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"Wrap it in bubble wrap" is true but incomplete advice — different fragile categories fail in different ways during transit, and packing each one for its specific failure mode is what actually prevents damage. Here's a category-by-category approach.
Glassware and Crockery
Wrap each piece individually rather than relying on a shared layer of padding between stacked items — movement between items is what causes chips and breaks, not just outside impact. Pack plates on their edge, like records in a crate, rather than flat-stacked; edge-packing distributes pressure far more evenly.
Electronics and Appliances
Keep TVs, monitors and similar items upright wherever possible, and use original manufacturer packaging if you've kept it — it's engineered specifically for that item's weight distribution. For small appliances, remove any loose or detachable parts and pack them separately, labelled to match the main unit.
Mirrors and Framed Artwork
Use corner protectors on every corner, then a full layer of bubble wrap, then a flat rigid layer (cardboard sheeting) taped in an X-pattern across the glass surface — the X-pattern holds shattered glass together if the worst happens, protecting whatever's underneath the frame. Transport flat items vertically, never flat, wedged so they can't shift or lean.
Musical Instruments
A hard case is always safer than a soft one for transit; if you only have a soft case, add rigid padding around the most vulnerable points (the neck of a guitar, for example). Loosen string tension slightly on stringed instruments before a long journey to reduce stress from temperature and humidity changes in transit.
Lamps and Light Fixtures
Remove bulbs and shades and pack them separately from the base — shades in particular are easily crushed if left attached. Wrap the base itself with the same individual-wrapping principle used for glassware.
Marble, Stone and Heavy Decor
These items are fragile in a different way — not to gentle bumps, but to chipping at corners and edges under weight. Use thick foam corner guards and never stack anything heavy on top, even temporarily, during loading.
General Principles That Apply to All Categories
Fill every gap inside a box — unfilled space is what allows movement, and movement is the real cause of most transit damage. Use double-wall boxes for anything heavy or fragile rather than single-wall, which flexes under weight. Mark boxes "Fragile — This Side Up" on multiple sides, and load them last so they're unloaded first rather than buried under heavier boxes for the whole journey.