How To Pack Plates For Moving

Packing is one of those things that always takes more planning, materials, and effort than you might think.

Knowing how to pack plates for moving may not sound like rocket science, but doing so in the proper way can save you a bunch of time and stress, not to mention preventing unnecessary cracks and breaks.
Here’s what you can do to get them to your new home in one piece:

• Gather The Necessary Supplies: Sturdy Boxes, Packing Paper, Bubble Wrap and Tape
• Preparing For Packing
• Vertical And Individual Packing
• Secure The Wrapped Plates
• Transport And Handling
• Unpack the plates first in your new home, handling them with care.
• Helpful Video
• Summary

Gather The Necessary Supplies

While it might be tempting to just wrap your plates in old clothes and call it a day, spending a little bit of money and time can make a real difference. This is what you’ll need:

• Sturdy cardboard boxes: Medium-sized boxes are the best for plates, as you won’t be tempted to cram too many in one container, making it heavy and more likely to break. You’ll want boxes that have thick walls and possibly even dividers, reinforced by packing tape on the bottom.
• Bubble wrap and packing tape: Cushion your plates with generous amounts of bubble wrap and soft materials, avoiding the use of newspapers as these can leave ink stains and tear easily. You’ll need plenty of packing tape to secure the bubble wrap and the box itself.
• Markers or labels: This will help you indicate to your moving team that the contents of the box are fragile, and will make it easy to identify which box has what items for when it comes to unpacking.
• A marker to label boxes

For more supplies for the packing itself, you can use our free moving boxes deal and buy more packaging supplies.

Preparing For Packing

Now that you have your materials ready, making the actual mechanism of packing simple will be your next step.

• Clear our your packing area: Give yourself plenty of space to work with, such as a table or a counter to lay out your materials and plates. Keep the surface clear of debris or sharp objects, as these can attach to or damage your bubble wrap.
• Clean the plates: Make sure that your plates are clean and dry before packing, as grease, dirt, or old food can cause stains, smells and even mould during longer transit. Plus, you’re not going to want to do the washing up right after unpacking.
• Sort by size and type: Keeping similar plates in the same place will make them stack easier, and prevent them from sliding or hitting each other in the box. For instance, you can arrange your packing by dinner plates, cereal bowls, salad plates, side plates, and so on.

Vertical and individual packing

There are two main ways that you can pack plates for a move, both of which are good options based on the materials you have, and your preference. Here’s what they are, and how to do the one you prefer:

Vertical

This technique involves stacking plates on their edges in the box, with layers of packing paper or bubble wrap between them. This is a good option for those who want to save a little space and time, as there’s no need to individually wrap each plate. If you choose this approach, you’ll have to be a little more careful to make sure that plates are properly secured and wrapped in the box.

• Place a generous layer of bubble wrap at the bottom of the box:
• Stand the plates on their edges, with the larger ones at the bottom to prevent them sliding around. Make sure there is no space between the plates and the sides of the box.
• Separate each plate with a layer of packing paper or bubble wrap to prevent them from rubbing against each other and causing damage. Cardboard dividers work well for this as well.
• Repeat the stacking process until the box is full, and that there is no space for the plates to move around.

Individual

This method provides increased protection and security for individual plates by isolating and cushioning them with multiple layers of material. Nonetheless, it requires additional space and time since each plate needs to be individually wrapped.

• Find a flat surface and spread out a large piece of paper or wrap that can cover the whole plate.
• Put the plate in the middle of the paper or wrap, making sure it’s not wet or dirty before wrapping.
• Bring the edges of the paper or wrap over the plate and tuck them in to make a tight package: Also, go ahead and use packing tape to keep the wrap closed and secure.
• Do the same for each plate before taping the packages together

Secure The Wrapped Plates

Now that the wrapping is out of the way, it’s time to get the box ready.

• Fill any empty spaces with crumpled packing paper or bubble wrap to make sure there is no room for the dishes to shift or bounce around. You can also use towels or old t-shirts to fill the gaps and provide extra cushioning.
• Close with packing tape to make sure the box is well sealed and won’t open during transport. Use enough to cover all the edges and corners and reinforce the bottom and top with extra layers.
• Label the box as “Fragile” and indicate which side is up by putting arrows on all sides.

Transport and Handling

The box and dishes are now ready to go. If you’re not using a service such as our fragile removalists service, here’s what you need to keep in mind:

• Use proper lifting techniques to avoid dropping or mishandling boxes. Use your legs, not your back, and keep the boxes close to your body, while always using both hands. If possible, use a dolly or a cart to help move them to or from the moving vehicle.
• Load the boxes vertically in the moving truck to minimise pressure
• Carefully load the boxes into the vehicle, keeping them upright and fastening them to prevent shifting.
• Avoid placing boxes near heavy or sharp objects that could crush or puncture the container.

When You Get To Unloading

Once you have arrived at your new home, you’ll need to get your plates out safely so that all the careful prep doesn’t go to waste.

• Unpack them first: Dishes and cutlery are one of the first things you’ll need when settling into your new home. You won’t want to be eating from paper plates and bowls as you continue getting everything else ready.
• Open the boxes: Firstly, make sure that you’re holding the box the right way up before proceeding. Cut the tape carefully so that you don’t chip your plates, and carefully take out the padding to leave dishes ready to be picked up.
• Give them a rinse: Once you’ve carefully unwrapped your plates, give them a rinse and a wipe to get rid of any dust or debris.
• Serve yourself up some food: It’s been a long road. Tuck into a well-deserved takeaway!

Video On How To Pack Plates

How To Move Plates Summary : Moving Doesn’t Have To Be Hard

In conclusion, safely packing plates for moving requires attention to detail and the right supplies.

Be sure to carefully wrap each plate individually with packing paper or bubble wrap, stack them vertically in sturdy boxes, and fill any gaps with cushioning material.

Label the boxes as “fragile” and handle them with care during the move.

By following our helpful tips on how to pack plates for moving, you can ensure ensure your plates arrive safely at your new home and stand a greater chance of getting them into your new kitchen without dents, scratches or smashes.

Of course, the best way to guarantee this is to work with professional movers, who can pack, wrap, move, load, and unload all your dishes and other fragile cargo on your behalf, leaving you to give your attention to other things.

Whichever option you go for, good luck, and bon-appetite.