How to Pack Dishes and Glassware for Moving

Glassware and dishes are among the breakable items that require extra care to be transported safely to reduce the chance of damage during packing, loading and shipping. That’s why we’ve put together a guide on how to pack glasses for moving, which can be helpful for you whether you do it yourself or hire professional packers.

Preparations

Before starting the packing process, there are a few basic steps to follow in the preparatory phase: getting supplies and prioritizing.
These actions are best completed a couple of weeks before the move to give you more time to stay on schedule and plan, as packing delicate glassware, glass cups, breakable dishes, and other precious items is only a small part of the overall work during moving.

Take Inventory and Prioritize

Prioritization and inventory can make things a lot easier. Determine how many plates, glassware, and other delicate items you have and how many of them you intend to move. Then add all the items to your inventory.

The next step is to sort everything by priority. If the dishes and mugs are likely to be used until the moving day, then items such as glass sets, wine glasses, holiday dinnerware, etc., are generally not a priority, so you can start packing from them.
Inventory and prioritization will give you a better idea of how many boxes for dishes, bubble wrap sheets, cardboard containers and other packaging materials you might need to pack everything.

Get Packing Materials

In the weeks leading up to your move, start collecting dish boxes and other necessary packing materials. You may need the following things:

• Scissors
• Markers
• Packing paper, bubble wrap, foam wrap, packing tape
• Dish boxes (average moving box is best suitable)
• Box for glasses (you can search for a box with bubble wrap)
• Cardboard containers

Besides that, you can also look for additional effective materials for extra protection and care during transport, for example, cartons with cushioning material, etc.

General Instructions

Here are some common instructions on how to pack dishes, delicate glassware, and other breakable items.

• Tape the boxes. Use duct tape to keep your items safe. Usually, one strip is not enough, so additional tape strips are needed along the seams and bottom of the boxes. You can google the correct methods to seal the box with tape so that nothing falls out.
• Provide extra cushioning. Place a few layers of paper or other soft material on the bottom of the box before placing dishes, glass cups, and other fragile items in the box. An extra layer of protection will absorb any impacts during transport.
• Pack dishes step by step. So, how to pack dishes for moving? It’s best to start with plates, then move on to bowls and finish with glasses. Wrap each item separately and use the crumpled packing paper to fill in the extra space inside the box. Put the heaviest items on the bottom. You can pack plates and bowls as an entire bundle in dish boxes.
• Label the boxes. This is especially true for fragile items (wine glasses, antiques, etc.). By labelling the boxes, you can help movers determine which of your items should be loaded onto the truck with extra care and securely protected during transport. In addition, labels greatly facilitate the process of unpacking at a new location.

Plates & Bowls

When packing plates, start with the big ones. Each of the plates must be wrapped separately. It’s a good idea to make a stack of plates (about four plates) and then wrap and tape them together as one group. Place them vertically during the boxing-up process.

When packing bowls, the approach is the same. Each item must be wrapped individually with layers of paper. You can pack the plates and bowls in separate boxes or stack them together by placing the bowls on top of the plates, which is a convenient option for loading and transporting as you have fewer boxes.
After you’ve wrapped and packed, fill in the excess space in the box with additional paper. Also, remember to put a sheet of paper at the bottom for additional cushioning.

Glasses & Cups

Cups and mugs are like little bowls, so you can pack them the same way. Fill the cups with crumpled paper and then wrap the items. Since many mugs or shot glasses often come in sets, you can stack them together to save space.

Glasses (such as wine and beer glasses, stemware, and other delicate glassware) require special attention as they are among the most fragile. Therefore, it would be helpful to read some tips on how to pack fragile items beforehand.

• Gently fill the bowl of each piece of glassware with balls of paper or other soft material. Then roll and wrap with packing paper until the item is completely covered. When you’re done, make sure each item is securely wrapped.
• Before packing items inside the box, cover the bottom of the box with a layer of bubble wrap or wrapping paper to keep the items safe during transport.
• Pack heavy glasses first. You can then add an extra layer or divider and place the lighter glasses in the box.
• Another helpful tip on how to pack glass for moving is to get a cell box. Such a type of the boxes has dividers (cell pack) so you can securely pack your glass and stemware.
• When loading boxes into a moving truck, make sure you place them on a flat surface and secure the boxes before driving.

Pots & Pans

Compared to glassware and plates, pans and pots are less likely to break but can still be damaged. That’s why it’s worth wrapping and filling them with packing paper, which is especially true for non-stick pans. With this approach, you can avoid scratches and other damage to your items.
Also, pots and pans can be safely transported in ordinary boxes, so you don’t need to look for a special one.

Additional Packing Tips

• Label all your boxes “Fragile,” especially those with glassware
• Shake the box gently after packing. If you hear rattling, add more paper
• Heavy items should always be packed first.
• Do not use newspaper for packing and wrapping
• Plates and bowls should be placed vertically
• Ensure your box weighs less than 45 pounds
• Boxes should be filled from the bottom to the top

A moving company in Calgary, AB Best Moves offers residential moving services from Calgary to different cites so you can rely on us as your:

• Cochrane movers,
• High River movers,
• Okotoks movers,
• Strathmore movers.

Check other local moving directions on the website.