How To Pack Fine China for Your Move

One of the most nerve-wracking parts of a move can be getting the priceless heirloom china from point A to point B. Your family keepsakes are irreplaceable, and preparing for all the potential opportunities for breakage can be daunting.  We happen to have some experience in packing fine china for a move, and would love to share a few tips that might take some of the guesswork out of it.

Work Clean

Make certain that you’re doing your packing in a well-organized and clean workspace. A big dining room table may be the most sensible spot for you start the job. Having a dedicated space will help you in keeping track of what’s been packed and what still needs to be packed with less chance of overlooking something and finding it later.  If you have some heavy, soft blankets you can spread out to keep from chipping anything.

The Right Tools for the Right Job

Gather everything you’ll need for the task ahead of time. This includes:

• Bubble-wrap, large and small sizes
• Tissue
• Pressure sensitive tape
• A yardstick or measuring tape
• Packing tape and tape gun
• Cushioning material like Styrofoam peanuts
• Inner boxes and double-walled dish packing boxes

Start by making a list of everything you need to box up, with measurements and quantities. Use boxes that are at least 1” bigger all the way around. For the double walled, reinforced dish boxes, 3” extra room on each side is a good rule of thumb.

Smart Item Grouping

It may seem like a no brainer, but keep the plates with the plates, the bowls with the bowls, cups with cups, etc. If you’re working with a variety of items of different weights and sizes, you might want to consider wrapping each piece separately in its own box, and place those smaller boxes in a reinforced, double wall box.

Using tissue paper and scotch tape, carefully wrap each piece individually before moving onto the small bubble wrap, making sure to cover all exposed surfaces. Now wrap them in the large bubble wrap, sealing with the packing tape. It’s always better to be more careful than you think you’ll need to.

Fill the Void

Fill the bottoms of inner boxes with at least 3” of packing peanuts, keeping at least a 3” clearance from the box sides. Carefully place the first layer of items, add another 2” layer of peanuts, repeating the process until you’re within 2” of the box top. Then finish filling the box with packing peanuts.

Hire professional help

Many people find that just leaving it to the professionals is a better use of their time and talent. With nearly 100 years in the packing and unpacking, moving and storage business, we’ve developed some amazing skills when it comes to packing fine china to move. Give Brandon Transfer a call for a free quote today and save time and nerves packing tomorrow!