Your wine collection is precious. Especially if you’ve been aging them for a while. Having your wines broken during a move could lead to a loss of thousands of dollars.
Therefore, you need to know the best ways to pack wine bottles. Let’s help you move your wine bottles in one piece and maintain the wine’s integrity.
We’ve compiled the safest ways to pack wine bottles for moving.
Let’s get started.
Steps to Successfully Packing Wine Bottles for Moving
Things you’ll need:
- Wine boxes.
- Cell boxes.
- Cardboard boxes.
- Packing paper.
- Scotch tape.
- Bubble wrap.
- Green wrap rolls.
- Sharpie marker or sticker.
Here you go:
Check your Stock
Save an extra pound! The first step to packing is choosing what moves with you. Check your collection and take inventory of which items are worth keeping and need packing supplies.
Ever wondered why moving companies charge hundreds of dollars to transport wine? The contents, the fragile materials, and the weight of wine bottles (they can weigh up to 35 pounds) make moving pricey.
Wine bottles are the perfect parting gifts for your neighbors or loved ones if you can’t move everything. If your wine collection is small enough, moving with your car is a go.
To unpack and rearrange faster, write down essential wine details like the wine name, the vintage, the blend, the region of origin, and the year.
Tip: Bottles are easier to carry in smaller boxes.
See Also: 4 Ways to Pack Wine Glasses for Moving
Prepare the Box
Adding extra tape reinforces and strengthens the box to hold the weight of the bottles. Ensure you tape the flaps of the boxes, so the underside doesn’t give way.
Except the wine box topples over, wine bottles can’t fall off and break. Taping an extra piece of cardboard to the bottom won’t hurt.
It’s safer to retape the boxes before loading and ensure they’re safe should the old tape lose its grip.
Pad the box with bubble wrap or crumpled paper and tape it to eliminate any wiggle room in the boxes. Generous amounts of bubble wraps, packing paper, or green wrap roll cushions impact during transit.
Bubble wrap is cheap, easy to find, and doesn’t incur more weight. They also stop the bottles from bumping against each other.
See Also: 3 Ways to Pack Glassware for Moving
Wrap your Wine Bottles
Please, follow the steps below:
- Seal or tighten the bottle cap.
- Place a stretch of packing paper on a flat surface. (We recommend using a chair because it’ll act as a cushion should the bottle slip from your fingers.)
- Position the bottle perpendicular to the side. (Leave enough space to start packing.)
- Wrap 2-3 sheets of paper around the bottle. Secure the paper with tape.
- Tape a sheet of bubble wrap to the bottle.
- Wrap the end of the paper in a roll and mold the bottle’s neck.
- Tape the sheets and molded roll around the tape and check for loose ends.
- Double-check to see if you have a secure mass of packing material around the bottle.
Ways to Pack Wine Bottles for Moving
Knowing the best ways to pack wine bottles for moving will save you headache, time, money, and pain from losing your prized possessions.
After moving, the last thing you want to deal with is shards of broken glass and a stained floor.
Use a Wine Carry Case
Your best bet for packing wine bottles for moving is to use a wine carry case. They’re not as cheap as using cardboard boxes but they’re quite sturdy and provide the most guarantee for unbroken wine bottles.
Pack Wine bottles in a Cardboard Box
Get a sturdy box! Ask for wine moving boxes specifically; they’re not very popular but way better than typical cardboard boxes. That doesn’t mean you can use other boxes if you can’t find one.
Wine bottles weigh about four pounds on average, and a 12-bottle box will weigh 48 pounds. The standard 750 ml bottle of wine weighs 2.65 pounds (1.2 kg), and weight depends on the size and thickness of the bottle.
It would help if you also considered the extra weight of the packaging.
It’s time to arrange the wine bottles in a box. Arrange bottles sideways because stacking them upright takes up more space and dries the cork, allowing it to shrink and let in air. (If you’re moving relatively short distances, you can stand the boxes upright.)
Add towels or soft materials like duvets between each layer of wine bottles. Shake the box in the most gentle to check if they’re hitting each other, then fill the spaces with crumpled paper.
After precautionary checks, tape the box twice—to be sure.
Tip: Label the wine box as fragile or attach a fragile sticker to handle the contents with care.
See Also: How to Pack for Moving Houses
Pack Wine bottles in Wine Boxes and Cell Boxes
Once you know how many bottles you need to move, the next step is purchasing the right boxes. You must get sturdier boxes—wooden if possible—than those used in packing clothes for moving. You can get wine boxes of different sizes from couriers.
Wine boxes can hold 6-12 bottles and are equipped with Styrofoam dividers to protect and keep them in place.
The cell box is a low-cost alternative to wine boxes with dividers, and you can get either box from a moving or liquor store.
Alternatively, moving stores sell sturdy boxes that are fit for shifting wine bottles. Some stores sell sturdy plastic boxes featuring interlocking lids, perfect for housing several wine bottles during a move.
Loading the Box
Moving packed wine bottles can be tricky, and we recommend you put the boxes on the truck’s floor.
Keeping bottles in an elevated position is risky:
- The bottles can topple over
- Bottles can spill their contents from transition vibrations
- Wine bottles are heavy. Their weight can damage the furniture they’re placed upon
Tips for Moving Wine Bottles
- Label the top of the moving boxes as ‘TOP’ and ‘Wine: Handle With Care.’
- Arrange the bottles on their side.
- Fill any extra space with additional packing material. The tighter, the better.
- Do not attempt to lift more than you can handle. It’s best to prevent wastage, spillage, and the need for cleaning agents.
Dear reader, we’re glad you didn’t take any chances. Wine deserves to be emptied into our bellies and not on our clothes or belongings.
You’ll do your loved ones a world of good if you share this article with them!
