If you’re relocating soon, you’re probably wondering how to pack plates for moving. Everyone who has ever moved knows that one of the most challenging things about cross country moving is packaging fragile items. Whether you’re asking yourself how to pack glasses for relocation or how to stow your grandma’s china without breaking it, you need to know how to deal with valuables properly.
It’s quite a straightforward process when it comes to folding your clothes and placing them into boxes. You don’t need to think about the best-sized boxes for moving or specific types of packing materials. But, if you’re looking for the best way to stow plates, things get a little complicated. Don’t worry because we’ll help you find out what is the easiest way to pack when moving and bring all the items intact to a new home.
When moving across the country, most people will tell you that storing breakable things gives them the most headaches. With the right materials and the proper technique, you can minimize moving stress and keep things under control. So, let’s find out what type of supplies you should jot down on your moving to-do list before stowing your kitchen:
Instead of the expensive bubble wrap, you can use any material you have around the house, such as clothing, towels, or rags. Also, if you don’t have enough packaging paper, the pillowcases and sheets may be an excellent replacement. Yet, dish packs and glass packs are the most important supplies and they hardly have any substitute. These are specially designated for fragile objects providing extra support thanks to their thicker structure.
This box is a medium-sized carton, usually around 18x18x28 or 18x18x18. Its walls are twice as thick as regular containers in order to provide extra protection for your glasses, cups, bowls, stemware, and platters. Even though they are a bit pricey, you should obtain them if you have very breakable things or are moving interstate. Also, if you’re planning to use storage services, make sure to get several dish boxes. Lighter packages after a prolonged period will likely start to smash due to gravity.
It’s well-known that the best material for swathing your dishware is packing paper. Still, sometimes it happens you just don’t have enough of it, and you need to be resourceful. That’s not a problem, because there are plenty of alternatives to store your dishes right, such as:
You’re probably familiar with the fact that the newspaper might be excellent packaging material, but it’s not recommended for wrapping your dishware. Your valuable china and wedding set can be easily ruined permanently because ink usually leaves stains. That’s why you should consider some other options. Luckily, there are tons of alternatives in every household or office, and some of them might be a pleasant surprise for you:
When storing your dishware, the most important thing is to stow them carefully and bring them to your new home in one piece. To do that, you should follow these five primary steps:
Since plates have a simple shape, without handles or protruding parts, they are usually perfect items to start with. Besides pots and pans, they are the heaviest dishes, so they should be placed in the packages first. You can opt for an individual method of packaging or in bundles. Whichever you choose, keep in mind one thing: plates should be placed on their side because if you put them flat, it’s likely the crockery’s weight will cause cracking during the transport.
If you have expensive pieces and want to decrease your fear about what might happen if the box gets dropped, then you should consider stowing platters separately using as much wrapper as you feel fit.
So, how should you enwrap each piece?
Lay the plate near the sheet’s corner, wrap diagonally, and tuck in ends at the same time. You can use one or even three sheets, repeating the process. For the most valuable plates, you can use bubble wrap.
If you have flat and sturdy platters, you can place them in small stacks. Just make sure they are the same size and wrapped in an abundance of paper. You can wrap some durable break-resistant platters with less wrapper, but remember to put at least two layers between them. The wrinkled unprinted newspaper provides more cushioning.
China is usually the most valuable dish most people possess, and there’s no wonder why they want to protect it. It is passed down for generations or given like a wedding present, so it would be a real pity if it wouldn’t survive moving cross country. Due to its delicate nature, storing china during a move is a labor-intensive process. Here are some tips to fasten the whole process and make it easier:
Until now, you’ve noticed how much the packaging paper is important when storing your dishware. When it comes to packing your china and delicate platters, don’t skimp on it. A general rule of thumb for wrapping china says – the more, the better. That means you can’t overdo with bubble wrap, newspaper, or any other cushioning.
First, start with the bottom of the box. Layer it with crumpled wrapper or cushioned packing foam. Second, swathe your plates in several sheets, three or even more, and tape them well. Finally, use additional padding between platters in the packages, and don’t forget about the top’s protection.
When moving state to state, there are plenty of things that should be done step-by-step – from hiring a reliable removal company, purchasing moving essentials, creating moving across the country checklist, to decluttering all your household belongings, including the dishes. As you go through your dishware and platters, evaluate what you really want to bring with you and what to store or throw away. If you have less things to store, you can rent a more affordable storage unit and store some other, more important stuff than your old dishware.
If your containers need to be set up, you should do that properly – tape edges and corners with the right sealing tape. It should be reinforced for added strength. If you’re not sure what tape to buy, ask the storage specialist.
After taping your packages, clearly mark them with “fragile” on all four sides. If you find different colored labels or boxes, you may want to create a color code for your stored items.
If you decide to keep your containers in a storage unit, put them further back in the unit, where there are not many stored stuff. Your breakable items, such as china platters, should be placed on top of other boxes that won’t be open often.
When moving interstate, most people don’t want to pack their things DIY, especially delicate ones. If you belong to them, you may be interested in hiring long distance movers near you and using their packing services. Professional packers know the right way to handle your fragile dishes, and proper wrapping and protection is a piece of cake for them. Also, you shouldn’t worry about a checklist for moving to another state or labeling system – relocation experts think of everything, and you can rest assured that your plates will arrive safely at your new address.
