How to Pack Dishes for Moving — Some Useful Tips
As you plan your move, bear in mind that packing dishes and fine china is unlike packing the rest of the house. You must be aware of the techniques regarding how to pack dishes for moving to ensure all your dinnerware gets to the new home in one piece.
During a move, there is no room more difficult to pack than the kitchen. You will find the most delicate items here, along with the things of daily use. Therefore, the kitchen is the last to pack and takes up most of the time.
When it comes to packing dishes, you must have a solid plan and complete know-how of the task at hand. Even if you have already handled such delicate objects, do not take any chances and follow these tips to ensure complete safety.
Tips for Moving and Packing Dishes
Prepare the Boxes
The box used for packing dishes should be sturdy enough to carry them. Whether using an old packing box or a new one, the bottom should be strong enough to bear the weight. Add layers of packing tape at the base to make it durable. Use your hand to push the bottom of the box to test its strength.
Always use a medium-sized box as using big boxes for dishes is never a good idea. Never overfill the boxes and keep the weight to a minimal level so that carrying these boxes is not an issue. Moreover, heavy boxes are prone to damage and may lead you to lose all your beloved belongings.
The most economical and eco-friendly way is to rent plastic moving bins from a reputable company like GTA Moving. These boxes are made of durable and waterproof plastic that protects your delicate dishes from damage. The moving bins allow maximum storage space and optimize the placement of boxes within the moving truck.
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Have Enough Packing Supplies
As you arrange for the boxes, make sure that you have enough of them that are strong enough to handle all your delicate belongings. Use packing paper or bubble wrap to line the sides and base of each box.
You will need a handsome supply of these packing materials. Apart from lining the box, you would also have to wrap each dish separately. Doing this is important to have soft padding between the dishes. Newspaper can also be used as an alternative if you are short of packing paper. Also, have a marker to label the boxes.
Even when you stack the dishes together, some space is still left in the box. To cover this space, use biodegradable packing peanuts to provide a cushion to the fragile items. This allows the items to stay intact in their position when the box is moved on the moving day.
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Distinctive Packing for Each Piece of Dishes and China
Dishes
You can use a basic box for storing dishes, but this will require generous filling and extra care on your part. A lot of stores sell specially designed boxes for dishes, but they do come expensive. However, these sturdier dish boxes can absorb shock if an accident happens at any point.
Spread the packing paper on a flat surface and place the dish in the center. Wrap the paper gently around the dish and secure it with packing tape. Repeat the process with three more dishes of the same size. Now, stack the four plates together, rewrap the stack with more packing paper, and seal the bundle with tape.
Place the bundle of plates in the box with the dishes standing vertically on a thick pile of packing paper. Never place them flat as this makes them prone to breakage. Keep adding bundles until the box is fully packed and fill the remaining space with packing peanuts. As you tightly shut the box, do not forget to label it “Fragile, this side up”.
Bowls
Packing bowls is similar to packing dishes. Each piece is wrapped individually in paper and then they are formed into a bundle. The shape of these two objects is different. But, since both of them do not have any protruding parts or handles, they can be packed in a similar manner.
Save your valuable china by packing each piece individually. The shallow bowls should be made to stand at the sides of the carton whereas, the deeper ones, two or three stacked together, can be placed upside down in the carton. Never leave any space and use moving supplies like crumpled paper or packing peanuts to fill the box.
Cups and Mugs
As you pack cups and mugs, you can treat them as small bowls. Bear in mind that a lot of packing paper needs to be used for these items. Start with filling the cups or mugs with crumpled packing paper, and you can use a double sheet of paper to wrap around the vessel itself.
Place the packing paper on a table and put your dish at an angle at one corner. Start rolling it to the opposite corner and roll in the excess paper on both sides. If you think that your china is strong enough, you can use a single packing paper for each dish.
Stemware
Packing stemware or wine glasses is the most critical action in packing dishes because they are the most delicate objects. Either they are made of glass or crystal, making them extremely fragile. Through proper preparation and following the right techniques, you can minimize the risk of damage to them.
The bowl of the glass should be gently stuffed with some packing paper first. Then, roll the glass on the wrapping paper from one corner to the other and crumple the remaining paper to secure the edges and the stem. If you can feel the edges or the stem through the paper, you should increase the layers of wrapping.
Pans and Pots
No matter how much you are tempted to skip packing pots and pans in a paper, you must never give in. Non-stick pans are prone to scratches, and your cookware is vulnerable to dents if not secured properly.
Once you have wrapped the pots and pans in packing paper, you can easily place them in regular boxes. There is no need to secure special boxes for these items as they remain safe when wrapped in packing paper. Standard medium-sized boxes are most suitable for such kitchen items.
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Get Moving, Packing, and Storage Services from Professional Movers
While it is possible for you to carry all these tasks on your own, hiring professional movers will save you time and energy. GTA Moving has a team of professional movers and packers who are aware of all the right tactics to pack your delicate dishes and china carefully.
We are equipped with all the packing supplies and can easily pack your entire kitchen in minimum time. Whether it’s a delicate piece of china or your refrigerator, our team knows how to pack each item for a local or long-distance move.
GTA Moving are professional movers who will organize your move step by step. We provide safe and fast relocation with guaranteed, top-quality services. You can get an estimated quote now by making a call and see for yourself how budget-friendly we are.
We have moving teams in Toronto and throughout the GTA — we are ready to be your qualified and reliable Brampton movers, moving company in Vaughan, or Scarborough movers. Fill out the form below to receive a free quote, or call us now at 416-523-6683!
