Moving to a new place involves a lot of work and packing. You have to be extra careful when you pack your dishes and glassware. Here is a guide that provides some useful tips on how to pack dishes when you are moving.
Relocating can seem to be a daunting task, and you have to take utmost care when you pack and ship all your household items. The slightest amount of negligence can result in destruction of delicate ware. Moving companies pack and ship all your goods for a fee.
These are professionals and are well-versed and know how to take good care when packing. But if you do not hire their services, then you are left with no one but yourself to do every bit of packing.
In such cases, it is best if you know how exactly you should pack your things, so they do not get ruined during shipping. When it comes to all the glassware and the dishes in your kitchen, exercise extra caution as these objects are the most prone to chipping.
Tips for Packing Dishes
Packing dishes might be time-consuming, but it is not all that difficult once you get the hang of it. Before you begin packing, here is a list of items you will require:
Lots of packing paper or newsprint paper
Packaging tape
Styrofoam pellets
Scissors
Cardboard boxes, cell boxes or dish packs
Permanent marker
You need the right kind of packing box to put all your dishes in. Any large cardboard box will work fine, as long as it is strong and can withstand pressure. Make sure that the boxes are not worn out in any way and the flaps open and shut properly.
You can ask your local supermarket if they have spare boxes. Also make sure they are durable and free of any bugs and pests.
Place crumpled newsprint paper at the bottom of the box. Do not line the bottom with sheets of paper because a crumpled paper is a better shock absorber.
Also, it is better to use newsprint paper than a newspaper. The ink from a newspaper can sometimes rub off and stain your items.
To pack a dish, place the dish in the middle of the packing sheet and cover it with a few sheets of paper.
Repeat this for any new dish going in and again wrap it with a few sheets of paper. Always use more than one sheet to cover one plate, it ensures better protection.
Once you have a stack of 3 or 4 dishes, take the packaging tape and secure the wrapped dishes well. In a similar fashion, wrap and make stacks of all the dishes that you have. Plates of all sizes (dinner plates, saucers, etc.) can be packed this way.
To pack cups, place the cup in the center of the packing sheet and grasp all corners of the sheet, wrapping the cup in it. Crumple the paper as much as you can inside the cup for better protection.
For all your glasses, place each glass, sideways, towards the corner of the packing sheet and roll it till the other end of the sheet. The remaining sheet on both sides of the glass can be rolled up. Tuck in the paper into the globe of the glass.
Vases and empty glass bottles can also be packed the same way. If you have expensive wine glasses or crystal vases, you may want to invest in corrugated paper rolls for added protection.
You can also buy dish packs or cell boxes available at stores that sell packing supplies to keep all your glassware and china cups. All cookware, especially if its made of glass or is breakable, can be wrapped using several sheets of packing paper.
Do not economize on paper when you pack. Use loads of it. Silverware, including forks, spoons, and knives can be wrapped, several together, and placed inside a bigger cooking vessel for space management.
If you own casserole dishes, wrap the dish in paper first. Then place the lid upside down on the casserole dish and again wrap both together. Remember to place the wrapped casserole sideways in the box.
Disassemble small kitchen appliances. Separate the blades and other parts and wrap them securely with paper.
If made of glass, stuff the insides with crumpled paper before proceeding to wrap and pack it. Put all heavy, unbreakable items in the bottom of the box
Place the wrapped plates in the box such that they are standing on edge. Always place cups, glasses, and mugs towards the top of the box. Use paper or Styrofoam pellets to fill in spaces.
Once everything is inside the box, stuff loads of paper over the top and close the flaps securing them tight with packaging tape. Do not stuff a box with too many items, or it may break. Pack such that there is enough space in between your dishes to stuff them with wads of paper.
With a marker, mark all sides of the box with FRAGILE and THIS SIDE UP with an arrow indicating the direction. If you have several boxes, you can label them indicating what they contain, so it's easier for you when you unpack.
If you plan ahead of time, packing dishes can be done without hassles. Using these tips for packaging will ensure a trouble-free packing experience. You can easily pack the smaller household items yourself, and hire the service of movers and packers for the heavier and bigger items you may have.