Breakage is one of the most common causes of damage when you are relocating to a new home, and many of these losses could have been prevented with the right packing techniques. Glass items understandably may be most likely to break during a move, and many of your glass possessions are in the kitchen.
Packing your dishware properly is essential to prevent unnecessary loss, and it also may protect you and others handling your kitchen items from harm. After all, knives, broken glass and other items can easily cause bodily injury. Follow these helpful tips to pack your dishware properly.
Choose the Right Protective Materials
There are several types of protective materials that are commonly used for packing. These include thin Styrofoam sheets, popcorn Styrofoam, wrapping paper, bubble wrap and more. Some materials may be well-suited for use with some of your items than with others. For example, bubble wrap may work well on larger glass dishes, and thin Styrofoam sheets may be ideal for placing between plates.
You may also use popcorn Styrofoam to fill the remainder of a box of dishware to prevent unnecessary movement and to provide extra protection.
Wrap Glass Items Individually
Some people who want to save time or reduce waste associated with packing materials will wrap multiple items together. For example, they may wrap three or four plates together in one piece of protective wrap. Unfortunately, this is not protective, and it defeats the purpose of using protective materials. All glass items should be wrapped individually regardless of how large or small they are.
If you are interested in saving money and reducing waste, consider wrapping some of your items in towels and sheets. After all, you have to pack your linens in boxes as well. You can also use newspapers instead of packing paper.
Cluster Utensils Together
Your utensils are not fragile or breakable in most cases, but they may still need to be secured. Consider your experience unpacking your boxes when you reach your hand into a box filled with loose knives. Take time to wrap your sharp objects in paper, and tape this package so that the utensils do not fall out. You can cluster knives together, but ensure that they are entirely wrapped up.
For other items, such as spoons and forks, you may leave these in your utensils tray. Simply wrap the utensils tray with bubble wrap or packing paper to keep all of the items in place. This can save a tremendous amount of time and effort when you unpack your belongings in your new home.
You can see that various items in your kitchen must be protected in different ways. Because there is not a catch-all strategy to follow for all of your kitchen items, think about the risks and dangers associated with each item that you are packing. This can help you to determine the best way to pack those specific items. You also should consider packing your fragile items in smaller boxes when possible.
Kitchen items can make large boxes very heavy. Large, heavy boxes may be more likely to slip out of hands, and this can also result in breakage. By using these effective tips, you can reduce the likelihood of damage to your dishware and other kitchen items.