The kitchen is one of the most difficult rooms to pack when moving. Other than the fact that there are too many fragile items present, the kitchen is also used daily and the utensils will always be needed, unlike in other rooms. Packing the kitchen requires a lot of attention. But paying attention and being careful is not enough, you must understand the technical know-how to stow different utensils depending on their fragility.
Coupled with the technical know-how and a solid moving plan, some materials should also be made available to make the packing process less strenuous and less destructive in the long run. Dishes, especially ceramics are one of the most delicate kitchen items and this particular guide is centered on how to pack these dishes effectively.
Packaging Materials for Packing Dishes
You must prepare some required packaging materials to carefully stow dishes. This guide will be starting by highlighting some of these materials for this purpose. More so, this guide will also work in the same manner for bowls of similar sizes.
- Packing Boxes: Many moving supply stores sell dish-specific boxes. Even though these are the best recommendations, they are also more expensive. A simple box will suffice as long as you are careful and pad the dishes properly.
- Packing Papers: Packing papers will serve as wraps and pads for the dishes. Firmly pull the edges of the paper over each plate and wrap it. After wrapping all the dishes separately, fold some newspapers and put them between each plate as pads to stack them. These papers can also be used to pad the plates in the boxes.
- Tape: It is advisable to bound the plates together in sets. After wrapping individual plates, they can then be taped shut together before arranging in the boxes.
- Marker: This is essential to label boxes and even items accordingly. All boxes containing dishes should be marked as fragile. Also, mark all sharp objects such as knives separately so it is not handled carelessly during unpacking.
How to Pack and Transport Dishes Efficiently
- Preparing The Box: Whether you’re using a new or used box, you should tape the bottom of the box as a means to reinforce it. Repeat the taping a couple of times until you are sure it is firm, then push your hand against the bottom to test it. Moreover, line and pad each box with a lot of paper before boxing up any kitchen utensils. This is a preliminary process in preparing the box for packing delicate and fragile kitchen utensils and dishes.
- Preparing The Material: Although it may seem quite insignificant, one very important thing to consider before packing dishes is to ensure that they are clean. Also, make a plan of how you are going to pack them – which items go into small boxes and which ones will be in the bigger boxes.
- Packing Plates (Features): Packing plates and dishes do not have too many discrepancies in the procedure. Start by spreading a newspaper on a flat surface, place the plate on it, pull the edges of the paper to cover the plate, and then tighten it firmly. Avoid stacking plates haphazardly. Place heavier plates at the bottom and the lighter ones should be above till the box is full. Also, each stack should contain five to six plates only so as not to crumble the plates in the bottom due to weight.
- Packing Bowls (Features): Make big balls of paper and stuff them in each before wrapping them again with newspaper. You can then tape them firmly before arranging them in the box. The same method for packing plates can also be applied to packing bowls. Do not try to stack them excessively.
- Packing Glasses (Features): Glasses are extremely fragile and special care needs to be done when stowing them. First and most importantly, stuff each cup or glass with crumpled paper before arranging them in boxes. Meanwhile, the boxes must have been sufficiently padded and lined with paper. Even after arranging the glasses in the boxes, stuff the spaces between them with rough paper to ensure they are firm.
- Closing The Box: It is inappropriate to overpack boxes, doing this will render the whole effort null and void. One way to check if you are overpacking is to weigh the boxes and reduce the contents when the weight exceeds 45 pounds. Before closing up the box and preparing them to be moved, pad them very well. Make balls of paper or fold newspapers to make thick sheets and place them on the dishes before closing the lid. After closing the lid of the boxes, tape it severally so it doesn’t flip during the move.
Tips For Packing Knives, Pots, And Containers with Liquids
Knives are very delicate but not fragile. Knives require care and attention to detail, not because they will damage but because they may cause you injury if handled carelessly. Wrap each knife blade with paper and then tape it firmly. You can arrange them with other utensils such as spoons and forks. Another safety measure to consider is to use bubble wraps to wrap knives before packing.
If you have pots or pans of graded sizes, it is good practice to nest them according to their sizes. Line the big pot with sheets of paper and then place a smaller pot inside of it. Continue this procedure in order of their sizes to pack pots efficiently.
It is always not advisable to pack containers with liquids inside of them. But in situations where it is inevitable, pack them securely to avoid spillage. First off, ensure the lid or cover for each container is firm enough to hold the liquid just in case the container falls on its side. When packing containers like this, make sure they are properly padded with a lot of rough paper so they maintain a rigid position during the move.
Conclusion
Essentially, this guide will suffice when boxing up dishes for a move from one place to another location. Although, the transportation process is not discussed extensively if the procedure outlined is followed carefully then the moving process will go somewhat smoothly. After packing dishes in boxes and the boxes are sealed and taped accordingly, you won’t need to do anything till you get to the destination other than transporting them to the moving vehicle.
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