When it comes to packing for a move with or without professional packers and movers, the kitchen is a notoriously difficult room. Not only are there fragile items to be mindful of, but unlike the guest room and unlike some other rooms, most people use their kitchens daily. If you’ve ever lost a wine glass in transit, you’re probably wondering how to pack dishes without losing any. Hiring budget movers would be the best decision of course because we’ve all been there – you arrive at your new place and unpack a couple of glasses to go with some celebratory drinks, only to find that they cracked on the way. In this blog, as professional budget movers, we will tell you what you need to know about packing dishes safely, to end the moving day with your feet up and your dishes intact.
So, packing dishes and china can be one of those moving stressors you don’t think about until you actually do it. If you have memories of helping mom clean up after holiday dinners, worrying you’ll break one of those delicate teacups or family heirloom plates, you have some idea of how stressful this process can be. Now it’s your precious dishes and plates, maybe even those same family heirlooms from mom. And they’re not just getting wiped down with a lint-free cloth to go back in the cabinet; they’re traveling across town or the country. Even if you think you know how to pack dishes and china for moving, don’t take chances. The best you can do is to hire cheap movers near me and to let professional packers and movers do this difficult task instead of you.
The relocating tips we will give you will ease your concerns about moving your breakables. Using the right kind of box when relocating for packing china, glassware and breakables can ensure a safe move of this precious cargo. Yes, any kind of box will do when that’s all you have—just use more packing material for thinner boxes. If you can get them, boxes built for moving china and dishes are the best for breakables, and you can always buy them from professional cheap movers near me.
Packing materials you will need to pack dishes:
As professional packers and movers usually say, when packing dishes, the name of the game is “wiggle room.” While extra space is usually a good thing, you want as little of it as possible when packing breakables and dishes. That’s where your key packing ingredient comes in – packing paper. It’ll protect most of your highly breakable dishes from glassware to fine China, so you’ll want plenty of it. As for the other packing materials, the list is very simple and you can buy everything from professional packers and movers. This what you need to pack dishes safely:
- Bubble wrap, newspapers, or another soft padding for between the dishes
- A compact box or boxes that hold no more than 10 lbs, sometimes called a dish pack barrel. If you have the original box your china and dishes came in, all the better
- Packing tape
- A sharpie or magic marker
- Packing paper
- Medium-sized boxes
And that’s it. Of course, if you can avoid the printed newspaper, please do. While it can usually be washed off, newspaper ink comes off on dishes and there’s always a chance that it stains for good. Professional packers and movers can always provide you with the best kind of materials for packing dishes, even if you decide to pack by yourself. So, choosing cheap movers near me will make your job a lot easier.
Here are some tips when choosing packing materials:
- When figuring out how many moving boxes you need for your upcoming kitchen relocation, be sure to tack on a few dish boxes. They’re designed to hold dishes and other fragile items, so they’re stronger and thicker than most boxes. This extra padding helps to absorb shock and makes for sturdier transport. If an accident happens, your dishes will be better off in a dish box. They are also called dish barrels and they are ideal. As we said, they are made of stronger and thicker cardboard to absorb travel shock and protect your dishes. Although the name comes from wooden barrels that were used to ship china overseas, professional packers and movers carry a supply of cardboard alternatives. They cost a little more than regular moving boxes but are worth it. If you hire budget movers, they will provide you with the exact number of boxes you need, so you won’t buy less or more than you need.
- Ensure you set up the boxes properly and tape the bottoms correctly. Use only strong, wide packing tape and not masking or duct tape. A tape gun or applicator will make this job easier and with a little practice, you’ll find them easy to set up. Draw tape across the bottom and up the sides about one-third of the way. The additional tape is needed to secure ends and keep the container square while taping.
- You can use newsprint for packing breakables, but each piece will require washing when you unpack. So as we have already mentioned above, white packing paper is preferred and can be purchased by bundle from budget movers.
- Set up a stack of paper on a table and with your carton handy, you’re ready to start packing.
- If you are not hiring professional packers and movers, get the whole family involved. Children as young as seven years old can help with packing even breakable items if trained properly. This sets the stage for the adventure of moving and makes them feel helpful and needed.
- If you can, hire the best movers- Lakewood movers and they will take care of everything for you! They are professional packers and movers and they will make sure everything is packed in the right way.
How to pack cups, mugs, and glasses
When packing dishes such as cups and mugs, you can treat them much like small bowls. They’ll take plenty of packing paper, but are generally more durable than stemmed glasses. The process of packing them is not easy, and that’s why we would suggest you hire professional packers and movers for this.
- To pack your cups, mugs, and glasses safely, start by filling them with crumpled packing paper. You can then use one or two sheets to wrap the vessels. Start at one corner of the packing paper, with your dish on an angle.
- Roll the dish across the paper to the opposite corner. At the same time, fold in the excess paper for added protection. If you think your dishes are strong enough, you can wrap two of them on one sheet of paper.
- Once you get halfway across the paper, place the next dish beside the first one, and keep rolling to the end of the paper. This works best if they’re the same shape and material, so it’s best not to pair your favorite mug with that beer stein.
- Always start packing your carton with the heaviest, sturdiest glassware and ending with the most fragile in the top half of the box. For example, glass serving trays or heavy glass mugs may make up the bottom layers. The key to properly wrapping is to have lots of packing material on both the bottom and top of the box and each piece wrapped individually for the best protection.
- Lay your piece of glassware on the stack of wrapping paper. Using one sheet of paper, insert some paper into the open end of the dish. This will provide more cushioning. Fold or tuck both sides of the paper up and over it. Roll and tuck sides in as you roll each piece. Always wrap each dish separately. For crystal or very thin glassware, you can double wrap by repeating this procedure. You can also hire the best movers in town-Lakewood movers, and they will deal with this instead of you. Professional packers and movers will save you a lot of time.
How to pack stemware
These will likely be your most delicate dishes. Even professional packers and movers say they are the most difficult items to pack. They’re glass or crystal and fragile from top to bottom, so you must know how to pack these dishes before you start. Before wrapping, gently stuff some balls of packing paper into the bowl of the glass to support it. Then lay the glass on an angle in one corner of your packing paper. Roll the glass to the opposite corner of the paper, tucking and crumpling the paper around the glass as you go. If you have extra-large packing paper, you can try wrapping two glasses in one sheet. Once you’ve wrapped the first glass in half a sheet of paper, lay the second glass next to it. Then keep rolling and wrapping until it’s completely covered in paper. Check that you can’t feel the edges of your glass through the paper. If you can, go ahead and wrap the glass or glasses with more paper. Or just hire professional budget movers, and let them do all of these!
How to pack pots and pans
When considering how to pack your dishes without budget movers, you may be tempted to skip on the pots and pans, but don’t. Non-stick pans are particularly susceptible to scratches and all cookware can get dented. To protect your pots and pans when moving, protect them with plenty of packing paper. Place the cookware on your packing paper and fold one corner of paper at a time to the center. Then reinforce any pots by stuffing packing paper inside the vessel. While their surfaces do need the extra padding, pots and pans don’t need to travel in dish boxes or barrels. Standard medium-sized packing boxes should do the trick just fine. Pack pots and pans of graduated sizes in nesting groups. Place two or three sheets of packing paper in a large pan, insert a smaller pan, and line that one with more packing paper. Insert an even smaller pan, and so on. Place nested pans upside down on packing paper, and wrap with at least three more sheets of packing paper. Seal the bundle with a piece of tape before placing it in a box lined with packing paper.
How to pack china plates and bowls
- First, layer the bottom of the box with packing peanuts or several layers of cushioned packing foam. Don’t skimp on this important step, as professional budget movers we know it’s really important!
- Your first instinct when packing china may be to lie the plates down, similar to the way you store them in your cabinet. Don’t! Plates are stronger standing up. Place a few layers of newspaper or a layer of bubble wrap in front of the first plate, then place in the second. Continue until the box is tightly packed.
- Fill in any additional space around the plates with crumbled newspaper, folded cardboard, or packing peanuts. The plates must be in there firmly, with no room to wiggle around.
- Seal box with packing tape down the middle and across the side edges.
- Don’t take chances. Write “fragile” on every side of the box and “this side up” on the top. Of course, you should label every box with the contents that line up with your home inventory. Trust us, this will make unpacking so much easier, both for you or your professional packers and movers.
How to pack china cups and serving dishes
- When you’re packing china cups, bowls, and serving dishes with lids, it’s best to wrap each piece carefully in bubble wrap. Make sure you have enough bubble wrap to cover the entire item. We know this is a lot of work if you are DIY and not hiring professional packers and movers, but please don’t skimp on this!
- Unlike plates, do put glasses and teacups on their bottoms, standing upright as if you were serving from them. Be sure to first line the bottom of the box with packing peanuts or cushioning foam.
- Use sturdy cardboard dividers between individual cups and larger items so they don’t bang around. When you wrap items with a lid, wrap each piece individually and then again together.
- After placing a layer of cups, top with a layer of sturdy cardboard and additional packing peanuts or cushioning foam. Continue until the box is full.
- As with packing china plates, fill any remaining space with crumpled newspaper or packing peanuts. China cups, bowls, and serving dishes may not fit as neatly as plates inside a box; make sure the box is not too full or too empty. Items should be secure, with no room to move around.
Other kitchen items
- Before wrapping individually, wrap the handles of large objects, such as pitchers, with packing paper.
- To wrap a teapot, wind rolled-up paper around the handle, then additional paper around the spout. Place the teapot upside down in the bottom corner of a stack of packing paper, and fold a few sheets over it until you have a bundle; secure it with tape. Wrap the teapot lid separately from the pot, put both together in the same box, the teapot should remain upside down in the box.
- Wrap knives individually in paper, then in bubble wrap. Or wrap them in protective sleeves designed specifically for knives. Label the bundles so you’re mindful of the sharp edges when you or professional packers and movers do the unpacking.
Now that you have all the info you need to pack dishes without breaking any, it’s time to grab that packing paper and dish box and start packing up your kitchen. Remember these tips as you go and you’ll arrive in your new home with all your dishes in one piece. Also, our professional packers and movers are here to help if you ever decide that you need any help with your packing or moving services. You can reach out to the best movers out there- Lakewood movers, and get your free moving quote ASAP!
