Packing is an art form and far from just a case of throwing all your belongings in a box. It takes time to carefully wrap items, especially those which are fragile, to prevent them from moving around during transit and getting damaged or broken. Whilst insurance may cover many things a crystal collection can be the result of years searching for favourite pieces. A good insurance policy will cover replacement costs if something goes terribly wrong, yet it won't compensate the time and effort it would take to replace all your favourite crystal.
Unfortunately crystal is one of the most vulnerable items when it comes to moving house. Yet there are simple ways to prevent your glassware and ornaments from being cracked, chipped or smashed during transit:
- Cell boxes: these are the best way to transport crystal. They can be bought from specialist moving companies or your local wine shop may have some they are willing to donate. They consist of an outer box divided by cardboard into smaller cells, keeping each item separate. Before you put your crystal inside make sure all sides of the boxes are carefully sealed with tape and put a layer of bubble wrap or polystyrene peanuts in the bottom.
- Wrapping your glasses: Stuff the interior of each glass with shredded paper or brown packing paper to reinforce the globe. Don't pack it too tightly or put too much pressure on the sides. Next wrap each glass with several layers of tissue paper and then finish with several sheets of packing paper.
- Packing your glasses: place each glass into a cell in the box, stem first. Pack any space around the glass with bubble wrap. Once the box is full, put layers of bubble wrap on top or more polystyrene peanuts, to prevent the glasses from moving around. Before you seal the box, pick it up and give it a gentle shake. If anything rattles then you need more packing to prevent the crystal from moving.
- Sealing and labelling: secure the box with tape across all joins and edges for extra support. Write FRAGILE - CRYSTAL on all sides of the box and THIS WAY UP. This should make the handlers more vigilant.
- Unpacking: breakages can happen so take care when you are unpacking the box. Carefully lift out the crystal and gently unwrap the paper without putting too much pressure on the delicate globe or stems.
