How to Pack Dishes for Moving

It’s not exactly a secret that moving is one of the most stressful parts of life.

Whether you’re relocating for a new job, finally ready to move into the home of your dreams, or even if you’re moving after a major life change like a divorce, there are so many things to consider when moving that things can get overwhelming quickly.

One thing that many people struggle with?

Understanding how to pack dishes for moving safely.

While in some cases there are bizarre home remedies for repairing cracked dishes, at other times, you just can’t fix a beloved heirloom or sentimental piece of China.

It’s up to you to understand how to protect your most fragile and precious items for a move.

No matter the distance you’re traveling, this post will tell you how to pack dishes safely and efficiently.

1. Get the Right Materials

No matter how you’re going to individually wrap your dishes, the first step in understanding how to pack plates for moving is making sure that you’re buying the right boxes.

In general, we recommend going with dish barrels.

This is generally much thicker than your standard moving box and is designed to be able to take lots of impact and shock.

We also know that it can be tempting to wrap your dishes in newspaper. While this is definitely an affordable option, you also run the risk of having the print stain your dishes — especially if they’ll be in the box for a while.

Instead, invest in standard white packing paper, which is also a stronger option.

Finally, also make sure that you pick up a tape gun to prevent your hands from becoming cracked and destroying your nails in the process of packing. When it comes to the tape itself, duct tape isn’t usually the best option (no matter what your husband says.)

Instead, rely on strictly packing tape to seal your boxes.

2. Use the Paper Correctly

The best way to pack dishes is all about making sure that you’re using packing paper correctly.

Instead of just wrapping each piece of glassware or china individually, you need to start with a nice layer of packing paper at the bottom of the box.

This, again, will help to prevent plates and glasses from cracking every time you hit a bump in the road on the way to your new home or office. Don’t fold the paper, instead, just gently crumple it up.

(If you have kids, this is an awesome job for them — plus, it helps to keep them busy during the process and lowers your stress level.)

Once you’ve made the bed, you need to begin to wrap each piece of china or glassware. Usually, you want to start to wrap your hardest and heaviest pieces first, using them to line the bottom of the box.

You should set out your plate in the middle of your packing paper/tissue paper. Then, fold the end of the paper into the middle of the dish, and begin to gently roll the rest of the paper around the dish. If needed, you can tape the ends of the paper.

Never roll more than one plate in the same piece of paper. Once you have the dishes rolled and wrapped up, make sure that you put another layer of packing paper in between each dish.

3. Get Creative With Separation

Now that you’ve wrapped your dishes up, it’s time to move to the next step of learning how to pack plates: selecting sometimes surprising items to separate them.

Especially if your dishes are on the more fragile side, a single piece of tissue just might not be enough to keep them safe in transit.

This is where getting creative — and packing more of your stuff in the process — comes in.

Those bath towels that you don’t know what to do with?

They’re an awesome way to separate your plates and especially larger fragile items like vases and serving trays.

What if you suspect that the towels are going to take up too much room in your moving boxes? Well then, wrapping tissued plates in your favorite sweaters or even cotton polo shirts will almost certainly do the trick perfectly as well.

4. Sealing Off the Boxes

The final step of learning how to pack dishes for moving?

It’s all about making sure that you’ve properly filled and sealed off those boxes. Remember that you don’t want to leave any space at the top of the moving boxes.

Doing so will give your plates plenty of opportunities to jostle around and potentially break. Instead, use any remaining crumpled packing paper to fill your moving boxes completely.

To ensure everything stays properly in place, you may want to put a lightweight serving tray on top of the wrapped china.

You’ll know you’ve put in the correct amount of packing paper when, once the box is closed, you can’t push down too far on the top of the box. Then, seal it up, and you’re good to go!

You’re an Expert in How to Pack Dishes for Moving

From making sure that you have all the right materials to taking the time to individually wrap each plate, we hope this guide on how to pack dishes for moving has been helpful.

Of course, in order to ensure that all of your precious items are carefully protected during the moving process, it’s always best to hire a professional.

Whether you’re interested in a long-distance move, or if you just need to move a few things to a new office, our team at Alero Moving & Storage is here to help you to get it done.

Spend some time on our website to learn even more about our moving services, and reach out to us to get an estimate.

We can’t wait to help you start your life in your new location.