You’re probably wondering how to pack dishes for moving and find them all in one piece when you unpack them in your new home. Unlike clothes or sheets, which you can cram in a bag, these items are fragile and need extra attention. Let’s uncover the secrets of packing your breakable kitchenware so that it doesn’t actually break.
The first and most important thing to get is a ton of packing paper. If you already have some and think it’s enough — buy more. You’ll not only use it for wrapping your fragile kitchenware, but it will also serve as stuffing or padding in-between your boxed-up kitchenware so that it can’t rattle and break during transport. Here’s what other supplies you’ll need:
If you have some china you’re particularly fond of or just want your bowls to be extra safe, you could get a couple of dish boxes or barrels, otherwise known as dish packs. These items are taller and sturdier than regular boxes and have extra padding to ensure the contents are safe. But regular ones will suffice as well.
If it turns out that you haven’t bought enough paper after all and forgot to get bubble wrap, you can always use towels. This option may be even better because you don’t have to toss away the towels after you’ve used them. They are also softer than paper and provide better cushioning.
Packing plates should be high up on your moving to-do list since they’re fragile and require a lot of hassle. It may sound counterintuitive, but your plates will have better chances of surviving if they’re stacked vertically, like in a dishwasher. If there’s a bump on the road and your dish box jumps up a bit, the whole set might break if piled horizontally.
To pack the plates, the first and essential step is to envelop each individual one in paper. You can bundle a few of them together if you’re in a hurry, but it’s better to wrap them individually. The chances of them cracking are much smaller this way.
Get the box ready by stuffing it with a towel or another soft material. Make sure to secure the bottom with wide packing tape. Line the plates in the box vertically and fill out any pockets and crevices so that the contents have no space to wriggle.
By now, you’ve learned the first rule of packing dishes — wrap them up! However, before that, all kitchen vessels, a glass and a bowl alike, need to be stuffed with — you know it — crumpled paper. If you don’t find it weird, you can even cram some clean socks in there. The point is to secure the walls and make the dish more durable.
If you have a set of some thicker bowls, you can put them one in the other and only stuff the top dish. Of course, don’t pair the items that are of various sizes and materials.
Make sure you fill the box to the brim and seal it well. If you hear any clinking noise when you move the box, that means it needs more stuffing. Where there’s clinking, there’s cracking.
Elegance and fragility go hand in hand — that’s why your stem glasses are most likely to break during the move. If you don’t want to drink celebratory wine on the moving-in day from a tumbler, be sure to protect your stemware properly.
You should stuff these like regular glasses, but cover them a bit differently. If you have flutes, for example, the best way to secure them is to roll them up individually and then pair them so that one’s flute touches another one’s stem. Cover these pairs in another protective sheet together.
No matter if you’re relocating on your own or hiring local movers in Denver area, you need to make sure that these fragile items are loaded on the truck with utmost care. It’s best to tuck the box somewhere where it won’t have any space to slide or move.
You’re probably least worried about how to pack your cookware. It doesn’t break easily, and you’re not likely to damage it in the process. However, you should still treat your pots and pans just like any other dish. Remember that pot with a glass lid? How about that non-stick pan that you can throw away if it gets scratched?
Most pots have handles that you can’t take off, so they have to be packed individually. You can consider putting your spices or other kitchen stuff in a pot before you seal it. Of course, make sure to place a protective layer of soft fabric or bubble wrap inside so as not the scratch it.
The chances are you have a pot set of different sizes. You can place these vessels in one another to save space in the box.
Here are some additional tips you might find useful:
If you’re looking for professional moving services in Denver, Colorado, we’re just the crew you need! Our movers can even provide you with impeccable packing service and free you of the hassle of getting those dishes ready yourself. Contact us today and get a moving quote completely free of charge!