How to Pack Plates for Moving Easily

You Need to Gather All the Necessary Supplies

When packing dishes, the most important thing is to fill in the empty space in the boxes and containers. You will probably be familiar with the process if you know how to pack glassware for moving. Even though having extra space is usually good, you want to minimize the “wiggle room” as much as possible. This is where the packing paper comes into play. Make sure you get plenty of it since you’ll use it as protection for all fragile and breakable dishes, from simple glasses to expensive china sets. Here is the complete list of everything you’ll need:

• Packing paper
• Medium-size boxes
• Dish boxes
• Duct tape
• Markers and labels

If you want to be extra careful, you can get bubble wrap, but most of the time, it’s unnecessary. When you’re on a budget and can’t afford all the materials, you can use a printed newspaper instead, but this may leave stains that you won’t be able to wash off. You can also use towels and linen cloth to keep your dishes in place.

Where to Get a Box and Other Supplies

If you’re unsure where to get your materials, you can always check out the supermarket. Also, ask them if they have an extra box or two they can give you. You can also look for packing services online. Good cross country movers provide the best packing materials for moving. You won’t need to think about any dishes whatsoever.

General Tips on Packing Dishes

Not properly handling your delicate items is one of the worst moving mistakes. Before we move on to how you’ll be specifically packing plates for moving and shipping, here are some general steps you should follow when boxing up delicates:

• Tape the boxes after you assemble them – boxes can get pretty heavy when filled up. Make sure that the bottom is reinforced, so they don’t cave under their own weight
• Line the bottom with crumpled up paper – this way, you will create a soft cushion which acts as extra protection
• Lay out the wrapping paper and place the dish in the middle – depending on its needs, wrap the dish accordingly and secure it with a piece of tape or fold it and then place it in a box
• Fill out all the space in the box – keep adding objects until the container is full and then fill out space in between with soft cloth or extra paper balls
• Finish up with an extra layer of protection – similarly to what you put on the bottom of the box you want to repeat on the top
• Tape and properly label the box – write which room it goes to and mark it if the content is breakable
• Start with the heaviest items – always place heavy items on the bottom, and fragile items like glasses on the top boxes
• Don‘t overstuff – each container should weight less than 50 pounds, so don’t put all your fragile object into a single one

How to Pack Plates for Moving and Shipping

Plenty of moving tips focus on just this topic. Since they don’t have any handles or protruding parts, plates are the best dishes to start with if you don’t have any previous experience. Furthermore, they are probably the heaviest, which means you’ll be boxing them up first. There are two different methods to pack them – separately or in bundles. We think that the best way to pack plates is to separate them. To properly wrap each plate, there are a few things to note compared to the technique we mentioned before:

• Start by placing the packing paper on a flat surface
• Place the plate in the middle
• Keep folding the paper corners until they all meet in the middle
• To secure it, use tape or fold it
• Place the plate vertically as if loading a dishwasher
• Repeat the process for each dish until you fill-up the box

Additional Tips for Packing a Plate When Moving

In case you have some expensive china, you probably want to make sure that there’s almost no chance of it breaking. The simplest thing to do is double the wrapping material layers and fold all the excess, as we mentioned previously. After the container is full, you can place some soft fabrics or even more crumpled paper to fill out any remaining space between the individual wraps. Finally, you can get a dish box – these are stronger and thicker than most regular containers and are specially designed for frail objects. If you need help coming up with creative storage ideas, it’s wise to get a good storage service.

Long Distance Movers Can Help You a Lot

Hiring movers can make your moving stress-free. A good cross country moving company can help you with all the moving essentials. If you need help moving furniture, long-distance movers can provide even those relocation services. They are also really helpful when moving with pets. If you want to transport cars from state to state, your four-wheeler can get to your new home without a scratch with good auto shipping service. So don’t hesitate to book a date and make your long-distance relocation a smooth experience.