Breakages almost never happen because a carton was dropped. They happen because the contents moved inside the carton. Everything below is about stopping movement.
Build the carton first
Tape the base with three strips: one along the seam and one across each edge. A single strip is where most blowouts start.
Line the bottom with 5cm of crushed paper. Use small cartons for anything heavy or fragile — a large carton of glassware is too heavy to carry safely and flexes in the middle.
Glassware and plates
Wrap each glass individually in paper, starting at a corner and rolling diagonally, then tuck the ends in. Stand glasses upright, never on their side.
Plates go on edge, like records in a crate, not stacked flat. Stacked plates crack under their own weight over a rough driveway; on edge, they support each other.
Fill every gap with crushed paper until you can shake the closed carton and hear nothing. Mark it FRAGILE on the top and two sides.
Mirrors, art and screens
Tape a large X across the face of glass in a frame. It will not stop a break, but it holds the shards together if one happens.
Use a purpose-made mirror carton or two sheets of stiff card taped into a sandwich, then wrap the whole thing in bubble wrap and stand it upright against a wall in the truck — never flat under other items.
For TVs, the original box is best. Failing that, wrap the screen in a moving blanket and carry it upright at all times. Never lay a flat screen face-down on the floor.
Where cartons go in the truck
Heavy cartons load first and low. Fragile cartons ride on top, never underneath furniture, and get strapped rather than stacked loose.
If you are packing yourself and a professional crew is loading, tell them which cartons are fragile before they start. It changes where the carton sits, and that is what actually protects it.
