When you think of goods in a storage unit, you think of sturdy items like furniture, beds, and dressers. They all have their own protection needs, but glass is not something everyone considers, even though most of us have some sort of glassware in our homes. It may be our dressing table mirror, a glass tabletop, painting frames, or decorative pieces. If you take proper precautions and pack them the right way, glassware can be safely put away in storage for months or even years. Here are five tips for keeping your glass items safe.
In a bid to save time, it may seem like a good idea to bundle glass pieces together and pack them, but they will shatter at the slightest touch. Each glass item should be packed separately, with a generous amount of bubble wrap. Make sure to tape the bubble wrap securely so that it doesn’t move or come off.
Smaller items like decorative pieces, cups, or plates can be packed together in one box. After you’ve wrapped each piece with bubble wrap, fill the box with packing peanuts, newspaper shreds, or wood shavings and place all your small glass items in there. A plastic container or sturdy crate will work if you don’t have any boxes.
Placing your plastic box or crate on a high shelf is not a good idea. If it were to slip while you took it down, your items could break. It’s best to keep the box on the floor, safely out of the way.
Larger pieces of flat glass, like mirrors or tabletops, should never be stacked on top of one another, even when individually wrapped in bubble wrap and cloth. Stacking can leave scratches on the glass. Always place flat glass on its side because its molecular structure is the strongest on its side.
Always label your boxes and cartons. Make the labels as clear and detailed as you can so you won’t open the wrong box when you’re unpacking. Label all the glass with “fragile” and “this side up” written on the side to make sure you remember to take extra care with them.
Storing your glass items without damaging them is possible; it just takes some preparation and careful handling. If you pack your items individually, place small items with filler, don’t stack, store on the ground, and use labels, your glassware can safely remain out of the way out of harm. To store your glass items and more, contact us at Airtight Storage.
