If you are planning to move soon and don’t know how to pack plates for moving, you might get yourself into a serious problem. Why risk breaking your valuable fine china set when you can protect everything like professional cross country movers would do? With our tips and guidance, you’ll overcome this obstacle in no time, so stay tuned.
If you wonder how to downsize for a move because you want to save on relocation costs and simply organize your move better, first, you need to decide what to get rid of. You don’t have to relocate every single item you own, and deep down, you know it, even if it might be hard for you. You probably believe that you might need some of the old dishes again sometimes, but the truth is you are just going to leave them in some distant cabinet that you never open and forget about them.
That’s why organizing before the move is so important. Begin organizing by taking everything out of cabinets and inspecting every single item. If you find some scratches or cracks on your old dish or more than half of the set is already broken, this could be the right moment to get rid of these items.
Once you decide what you’re getting rid of and what’s going with you once you move to another state, it’s time to separate these objects into appropriate categories. For example, you can roughly sort things by size and then make a finer selection based on the material, and so on. For example, plastic items are something that won’t get broken easily, so you don’t need to put much cushioning when protecting them.
Don’t mix dessert plates with those for soup or appetizers – it will be hard to fit everything inside the carton and reduce the risk of movements if the objects inside are all of different shapes and sizes. Also, keep an eye on weight. Ceramic ones could be very heavy, so if you put them all together into the same carton, the cardboard might tear, and that’s something that you really want to avoid.
Getting suitable packing materials for relocation is one of the most important steps if you want to move efficiently. You can get most of these supplies in local stores, or you can hire professional movers and get it all included in their convenient services. If you still choose to go through this process on your own, here is what you need to get:
You will definitely need these packing materials if you want to protect everything appropriately and prevent possible incidents. In the lines below, we’ll talk about details when it comes to using them, but first, let’s talk about some free supplies as a replacement.
Sure, the easiest thing you can do is to go to a local store and buy all of these supplies, but if you’re relocating on a budget, you can rely on some cool relocation hacks for saving money and time. One of the best relocation tips is to use towels and kitchen cloths for wrapping, or some soft clothes such as old T-shirts.
Inside of a container, you can insert a layer of old newspapers for cushioning instead of buying paper. This will help you fill out empty spaces and prevent unwanted movements. You can also go to a local bookstore or liquor store and ask them to give you some free cardboard boxes. Cartons that were previously used for liquor are more convenient because they already have cardboard dividers inside.
Even if you do manage to find free cardboard boxes on Freecycle, for example, don’t get too excited. You have to inspect them first and ensure they are in good condition. The most important rule to follow while you’re inspecting containers is that if they are strong enough to hold the weight of objects you’re going to put inside. They also have to be clean and without any holes and cracks that might expand.
Once you’re done with the inspection, you should also ensure the bottom of the containers doesn’t open during the relocation process. You can do that by tapping the bottom part with plenty of tape. You’ll use the same technique to seal the top of the container after you place everything inside.
Another important thing to remember is that you have to ensure everything is clean. You don’t want to mix clean and dirty dishes together because that wouldn’t make any sense. You also don’t want to use dirty containers. If you notice that boxes that you took from a liquor store have some sticky stains at the bottom, it is probably best to throw this container away and find another one.
Also, don’t use containers that were previously used for sorting shoes or something dirty – remember that you’ll be eating from these dishes once you arrive at your new home. If you do place them in dirty containers, keep in mind that you’ll have to clean them once you get to your new home.
If you are washing your dishes last minute, ensure everything is completely dry before putting them inside the container. Water can destroy the cardboard, so you don’t want to make one of those moving mistakes by putting wet items inside of a cardboard container. Let them air dry once you clean them or wipe them with a towel if you’re in a hurry.
Another packing tip for relocation is to wrap each dish individually. This will prevent individual pieces from hitting each other inside of the box and breaking eventually. First, you should lay a piece of bubble wrap on a flat surface and put a plate on it. After that, wrap the plate by folding all four corners to the center of the plate. Secure it all with a piece of tape. Continue with the same procedure until you secure all the dishes and move on to the next step.
Once you’re done with wrapping, you should put each plate inside the container vertically. You can use pieces of cardboard as dividers between them. If you place them horizontally inside, the bottom one will be under a lot of pressure, which leads to a higher risk of breaking in case of any unwanted movement.
If you pack them vertically, the weight will be equally distributed, so there will be a smaller chance for something to break if there is a bump on the road. Also, try not to overload the container with too much weight. This can cause the cardboard to tear, no matter how thick it is.
After you have placed everything inside the container, you should add some crumpled newspaper to fill in all the empty spaces around. This will also prevent unwanted movements inside of the container. Once you add all the cushioning, close the container and seal it on the top with tape. After that, your dishes will be safely packed for shipping, just like a car in an enclosed trailer. One of the things you must not forget when relocating is labeling every box.
This is essential, especially when it comes to fragile objects. You have to label your containers with loud colors and make the signs clearly visible from all sides. This could not only use you but your assistants as well. If you hire professional movers for their moving services, they have to know which containers contain fragile objects inside, so they know to handle these containers with great care. This step should be one of the most important ones on your to-do list if you want to have stress-free relocation and avoid any relocation anxiety.
Another important reason to label your containers is to ease the process of organizing them inside of the truck. Weight distribution inside the relocation vehicle is very important. You must be careful when organizing containers because the ones containing fragile objects must be on top of other furniture and containers.
If you don’t label them and position them under something heavy by mistake, there is a chance that objects inside are going to break. It is not like with car shipping on an open trailer because the vehicles above can’t damage those underneath, regardless of their size or weight.
Another important thing to remember when organizing your move is preparing a bag with relocation essentials. This container should consist of all the things you use daily – for example, toiletries, fresh clothes, and medicines. One of the pro tips is to put some plastic plates and glasses inside. This is recommended because you’ll probably have to eat something once you finally move to a new state – and you won’t have all of your tableware unpacked.
You’ll want to have a nice dinner before you continue with all the things you have to do after relocating, such as unpacking. Having a set of plastic plates and glasses will save you from wasting your time trying to find everything you want in the pile of boxes that arrive at your home after you move to another state with the help of professional movers. This video can give you some creative labeling ideas that will have you stay on track with all the responsibilities.
As we said before, relocating is not easy to plan and organize, especially when we’re talking about moving. There are a lot of factors to consider while planning everything and suitable actions you have to take if you want to move all of your fragile inventory in one piece. Now that you know the best way to pack plates, you’re good when it comes to them, but what about the rest of the inventory?
One of the best things you can do to help yourself is to hire professional movers for USA auto transport and all the other services to help you handle your inventory and relocate them safely and in one piece to your new home. Once you have enough reasons to move, try finding a reliable relocation company and try to avoid becoming a victim of a potential relocation scam. This will help you take the pressure off and relocate without any stress.
