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When it comes to moving, there are likely a lot of items you’re a bit worried about packing and moving safely. Items that are valuable and delicate, like china, are often the most concerning. Still, you need to be able to get them to where they need to go. When it comes to moving or storage, there are a few simple things you can do to minimize the risks associated with these often collectible items.

How Do I Pack a China Plate?

When it comes to a china plate, it is best to avoid crowding or allowing edges to touch. Whenever possible, you’ll want to purchase dish packs, which are specifically designed to help you to protect these items. Here are a few tips to following:

• Wrap plates in bundles of about four. Before you bundle them, you’ll want to wrap each plate separately.
• Whenever possible, use packing paper or bubble wrap for very delicate items, wrapping each one on its own and then wrapping several together.
• You can also use bath towels to provide some protection for your items.
• Place items into a box that is appropriately sized. Too much room between items increases the risk of damage occurring. For that reason, try to position items, so they are next to each other and fill in open spaces with paper.

When you’ve finished the box, be sure that it does not jiggle. You should not hear any type of sound coming from the dishes hitting each other. If you do, or there is too much movement, repack the box.

How Do You Pack Porcelain Plates for Moving?

Porcelain plates are often just as fragile as china. For that reason, it is a good idea to follow the same methods listed above to pack your items up. The key to remember is that you do not want the dishes touching each other. That’s when the highest risk of breakage occurs. Also, keep in mind that you’ll benefit from protecting the edges carefully, being sure that each one is covered fully. That’s because the edges tend to be the weak point in porcelain, and they are most likely to chip. Keep a cloth between stacks of items, so there’s less risk of damage.

How Do You Pack China Cup and Saucers for Moving?

As you take into consideration all types of fine china or other items you have beyond just dishes, don’t overlook the extra care these delicate items typically need. Often, china saucers and cups are fragile because they have small attachments, such as at the handle. It is quite important to protect all of these areas of connections where they are most likely to break. You also want to protect the edges since they tend to be very fine, and the finer they are, the more likely they are to suffer damage.

Here are some tips for packing up cups and saucers like this.

• Start with stuffing the cups. You can use packing paper (which is ideal) to do this. You’ll want to add a balled up piece of paper to the interior of any opening (including in bowls). This way, there’s less friction between items touching each other and causing damage.
• Next, wrap the handles. Place more balled-up paper into the handle openings, which will help to minimize scratching and damage here, too.
• Then, wrap the entire thing in bubble wrap. It’s a good idea to roll them, which means covering the item in a piece of packing paper and then rolling them up into a piece of bubble wrap.
• For saucers, follow the same process as you did with the plates above. The goal here is to ensure that each item is fully protected and covered.

Once you have all the items wrapped up, you can then put them into a box to move them. Be careful here. Add a layer of items to the bottom of the box. Then, fill in all gaps with packing paper that’s wadded up. That way, the items cannot move around very much at all. Add a bath towel in between layers and at the top for added protection.

You can follow the same overall process for your bowls, sugar containers, and other items you have. Keep each item protected.

Is It Okay to Wrap China in Newspaper?

Whenever possible, avoid using newspaper that’s printed when wrapping items like china. It is possible that the ink could bleed from the paper onto the surface of the china, and that could cause a significant amount of damage to your items. In fact, your insurance company may not cover damage like this if you use newspaper.

The better option is to use packing paper. It is available in large amounts inexpensively, where packing supplies are sold. It is much like newspaper in its feel, but it does not have any ink on it.

Fine China Packing Boxes

If you are really worried about packing up china items, or you plan to keep them stored long term, seek out fine China packing boxes. These boxes tend to be corrugated, which means they have a bit more protection on them to help minimize the damage to the plates and items you put into them. You also want to be sure they are used properly so that you can keep your items safe long term without risk. Most of the time, these boxes are well worth the investment.

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