Plates, china, and other glassware are fragile and (often) expensive. No matter how near or far you’re moving, you’d want to keep them safe when delivered with your other belongings.
While there is no certainty that nothing will break or get damaged, there’s always something that professional removalists or you (If you’re opting for DIY) can do to keep plates and glassware safe for moving.
Follow these tips when packing and preparing your plates for the move.
Packing materials you will need:
- Medium-sized moving boxes (often called standard cartons or tea chest cartons)
- Packing paper (often called butchers paper)
- Towels/blankets (for lining)
- Packing tape
- Marker (for labeling)
Prepare the box
When packing plates and other fragile items, it’s best to use sturdy boxes or containers to lessen the risk of breakage when the goods are transported.
While it is possible to reuse boxes, it is highly recommended new dish pack boxes since they are thicker and sturdier than other boxes.
Look for cartons that have at least two layers of corrugation in the cardboard.
Single layer corrugated cartons are lower cost, but be aware that they crush easily when stacked, increasing the risk of damage to your goods.
Assemble the moving box and reinforce the bottom with layers of packing tape. Push the bottom with your hand to test its strength and make sure there are no gaps.
Line the bottom and sides with blankets, towels, linen, or wads of crumpled paper to act as cushions for the plates.
If you’re using wads of paper, make sure that the entire bottom part of the box is covered.
Wrap the plates
Place a stack of packing paper on a table or flat surface.
Take the first dish and place it in the centre of the topmost sheet and fold one corner of the sheet, covering the whole plate.
Take the next dish and fold the second sheet over the plate and repeat once or two more times before wrapping the remaining three corners over the dishes.
Secure the wrapped plates using packing tape.
Repeat the process until all your dishes are wrapped.
Pack the plates
Place the dishes vertically or sideways in the dish pack box, as this allows the edges to sustain more pressure compared to when the plates are laid flat.
Plates are more susceptible to damage or breaking if they are laid flat at the bottom of the box.
Fill the gaps and seal the box
Using blankets, linen, towels, wads of paper, or other soft materials, carefully fill the gaps to secure the plates. Seal the box using packing tape.
Take the marker and label the box properly. Mark the box as fragile so that it won’t be placed at the bottom of the moving vehicle.
Pro Tip – write on the box before you seal it, that way you’ll make sure to label each carton correctly before you forget what was in there!
Whether you’re hiring a team of professional removalists or you’re opting for a DIY move, it’s important to make sure that plates and other fragile items are packed properly using study and high-quality packing materials.
You may be able to save a little by using lower quality moving boxes and packing materials, but this makes your items more susceptible to damage since the boxes will not be as sturdy as thicker ones.
As much as possible, use new, double or triple corrugated cartons for plates, glasses, ceramics, and other fragile items. Alternatively, you.