This guide is dedicated to giving you a detailed explanation on packing fine china during a move. If you are planning to head to your new house and are wondering how to pack your china for moving without breaking them, here's the answer.
The process of packing fine china and other fragile items can be explained as follows:
Packing Supplies for Chinaware
When packing your chinaware, you'll need the following supplies:
- Stack of clean packing paper or unprinted newsprint
- Dish carton
- Roll of packing tape
- Permanent marker
The process of packing chinaware
The most important thing to remember while packing chinaware is that these items are quite delicate and hence you shouldn't skimp on the packing material, even if it costs you a bit more. So, use a dish carton instead of a regular moving box since dish cartons are sturdier and can hold heavy objects inside.
Another significant tip is that you need to maintain the proper order of the items in terms of weight while packing them up. It's always advisable to start with the heaviest items followed by the lighter ones.
Here are some noteworthy tips on packing chinaware:
- Prepare your dish carton by placing a layer of crumpled paper at the bottom for padding. Start wrapping your heavy dishware in stacks of packing paper and add a layer of news wrap for additional protection.
- Fill one row of the carton with these items by placing the entire bundle, starting from the edge. Make sure to stuff crumpled paper in all the empty spaces so that there is no room for the items to move.
- Next, pack your platter, trays and large plates in paper. In the case of thin plates, you can wrap 3-4 of them together. For this, place the first piece in the center of a stack of packing paper. Then fold one half of the paper over it, and then place the next plate on top.
- Continue this process until you finish the stack, depending on how thick you want it to be. Fold a few more pieces over the top, and roll the package together, tucking the paper into the sides as you go.
- Place these wrapped items in the carton to fill in the next row. Then add some more crushed paper on top of the stack to form a padded platform for the next stack.
- Once the bottom layer is filled, wrap your saucers, bowls and small-sized plates to fill in the middle layer.
- Much like plates, you can wrap 2-3 bowls in a stack, first individually and then together. The larger bowls can be packed in a group, upside down, while the smaller ones can be placed standing on the edge of the carton.
- The next thing to pack is the dishes with lids. First, wrap both the items individually with the help of some packing paper and then wrap them together using more paper or news wrap.
- After this, pack the pitchers and other small items of your tea set (if you have one). Make sure that you place these items in the upright position.
- Lastly, wrap all your cups and mugs individually in stacks of packing paper. You'll need to pack the handle part separately and then wrap the entire piece with more layers of paper or news wrap. You can either pack these cups and mugs in a different box or use the same carton in combination with a cell divider.
- If you are using the same carton, use some crushed paper to add the final layer and place a piece of cardboard to start the next layer.
- Now place the cell divider and place all the wrapped mugs and cups in separate cells. This would keep them separate and safe inside the box. Fill the empty areas with more balls of paper to avoid movement.
- If you are not using a cell divider, you can place the wrapped cups and mugs on the upper most layer of the carton. But make sure that all the items are positioned tightly, leaving no room for rattling.
- Finally, tape the box shut and label it as- "Fragile", "Kitchen Items" or "This side up".