It’s probably happened to you or someone you know. To save money and time, you decide to wrap your breakable items yourself. When they arrive at your destination, too many of them are broken. Indeed, some of them have been reduced to powder. The most frustrating thing is you can’t blame the movers because you packed the items yourself. What can you do the next time to make sure your breakables survive your move, whether it is down the street or to the other side of the planet?
Plan Ahead
Of course, everyone knows not to start packing on the day of their move, but how soon should the breakables be packed? The time to order supplies is about a month before the move, and once the supplies arrive the packing should begin. In the end, the household should be left with disposable dinnerware and paper towels and napkins for the first night in the new home.
Necessary moving supplies for packing breakables are:
- Boxes: Boxes made for drinkware come with partitions for extra safety.
- Box cutters
- Packing tape and mailing tape
- Labels
- Blank newsprint. Though some people use it without a problem, avoid newspaper because the ink can smudge the items. Blank newsprint can come in large rolls so you can tear off the amount you need.
- Tissue paper
- Magic markers
- Scissors
How to Prepare the Box
Put the box together, then secure the bottom with packing tape. Crumple some newsprint, and place it in the bottom of the box. Movers Seattle recommends padding enough that you can’t feel the cardboard. Place even more paper into the corners. Wrap the breakables and put them in the box. Do not crowd them, but leave enough room to add more crumpled newsprint between them. However, make sure there are enough items in the box so that it doesn’t collapse if another box needs to be stacked on top it. Fill it up with more newsprint or an old towel.
Shut the box, tape the seams, and label it. The label should have the room where the items belong and your name. Make sure to add “Fragile: This Side Up.” Put the label on the side of the box so it can be easily seen.
How to Pack Breakables
Stuff hollowware such as vases, glasses, and cups with crumpled newsprint. If the item has a stem or handle, wrap them in more newsprint. Put them upright in the box, and cushion them with more newsprint or bubble wrap.
To pack dishes, put one in the center of a stack of newsprint. Fold the corners of the newsprint over the plate until it is completely covered. Put another plate on top of that, fold the newsprint over and continue. Then, these affordable Bellevue local movers recommend turning the stack upside down, and wrapping and sealing the entire stack or put into a bubble wrap bag. Place the dishes on edge in a small, well-padded box. Add more bundles of dishes until the box is snug, cushion them with more crumpled newsprint, and tape the box shut.
By following these steps, your fragile housewares have better odds of surviving your move, whether you’re moving in-town or cross-country. For more helpful moving and packing tips check out the rest of our blog.