, chips, etc.
• Decide on the spot what to do with each cup – TAKE or LEAVE. Again, think about the transportation costs and the storage space in the new place while making up your mind.
• Consider giving away to friends or family the mugs you’ve never used.
• Throw away for recycling the porcelain items nobody will ever need again.
• Leave only the porcelain cups that you plan to take with you.

Related: How to create a moving inventory

Step 2. Get the necessary packing supplies

It’s impossible to protect your mugs without using proper packing materials, so the next step is to do just that – to prepare the packing supplies you’ll need to pack your mugs for a move.

• Cardboard boxes. If possible, prepare special heavy-duty boxes called dish packs (aka dish barrels). These boxes are made of thicker cardboard and will offer better overall protection for your breakables. If not, standard medium moving boxes should be fine too as long as you follow the packing steps below.
• Wrapping paper. You have two options here: 1) go with soft white packing paper (the recommended way) or 2) use harder brown Kraft paper (also perfectly fine). Just make sure you buy more packing paper than you think you’ll need, for it’s the main packing material when wrapping mugs for moving.
• Bubble wrap. Use bubble wrap to protect the mugs that you do love – the ones you’d hate to see accidentally damaged at the time of unpacking.
• Newspapers (optional). You can choose to use newspapers to fill in any empty gaps inside the boxes. Why? Newsprint is virtually free of charge.
• Packing tape. A regular roll of packing tape is fine.
• Markers. Prepare one black marker and one red one to label the boxes after you’ve packed them up.

Useful info: What packing supplies will you need?

Step 3. Prepare the moving boxes

The next step is to prepare the cardboard boxes so that they are ready to accept your breakable kitchen items.

• Double-tape the bottom and the sides of each cardboard box, even if it’s brand-new, that you will use to transport your porcelain mugs. This is a safety measure that will eliminate the risk of the box breaking under the weight of its own load. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
• Cover the bottom of each moving box with crumpled packing paper or even better – with newsprint that’s basically free. For best results, you should crumple the paper sheets into balls to boost the cushioning effect. The formed padding layer at the bottom will absorb any shocks and vibrations during transport.

Good advice: Where to find free moving boxes

Step 4. Wrap each mug individually

Without a doubt, the best way to pack mugs when moving is to wrap each fragile piece individually into several sheets of packing paper. Whatever you do, you shouldn’t allow any of the cups to come into contact with each other.

• Position the stack of packing paper in the middle of your packing station – most often, the kitchen table.
• Place a mug in the very center of the paper stack like you would normally place the cup on a table. Check whether the mug is dry – if not, dry it out completely using a towel.
• Packing method #1: Grab a few paper sheets (2-3) by one corner and tuck them inside the empty mug. Then, do the same with the remaining 3 corners until the space inside the cup is filled up well with paper and the sides are snugly wrapped up and protected too.
• Packing method #2: Take a sheet of wrapping paper, crumple it into a ball and stuff it inside the empty mug. Then, position the cup sideways and wrap it in paper as you’re rolling it slowly along the stack. Be careful not to put too much pressure on the handle.
• Secure the paper bundle with a bit of packing tape to keep it tight and secure, and to eliminate any chance of it unwrapping by itself during transit.  
• Wrap the most beloved coffee or tea mugs you own in an outer layer of bubble wrap to guarantee their safe relocation.

Packing tips: How to pack fragile items for moving

Step 5. Transfer the wrapped mugs into the box

Together with Step 4 (see above), the step of arranging the packed mugs into a moving box is the most critical one for making sure your ceramic items reach the new home perfectly intact.

• Transfer a packed mug into a cardboard box as soon as you finish wrapping it in paper.
• Place the mugs carefully over the bottom layer of crumpled wrapping paper and arrange them snugly one next to the other.
• Place a sheet of bubble wrap over the paper bundles (mugs) when you finish the first row, then start setting up a second row if the space in the box allows it.
• Be careful not to exert too much pressure when packing the mugs into a box. Forcing your way in to fit yet another porcelain cup is not the right approach when packing mugs for moving.

Good to know: Packing paper vs. Bubble wrap

Step 6. Secure the mugs inside the box

The fragile mugs may be protected with paper and the box may be pre-padded, but if the breakable items shift during transport, then you may still find some of them broken after arriving in the new home.

Here’s what you should do to add the finishing touches when packing mugs for a move:

• Insert crumpled newspapers between any gaps you see inside the moving box. You can also use wrapping paper or even pieces of bubble wrap to fill in the remaining room inside the box.
• Strive for complete visual immobility of the paper-bundled porcelain cups inside the moving container. When unsure of the results, do the shake-up test.
• Lift the cardboard box in the air and shake it ever so gently so get a feel if something inside it is shifting, be it slightly. If yes, then add more crumpled paper to stop all movement. If no, then you’ve done a good job and it’s time to seal the box.

Read also: How to pack boxes for moving

Step 7. Label the box

Now you should be ready for the final step of wrapping cups for moving.

• Place one final sheet of bubble wrap over the top row of packed mugs.
• Close the lids of the box and tape it shut.
• Use the black marker to write MUGS and KITCHEN on two sides of the box.
• Use the red marker to add handling instructions such as FRAGILE, HANDLE WITH CARE, and THIS WAY UP.

When done correctly, packing mugs for moving can take a lot of time to complete. So, if happen to be in a hurry or you don’t feel like you can manage that packing job on your own, hire professional packers who have extensive experience in packing and moving breakable kitchen items.

See also: How much does it cost to hire packers?