How to Pack Plates for Moving

If you're packing and moving to another house, you'll need to know how to pack fragile dinnerware to ensure it gets to your new home in one piece. So, dishes, plates, and glassware should be individually wrapped when packing the kitchen. Here's how to pack dishes and flatware to ensure they safely arrive at your new home.

Packing Supply List

• Several sturdy medium-sized boxes, new or used
• Packing paper or newsprint (if you use newsprint or newspapers to pack, you'll have to wash the dishes well after you unpack to remove any ink that transferred to the dishes)
• Packing tape
• Marker for labeling

Prepare the Boxes

1. Whether you're packing with a used box or a new one, you should reinforce the bottom with packing tape. Add a couple of layers of tape, then test the bottom by pushing on it with your hand.
2. Take the packing paper or newsprint and ball several sheets into wads of paper. You'll use this to line the bottom and top of the box.
3. Choose a medium-sized box you've reinforced, and add the wadded paper to ensure it covers the bottom. You could also use bubble wrap, but bubble wrap is expensive and difficult to recycle.

How to Pack Dishes

1. Place a stack of packing paper or newsprint on your work surface. The sheets should be large enough to accommodate the dishes you must pack.
2. Place the first dish in the center of the top sheet and fold one corner over the plate until it's completely covered.
3. Take the next dish and place it on top of the first one. Wrap the remaining three corners of the plain newsprint sheet over the second dish.
4. Secure the newsprint with packing tape.
5. Place the two dishes in the box on their sides. Plates should never be packed flat as this can lead to breaking. If the box encounters any force, plates on its edge can sustain much more pressure than if laid flat on the bottom of the box.
6. Continue wrapping and placing the dishes in the box until the box is tightly packed.
7. If room remains in the box, place linens or towels on top of the dishes or use more balled-up wads of paper to fill the gaps before sealing the box. Secure the box closed with strong packing tape.
8. Mark the box as fragile, and list the items on the outside and their location, such as "kitchen" or "dining room."

How to Pack Cups and Glasses

When packing cups and glasses, individually wrap each item. Put the heaviest, thickest, or bulkiest glass items on the bottom. Cushion the box's bottom with thick layers of packing material or bulky towels to build a buffer zone.

The more delicate stemware should be double-wrapped and placed in the top portion of the box. Add a layer of packing material to the top of the box to protect the top items from crushing blows or heavier boxes placed on top by mistake.

Mark the box "fragile" and list the contents on the side of the box. By stating "glassware" on the box, the mover (or you) can plan how it gets transported. It should not be weighed down by a heavy box on top that can crush it. It should also not be at the top of a pile of boxes that can topple over when a truck is on the road.

How to Pack Additional Kitchen Items

Medium-sized boxes are best for heavier items such as small appliances, pantry items, pots and pans, kitchen utensils and silverware, contents of drawers, and cookbooks. Go through the pantry, disposing of expired spices, cans, or dry goods past their prime. Tape up the opened food packages that you will be taking with you.

Load Boxes in the Truck

If you're renting a moving truck, instead of hiring movers, ensure you know how to load the boxes on the truck to prevent any breakage.

• Boxes marked as fragile should be packed on the truck floor rather than high on top of other items.
• You should pack fragile boxes beneath large pieces of furniture such as desks or tables or secure them in cabinets with doors you can open. This way, boxes won't shift during the move.

Additional Packing Tips

• Place heavier items on the bottom and lighter items on top.
• If you don't have a lot of packing paper or bubble wrap, use linens or towels as cushioning.
• The box you use shouldn't be too big. Remember, the maximum weight should be 50 pounds.