How to Pack Artwork and Mirrors for Moving

Supplies for packing artwork and mirrors

• Picture boxes, also sold as mirror boxes. These are flat, adjustable cartons, often in two or four pieces that slide together to fit the frame
• Plain packing paper. Not newspaper, which transfers ink
• Bubble wrap for the outer layer
• Cardboard corner protectors, bought or folded from scrap cardboard
• Flat sheets of cardboard to shield glass and canvas faces
• Painter's tape or masking tape for the glass, and packing tape for everything else
• Glassine or acid-free paper for the face of any painting without glass
• Moving blankets for very large pieces
• A thick marker

Count your pieces before you shop. Small frames can share a box, but every large mirror or painting needs its own. Our packing estimator helps with the regular boxes for the rest of the house.

How to pack artwork and mirrors: sort your pieces first

Take everything off the walls and lay it on a bed or a blanket, never on a bare floor. Then sort it into groups, because each group packs differently:

• Framed pictures behind glass: photos, prints, posters, diplomas
• Paintings on canvas with no glass over them
• Mirrors, framed and frameless
• High-value pieces: originals, antiques, anything appraised or irreplaceable

Put the picture hooks, wire, and wall anchors for each room in a labeled bag as you go. For anything valuable, take clear photos of the front, the back, and any existing wear before you wrap it.

How to pack framed pictures with glass

1. Tape the glass. Run painter's tape corner to corner in a large X across the glass. It will not stop a crack, but it holds the pieces together and keeps them off the artwork. Tape only real glass, not acrylic glazing, and never the art itself
2. Wrap it in paper. Lay the frame face down on a few sheets of packing paper and wrap it like a gift, taping the paper to itself
3. Protect the corners. Slip a cardboard protector over each corner and tape it to the paper
4. Add bubble wrap around the whole piece, bubbles facing out, and tape it closed
5. Box it. Put a layer of crumpled paper in the bottom of a picture box, stand the frame on edge inside, and pack paper into every gap until nothing moves
6. Label it on both faces: GLASS, the room, an arrow pointing up, and DO NOT LAY FLAT

Small frames can travel together. Wrap each one, stand them on edge in a small or medium box like files in a drawer, and put padding between each and on all sides.

How to pack mirrors for moving

A mirror packs like a framed picture, with more weight and more at stake if it breaks.

1. Detach it first. A mirror bolted to a dresser or hung on a heavy cleat should come off, with the hardware bagged and labeled
2. Tape an X across the glass, plus a strip along each edge on a big mirror
3. Cut two sheets of cardboard to the size of the mirror and sandwich it between them
4. Wrap the sandwich in paper, then bubble wrap, with corner protectors on all four corners
5. Slide it into a mirror box sized so it cannot shift, and fill the gaps

Moving a large mirror is a two-person job. Carry it upright by the sides, not flat like a tray, and set it down on its long edge on something soft. Frameless mirrors chip at the edges, so give the edges extra padding. If a mirror is too big for any box, wrap it in cardboard and then in a moving blanket secured with tape around the outside.

Packing paintings for moving when there is no glass

An oil or acrylic painting on canvas has no glass to protect its surface, so the rule changes: nothing rough, printed, or airtight should touch the paint.

1. Cover the face with a sheet of glassine or acid-free paper. Do not use newspaper, and do not put bubble wrap or plastic film directly on the paint. Texture can press into the surface, and plastic can trap moisture
2. Lay a flat sheet of cardboard over the paper to shield the canvas from pokes, and another on the back
3. Add corner protectors, then wrap the outside in bubble wrap
4. Box it upright in a picture box with padding on every side

Never let anything lean on the front or the back of a stretched canvas. A dent in the canvas can crack the paint. Unwrap paintings soon after the move instead of leaving them sealed up in a garage or attic.

How to load and carry art and mirrors

• On edge, always. Glass laid flat flexes and breaks under its own weight or under whatever lands on top
• Against something flat and soft. Between a mattress and a box spring, or upright along the truck wall behind a sofa, is a good spot
• Nothing stacked on top and nothing with a corner pressing into the side
• Strapped or wedged so the boxes cannot tip or slide
• Glass facing glass. When two pieces ride together, put them face to face with padding between

If you are taking a few special pieces in your own car, stand them upright behind the front seats and do not leave them in a hot car.

Common mistakes when packing art and mirrors

• Wrapping in newspaper, which rubs ink onto frames and mats
• Putting several unwrapped frames in one box so the hangers scratch the glass
• Using a box much bigger than the piece and not filling the space
• Laying mirrors flat in the truck or on top of furniture
• Leaving wire and hooks loose inside the wrapping
• Skipping the label, so nobody knows the box holds glass
• Carrying a big mirror alone

When to use professional packers or custom crating

Most household pictures and mirrors can be packed well with the steps above. Get help when a piece is very large, very heavy, or worth more than you would want to risk.

Valuable originals, antiques, and oversized mirrors are often moved in custom-built wooden crates. If you own pieces like that, mention them when you request a quote so the right packing can be planned, and ask how they would be covered. Our post on moving insurance and valuation explains the choices.

For everything else, our packing service can handle just the fragile items or the whole house, with boxes, paper, bubble wrap, and tape included in the quote.