Mugs are one of the first items in your home to greet you hello every morning. Losing these hot-drink cups during a move is upsetting.
How to Pack Mugs for Moving
Because mugs look sturdy, many people don’t put in the effort to pack them properly, and they end up breaking in transit. To find your mug intact upon arrival in your new home, here are some ways you can pack them correctly.
Buying The Correct Packing Supplies For Mugs
Before you start packing, ensure you have suitable packing materials. Getting used boxes to move items like pillows or furniture is not bad. But when packing mugs for a move, you will need new, sturdy boxes.
- Double-layered cardboard packing boxes
- Dish Barrel
- Cardboard dividers or cell kits
- Packing peanuts (when shipping)
- Packing paper — the newspaper is an alternative but can stain the mugs.
- Bubble wrap
- Packing tape
- Scotch tape for holding paper and bubble wrap
- Scissors
- Marker for Labeling
3 Ways to Pack Mugs for Moving

1. Packing Mugs in Standard Boxes
Standard moving boxes are the most common containers for packing mugs. When packing breakables, dish barrels are simply best. Their double-layer cardboards provide adequate protection for fragile kitchen items like your mugs. You can get sturdy boxes from Bankers Box Store on Amazon.
- Choose small size boxes for packing your mugs. Small size boxes are easy to fill with protective cushioning materials. At the same time, you can carry them around without hassle.
- Prepare the boxes. After getting the standard box, you need to tape the bottom and sides of the box with several strips of packing tape. This will ensure no mug falls out during a move.
- Cover the bottom of the box with crumpled packing paper. This creates a cushion against vibrations and shocks, reducing the risks during transport. Crumbling the paper into balls gives the best results. Newspapers are free options you can utilize.
- Stack the mugs according to their shape and size. When you have wrapped the mugs individually, place the largest and heaviest mugs at the bottom of the box before putting small, lightweight mugs on them. This will prevent small mugs from breaking under the weight of heavier ones.
- Be lavish with cushioning materials when stacking the mugs. It’s helpful to add packaging materials over every layer, any empty space, and at the top before sealing the box. Doing this creates complete cushioning in the box, decreasing the chance of mugs breaking.
- Lift the box in the air and shake it gently. This will help you confirm if the mugs are well packed. If you notice any movement, add more crumpled paper until the box is sturdy.
- Seal the box tightly with wrapping tape and label the box “FRAGILE” or, better still, write “MUGS/KITCHEN” for easy identification.
2. Packing Mugs with Cell Box

Packing mugs with a cardboard box with a separate compartment is highly effective. The compartments keep items from colliding when transporting them.
But most cell boxes are crafted for packing stemware, and mugs will not fit nicely into the compartments. The good news is you can design your cell box. Follow these steps:
- Measure the box you will pack the mugs in. This will enable you to build cells that fit nicely inside the box.
- Take apart the cardboard box or order cardboard sheets from Bryco Goods Store to build the cells.
- Cut the cardboard base on the cells you need in line with the depth and length of the packing box. Then, cut four or more pieces matching the width of the cardboard box.
- Put the cells together by sliding each length-sized piece of cardboard down the shorter pieces until they are all interconnected tightly.
- Wrap each mug and place it in each compartment as needed.
- Fill any extra space with more cushioning material to ensure your mugs don’t move and break in transit.
- Seal the well-packed box tightly and label “Fragile.”
3. Packing Mugs in Quilted Bags

If you’re willing to spend extra dollars, quilted bags will save you time and give maximum protection to your mugs. These bags are specifically designed for moving mugs, and they are an upgraded solution for moving fragile items.
The interior is completely lined with soft padding and dividers to keep the mugs from colliding. At the same time, the exterior is made from hard plastic covered in extra-thick microfiber materials that prevent the mugs from breaking in transit.
These bags come with many advantages. You can place the items without adding cushioning material. The bags are also reusable. After the move, you can use the bag to pack mugs whenever necessary. StorageLAB Store offers good quality quilted bags on Amazon.
But this bag has only 12 compartments, and you’ll need more than one bag if your mugs are more than 12.
How to Wrap Mugs

- Clean the mugs and dry them using a kitchen towel
- Stuff crumpled packing paper inside the mugs
- Wrap the handles and the remaining corners, ensuring they are fully covered.
- Stretch out bubble wraps and cover the entire cup.
- Secure the bubble wraps with cello tapes.
How to Transport Mugs Securely

Label Boxes “Fragile”
Regardless of the box type or packing method, ensure you label the boxes, and this will serve as a warning sign to anyone handling them.
Use The Mom’s Attic
To prevent your mugs from colliding with other items in the truck, “Mom’s Attic” is the ideal place to keep them. It is the smallest space in the truck hanging over the driver’s cab. Because of the size, boxes in this truck section are resistant to shocks.
Move Them To The Passenger Seat.
If you have enough space in your car, keeping the sealed box where you can see it will be helpful. With the boxes on the passenger seat of your car, you can watch how it moves as you transport it to your new home.