How to Pack Dishes and Glasses for Your Relocation

One of the most significant moving tasks is packing up your kitchen with its incredibly fragile items such as dishes and glasses. Here are some tips for packing these items.

Gather Your Materials

Gather all your materials upfront. You'll need several small and medium-sized boxes. A specialty “dish-pack box” is beneficial for packing dishware because it has a double layer of cardboard on the side and bottom. Your professional mover may be able to supply dish-pack boxes.

Also, gather an ample supply of paper for packing. Regular packing paper works better than newspaper because the ink on newspapers may smudge onto the dishes. Bubble wrap isn't generally a good choice because it is bulky, less flexible than packing paper, and not sustainable.

Also, gather packing tape, labels, and markers.

Packing Dishes

Use heavy-duty packing tape to reinforce the bottom of the box before you begin. Then place a six-inch layer of packing paper on the bottom of the box.

Start with the plates first, wrapping each one individually. Place each item near one corner of the packing paper and roll it diagonally on the paper, tucking in each corner as you roll the plate. Place them on their sides next to each other in the box, with each one supporting the other.

After you've finished with the plates, wrap and place the bowls in the box similarly. Put some paper inside the bowls. Load dishes in the box with the heaviest on the bottom and move toward the lighter on top. Don't make the box too heavy.

Use dishtowels or packing paper to fill all the remaining space in the box so that dishes will stay in place. Then seal the box and mark it "Fragile" in big black letters. Also, place an arrow and the words "right side up" to indicate how the box should be carried and set.

Packing Glasses

Consider using dish boxes with cell packs for your glasses. Assemble the box and the cell packs before you begin. Double tape the bottom of the box. Then group glasses of similar size together.

Then stuff the insides of each glass with packing paper first, then wrap it around the outside. If the glassware has handles, lightly crumple the paper around the handles to create light packing. Use double paper on each glass.

Place glasses in the box upright in rows with glasses of similar size and shape together. If the box is deep enough, you can pack a second layer of glasses on top of the first. However, be sure to put another layer of cushion between each row.

Fill any extra space in the box with cloth or packing paper. Seal the box. Write "Fragile" on the box and indicate which end should be up in big black letters.

Stemmed Glassware

Wine glasses present some particular challenges because of the stems. Wrap additional paper around the stems to prevent them from breaking.  And If your stemware is particularly fragile or expensive, double box it. Place the sealed smaller container with your stemware inside a larger box and seal it. Once again, mark the box as fragile and designate which end should you should keep upright.

Moving Made Easy

If you aren’t sure your packing skills are up to the challenge of protecting your fragiles, let us take care of your packing and relocation. Contact us for a free quote.