How to Pack Dishes, Stemware, and Glassware

• Use dishpacks to prepare your dishes, stemware, and glassware for moving. A dishpack, which is a box specifically made for packing dishware, is much hardier than they standard box, and you should use one for fragile items such as collectibles and dishes.
• Stack and wrap plates in bundles of 2 to 4, and bowls in bundles of 2 to 3. However, fragile china should be wrapped individually prior to bundling.
• Wrap mugs and glasses separately and individually.
• Wrap a wineglass stem with separate paper, then wrap the entire glass in packing paper.
• For items with lids, such as teapots, wrap the item first, then wrap the lid and the item as a bundle.
• Line a dishpack with plenty of crumpled paper. Begin with the heaviest items at the bottom. Bundles of bowls and plates can be on their side to make space. Layers may be protected with additional cardboard or cellpacks.

A Dish Pack Box Helps to Ensure a Secure Transport

• When you pack for a long-distance relocation, a dishpack is a worthy investment. This sturdy box has double wall, corrugated construction to protect glassware, china, crystal, and other fragile items during a move.
• Wrap items of glassware, crystal, and china separately in clean wrapping paper – not newsprint. Begin at the corner, wrap diagonally, and continue to tuck in the overlapping paper as you wrap. You can use newsprint on the outside as extra protection, and use a generous amount of padding for all fragile items.

China and Glassware

• Your larger china plates and platters should form the lowest layer of the box.
• Use plenty of packing material as a bottom layer. You should wrap each fragile item separately, then wrap again as a bundle of 2 to 3. Use a double layer of newsprint on the outside to finish.
• Carefully surround every bundle with additional packing material and fill in any open space. Leave two to three inches at the top for more packing material for additional protection. You can use cardboard dividers for extra sturdiness between layers.
• Smaller plates, bowls, and saucers should be the next layer.

Bowls and Odd Shaped Dishware

• Depending on their size, you can use these either as a bottom or a top layer. Wrap them as you do flat plates. Shallow bowls can form the edges of the carton, although deeper bowls should be nested together with packing material between them.
• Lids for sugar bowls and teapots should be wrapped separately, then turned upside down on top of their mate. Wrap both together and follow with extra layers of newsprint. Even if you use a dishpack or mini-cells for fragile china, wrap tea and coffee cups separately and protect the handles with extra packing material. Pack cups upside down.
• If you use regular boxes, wrap each item with extra paper. You will need more boxes and space, although you can save money by not purchasing dishpacks.

Your dedicated Moving Concierge can offer you even more tips on how to pack your fragile items. Global Van Lines is the only company to offer this service free of charge. Give us a call today!