If you are interested in learning how to pack dishes for a move, then you must have already begun the arduous task of packing your belongings for a move. It is no secret that packing is the ultimate challenge of a move, the most time-consuming task that is notorious for ruining even the most impeccable plans.

And if you've read some of our other packing tips, you're probably familiar with rule number 1 when packing for a move: Start packing as soon as possible to pack and never look back. Along with storage areas, kitchens are the next most difficult spaces to sort and pack into suitable moving boxes.

So, what is the best way to pack dishes for a move? Read this blog from Moving Company Direct further to find out the answer.

What You Need to Pack Kitchen Utensils for a Move

Packing dishes for a move can be a bit tricky due to the extra fragile nature of kitchen plates. Plates are usually made from ceramic materials like porcelain and glazed earthenware, and that alone makes them extremely susceptible to damage during a move. And this is exactly why you need to make sure you use the right plate packing supplies so that you don’t end up with broken pieces of kitchenware when you arrive at your new home.

Reinforced cardboard boxes. It’s best to play it safe and opt for special boxes made from double-walled corrugated cardboard to better protect the highly fragile contents. These specialized containers with thicker walls, also known as dish packaging, are ideal for your immediate purpose: to securely package dishes so that they don’t break during transport. However, if you haven’t secured dish boxes before packing your fragile kitchen dishes, don’t worry – regular cardboard boxes will do just fine, provided you follow the padding steps outlined below.

Packing porcelain tableware

Bubble wrap. Okay, one thing is clear, you’re going to need a lot of bubble wrap, simply because the famous bubble-protective material is your best friend when it comes to packing dishes in moving boxes for china. The simple truth is that if you can afford enough bubble wrap, chances are your belongings won’t have a single crack.

Wrapping paper. The best wrapping paper for dishes is soft, white, acid-free wrapping paper that you can buy online or at any hardware store. The biggest advantage of wrapping your kitchen plates with wrapping paper is that it creates a soft protective layer. One thing to keep in mind: Do not use newspaper (newspaper). Be aware that newspaper can easily leave ink stains on your precious kitchen plates. These ink stains are not only difficult to remove, but can also completely ruin a piece of kitchenware, including a plate set for example.

Packaging tape. You will need a roll of high-quality packing tape to secure the paper and bubble wrap once you have wrapped your china plates. The tape will prevent your dish from sliding out of the packaging material, which can happen quite often.

A set of markers. Have a black marker and a red marker ready to label the plate packing boxes once they are full. Use the black marker to note the contents (KITCHEN DISHES) and the destination area (KITCHEN), then mark "FRAGILE" and "HANDLE WITH CARE" with the red marker to draw attention to the fragile nature of the cargo.

How to Pack Dishes for a Move

Follow the detailed steps below to learn how to pack dishes safely, no matter how far your fragile items will travel during the move, whether it’s just a few miles across town or a few hundred miles across the country.

Here we describe the individual packing method for tableware that offers the best protection for your fragile kitchen items. At first, this packing technique may feel a bit slow, but once you get the hang of it, after packing a few kitchen plates, you will be able to speed it up thanks to its repetitive nature. In fact, you should have no problem packing your plates for a move, as long as you follow a few basic safety rules and guidelines.

So, how do you pack dishes for a move? Follow these packing steps and you’ll be packing your fragile items in no time.

Step 1: Seal the bottom of each box you are going to use. Tape the center bottom line of the box from the outside, even if the cardboard box is brand new. Reinforce the sides of the boxes as well, just to be safe and prevent a box from breaking under the weight of the packed china plates.

Step 2: Line the inside of your moving boxes with crumpled packing paper or newspaper. The idea here is to create a soft layer of insulation that will absorb any shocks during the move, keeping your packed dishes as safe as possible. Skipping this preparation step can seriously compromise the safety of the entire packing operation. In addition to paper, you can also use sheets of bubble wrap or even bath towels to pad the bottom of each dish packing box.

Step 3: Choose a place to pack your things. The place where you wrap your kitchen plates in paper and bubble wrap before putting them in suitable boxes. It is advisable to use the kitchen table for this purpose. Packing plates on the floor is also an option, but then you have to constantly bend over, which will put extra strain on your back and legs.

Step 4: Place the stack of soft wrapping paper on the kitchen table. Remember that you do not want to use newspaper due to the potential risk of newspaper ink transferring onto the delicate surface of your valuable kitchenware.

Step 5: Place a fragile item in the center of the stack and cover it by pulling a few sheets of paper over the fragile board. Working diagonally from one corner to the next, wrap the piece completely by tucking the ends of the paper into the center of the board. Then use a bit of tape to secure the paper bundle.

How should I pack dishes for a move?

Follow the steps for packing dishes in this article to keep your fragile kitchenware safe and undamaged during a move.

Step 6: Continue wrapping your kitchen plates one at a time using the simple wrapping technique outlined in Step 5. Once you have a few plates wrapped in paper, you can speed up the wrapping process thanks to its repetitive nature.

Step 7: Consider adding an extra layer of bubble wrap for your more expensive and precious sets of kitchen plates. An extra sheet of bubble wrap over the paper bundle will ensure the safety of those extra fragile items. Again, use a bit of tape to secure that top layer of bubble wrap.

Step 8. Move the packed plates one by one into the dish boxes. The correct technique for arranging your fragile kitchenware is to place them in the moving containers standing on their edges, never flat. Another tip for packing plates is that the heavier plates should always be placed at the bottom of the box and the lighter fragile kitchenware on top.

Step 9: Separate each row of kitchen plates from the next row using insulation material - paper, bubble wrap, towels or whatever. This way you provide even more protection for the kitchenware.

Step 10: Fill in any remaining gaps in the fish packing boxes to immobilize the entire package. Do this by adding pieces of paper, discarded sheets of bubble wrap, or pieces of old clothing. Your goal is to ensure that no piece of kitchenware can shift around in the container during the move.

Step 11: Test to see if you’ve managed to immobilize the kitchen plates in each box by lifting the container off the ground and shaking it slightly in the air. Ideally, you shouldn’t feel anything moving in the dish box. If you do, add more paper or bubble wrap to fill in any remaining gaps.

Step 12: Place a final protective layer of paper or bubble wrap on top, close the lid and tape it shut.

Step 13: Label each packed dish box. This is the final step of packing dishes for a move that most people overlook. But don’t underestimate the importance of labeling your boxes: simply take a black marker and write KITCHEN PLATES on at least 2 sides of each box.

Safety Tips for Packing Dishes

It would be a disaster to find some of your favorite sets of kitchen plates broken after opening your moving boxes to begin unpacking. To prevent such an unpleasant occurrence from ever happening to you, here are some additional safety tips for packing plates for a move:

To save both valuable time and money, inspect all the china dishes you are about to pack and see if there are any that are simply not worth the trouble. For example, there is not much point in paying to ship fairly cheap kitchen utensil sets that are already cracked, chipped or ruined in some way.

Packing fragile plates

It is definitely not advisable to make a moving box too heavy, unless you are eager to see your dishes shattered.

Are you moving and would you like help packing your dishes or other belongings? That is very understandable. We at Verhuisbedrijf Direct can help you pack your belongings. This will save you time and you can be sure that all your belongings are packed well and will not be damaged. Contact us or do a quote request to make your move a reality!