When you are about to move to another home, I’m sure you are mostly stressed about packing dishes and other fragile items like mirrors, TVs, wall art, vases, etc. The good thing is that if you are using the right method and high-quality moving supplies, you will ensure that you don’t end up with shattered dishes. All on your way to your new address.
Luckily, this doesn’t require any special expertise, and anyone can do it. Below, you’ll find a comprehensive guide by Zenith Moving on how to pack dishes so they all arrive in one piece.
Gather all the packing supplies in one place
The first step when moving is always gathering the right kind and amount of packing supplies. You’ll need a lot of different sizes of sturdy cardboard boxes, or even better, plastic containers. These things are available for purchase almost everywhere. Also, you can pack your things in used boxes. Just make sure they are clean, sturdy, not overly used, and that they can withstand the weight of your dishes.
You’ll also need bubble wrap, packing paper, old newspapers, kitchen towels, old shirts, packing tape, and a permanent marker for labeling the boxes. Keep in mind that if you use newspapers for wrapping, you’ll have to wash the dishes when you unpack to remove the ink.
Prepare your boxes
No matter if you choose to buy new or use old boxes, you need to prepare them for what comes next. All cardboard boxes need some reinforcement on the bottom. You should do that by layering paper or thin cardboard and sealing it up with packing tape. When you are sealing it up, use at least two layers of tape, but I recommend more to be sure it holds up. You can always test it by pushing the bottom with your hand and see what happens.
Packing dishes according to size is a must
You shouldn’t just place whatever comes into your hand in whichever box. The best way to pack anything is to organize it according to size and weight. When it comes to kitchen dishes, that means you’ll need to stack them. First, start with dinner plates, dessert plates, salad plates, soup bowls, mugs, glasses, and so on, you get the point.
This step will allow you to make enough space between the packed items while at the same time using the most out of the box. The worst you can do is to overpack your boxes; cardboard boxes can’t withstand heavy weights. So if you know some particular dinner set weights more, use plastic containers for their relocation.
When packing dishes, make sure you wrap each one separately
Normally, before you start packing your dishes, make sure they are washed and dried thoroughly. Also your working surface must be clean as well. Start with stacking sheets of packing paper or bubble wrap on your work surface. Each sheet should be large enough to comfortably accommodate the dish you tend to pack in it. In case some sheets end up too small, you can always add one more.
I bet you all know how to properly wrap up the dishes in the packing paper so I won’t explain this process. However, I will tell you to always secure the paper with packing tape just in case. For more fragile items like thing whine glasses, porcelain coffee cups, and other valuable kitchenware, always use bubble wrap. And layer the boxes with kitchen towels and old shirts.
Properly box up different kinds of dishes
Different kinds of dishes need to be boxed up differently. For example, plates should never be packed flat. Even though it might seem logical to stack one on top of the other, this is the most common reason why they break. Why? Well, in case the box encounters any force, plates that are laid flat on the bottom absorb too much shock and break. But if you sort them vertically, the edges will sustain the shock with ease.
You can stack cups, mugs, and bowls one in another, but make sure you place a layer of paper between each dish to create a protective barrier. Always sort glasses one next to the other instead of stacking them like mugs; they are too fragile for this.
As I already mentioned, if there is any room remaining in the box, place towels or use more ball-up wads of paper to fill the gaps before sealing the box. Always label every box with “kitchen” and “fragile” so your movers know when they need to be extra careful.
It Is Time To Load The Truck
In case you will do it all by yourself and rent a moving truck, instead of hiring movers, it is important to know how to load the boxes on the truck to prevent any damage.
Keep in mind that boxes marked as fragile must be packed on the floor of the truck and not on top of other items. You should also pack all the fragile boxes beneath large pieces of furniture. Or in cabinets whose doors you can fasten to prevent them from opening. This is how you avoid shifts during the move.
If this looks like too much work for you, contact Zenith Moving, and we will send our most reliable packers and movers to your address.
