Whether you are moving house or simply decluttering and want to store some items away from the home for a period of time, planning and organising the packing of these items is important.
Delicate items such as glassware and crockery need special care and you need to ensure that have the right materials and techniques to safely pack and store these items to avoid breakages and damage.
Here are some tips on how to prepare your glassware for moving:
Use the most appropriate materials and boxes
It is important to use the appropriate materials for packing away your glassware. Consider the size of box you want to use – a large box may prove heavy once filled with glassware and be difficult to lift and safely carry – consider smaller, more compact boxes and use more of them.
Padding materials will be needed in order to offer the correct protection for the boxed items – newspapers, soft towels or other soft materials will be ideal as well as the specialised, though more expensive, bubble wrap material. It is worth remembering that, if you use old newspapers, the glass items will need a more thorough cleaning once unpacked.
Preparing and packing
Firstly, ensure that the box you are packing is laid on a flat, even and secure surface and lay out your packing materials alongside the box. If using newspaper or specialised packing paper crumple enough sheets to initially cover the bottom surface of the box to provide a base cushion for the delicate items. If using cloth materials or towelling then, likewise, line the bottom of the packing box before starting the packing.
Wrap and pack the largest and heaviest items first – place these on the bottom of the box and the lighter glasses on top. Place one cup or glass at an angle into a corner of the box and roll the glassware, stuffing the ends of the packing material into the item as you roll until the glass or cup is fully covered. Repeat this process for each individual item to be packed into the box.
Wrapping stemmed glasses
Extra care and attention should be paid to the more fragile items such as wine glasses – especially those with delicate stems. With these, wrap the stem first using half a paper sheet followed by the rest of the glass. Wrap one glass at a time and make these the last items you pack for each box allowing space at the top of the box for extra padding and protection.
Check the box
It is always advisable to gently shake the box before sealing it – if you hear any ‘clinking’ or can feel the contents move too much then you will need to repack in order to avoid broken contents at your destination. If the box contents seem secure, then seal the box with packing tape and clearly label it with the contents and the intended room for unpacking. Ensure that you clearly mark the box as “Fragile” to inform anybody handling it during the move.
Crockery
Packing away plates and dishes should follow the same procedure of wrapping but can be done in multiples rather than singularly. If you are packing plates, then ensure that there is a lining of packing material between each plate in the ‘pack’.
You should pack the plates on their edge rather than flat – this provides greater stability and therefore protection in transit. Ensure they are packed tightly leaving no room for ‘leaning’ or movement.
Summary
Consider the task of unpacking when the items reach their destination – the more care and planning you put into the initial packing of the items the easier the unpacking will be later. Take time and care to ensure that the items are wrapped, packed and stacked correctly – it will save you time and may well save you money in breakages and replacements!
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