When it comes to packing for a move, the kitchen is the most tedious room in the house.
That’s because the majority of the items are fragile and need to be handled with care. When you are moving from one house to another, the last thing you want is to unpack your boxes only to find broken dishes and glassware.

Packing dishes properly isn’t difficult, but it may take some time. That said, taking the time to do it properly will ensure that they arrive safe and sound at your new home. Below are some simple steps for packing your dishes for a move.

Gather the Right Materials

This is a very important step because you want to make sure your dishes are padded and protected during transport. Before packing a single item, you need to make sure you have the proper supplies. You’ll need:

●Moving boxes, both small and medium

●Bubble wrap

●Packing paper

●Packing tape

●Packing peanuts

●Marker

How to Pack Dishes

Prepare the boxes

Boxes packed with dishes will be heavy, so you need to use several layers of packing tape along the seams and along the bottom of each box. Fill the bottom of each box with a 6-inch layer of crumpled packing paper.

Packing the plates

Place one plate down flat in the center of a sheet of packing paper and pull up the paper around the edges of the plate, folding them in. Repeat this process for each plate and stack the plates together, no more than four to a stack.

Once you have a stack of four plates, you will want to wrap the entire stack with bubble wrap and secure it with packing tape. Place each bundle of plates inside the boxes, being careful not to pack the boxes too heavy. The larger, heavier plates should be placed in the box forst, with smaller plates on top.

Once the box is full, fill in the empty space around the plates with crumpled paper or packing peanuts for an added layer of protection. Tape the box closed and label it. 

Packing the glasses

Stuff the interiors of glasses with crumpled paper and lightly crumple paper and wrap it around the handles of mugs and cups. Wrap each piece with double sheets of packing paper.

For wine glasses, you will also want to wrap an added layer of crumpled paper around the stem of the glass for additional protection. If you have a box with dividers, place each glass inside the dividers to prevent shifting during transport. Otherwise, place crumpled paper or packing peanuts between the glasses.

Seal the box with packing tape and be sure to label the box “fragile.”

Packing bowls and platters

Start by grouping like sizes together. Then, place a bowl in the center of a sheet of packing paper and wrap it like you would a plate. Repeat this process with each bowl, stacking them inside each other as you go.

Do not stack more than four bowls at a time, and wrap the entire bundle with bubble wrap when you are finished. Platters and serving bowls should be wrapped in the same manner, although it will take two to three layers to ensure adequate padding.

Carefully places your bowls and platters into boxes, making sure to be the heavier items on the bottom. Again, do not overpack the boxes and fill in any empty spaces with crumpled paper or packing peanuts.