You have probably heard or even lived through a heartbreaking story about arriving at a new home, unpacking the glassware and finding a distressing amount of it broken. Moreover, it is always something the person was attached to, such as Grandma’s compote dish. Unfortunately, the culprit was probably the owner him or herself, who decided to pack their glassware to save time and money. What’s even worse is that if the glassware is broken after you packed it, the moving company isn’t liable.
The good news is even the most delicate glass item can survive a move to the other side of the world if it is packed the right way.
How to Pack Dishes, Glassware and Kitchen Items So They Won’t Break
Purchase Packing Supplies
The first thing to do is purchase the right kind of boxes and wrapping material.
Boxes should be on the small side, for no other reason than that they are easier to handle. Alternatively, for dishes, you might want to purchase a dish barrel. This box is heavy-duty and specially designed for easily stacking plates and other dishes. You will also need to buy newsprint and lots of paper towels, packing tape and a Sharpie or two. Bubble wrap is a good wrapping material, but it is a bit expensive.
Get the Boxes Ready
If the box has come flat, open it up and reinforce its seams with heavy duty packing tape. Then, crumple up newsprint or paper towels or use an old batch of dish towels and spread them over the bottom of the box. Make sure you pack materials into the box’s corners as well. You will know you have enough paper or towels when you press down on them and can’t feel the bottom.
Wrap the Glassware
Ideally, put all the glass and dishes from the same room in the same box. Wrap drinkware one at a time, and start with the big, heavy items. Crumble up some paper, and stuff them inside the drinkware. Crumple up some more and wrap them around the stems or handles if the item has any, then wrap up the entire item. You should not be able to feel any edges after you wrap it. Put the drinkware upright in the box and secure them with more packing paper. Do the same thing with lighter items, and leave room enough at the top for at least as much packing material as there is on the bottom. Then, close the box, tape it, and label it. If you have a sticker that says, “Fragile: This Side Up,” affix it.
Packing Dishes
Lay a stack of packing paper on a table or other surface. Put a plate in the center, and pull the corners of a few sheets of paper into the plate’s center. Put a plate on top of this. When the packing paper is used up, turn the plates over and wrap all of the plates with wrapping paper. Tape the package up, and put it on edge in a smallish box that has been prepared the same way the boxes for the drinkware have been prepared. Add more plates until everything fits snugly, shut and tape the box, and add the “Fragile: This Side Up,” sticker.
By following these steps, you’re fragile kitchen items should safely arrive at their destination. Now you can continue enjoying your glasses and dishes for years to come in your new home.