dishware
Most damage to dishware is due to improper packing.
Find our more detailed dishware storage tips below.
Quick Tips:
1. Use more cushioning than you think you need.
2. Use heavy duty boxes and tape.
3. Begin with the larger items and put smaller items toward the top.
plates
Select a medium-sized carton and line the bottom of the carton with crumpled clean newsprint paper (not newspaper). With clean newsprint paper stacked neatly on a work table, center one plate on the paper. Grasp a corner on several sheets of paper and pull the sheets over the plate until they completely cover the plate. Stack a second plate and, moving clockwise, grasp a second corner and pull the newsprint over the second plate. Stack a third plate. Grasp the remaining two corners, folding two newsprint sheets of each corner (one at a time) over the plate. Turn your wrapped stack of plates upside down onto your newsprint paper. Re-wrap the entire bundle: start with one corner of newsprint paper and pull two sheets over the bundle; cover bundle with the remaining corners. Seal the bundle with packing tape. Place the bundle of dishware in a medium-size box so that the plates are standing on edge.
glassware and crystal
Always wrap each piece individually. Never put one piece inside of another. Stuff glasses and stemware with crumpled tissue or clean newsprint paper before wrapping. Glassware and crystal should make up the very top layer of your carton and should be packed rim down. Delicate glassware and stemware should be placed in an upright position. Especially fragile items should be packed in a separate carton and then placed in a larger carton surrounded by cushioning. Roll glasses in clean newsprint paper. Corrugated paper rolls or cell kits may be used for additional protection. Our dish cartons are available in various heights to accommodate short and long stemware.
glasses and cups
Pack glasses and cups with the rims down. With clean newsprint in place on the work table, position one cup six to eight inches from one of the corners. Now pull the near corner of the paper up and over the cup. Nest a second cup directly on top, with handle to left (second cup should “nest” itself in packing paper folded over the bottom cup). Pull the two side corners up and over, one at a time, tucking the corners inside the top cup. Hold the cups in position and roll to the remaining corner. Again, use dish pack cell kits for maximum protection. Unpack breakables over the box you’re taking them out of. That way, if you happen to drop an item, it will land on some packing material, reducing its chance of breakage.
bowls
Wrap individually, then nest 2-3 together and wrap as an entire package. They can be placed on end or flat. Continue to add layers in the same manner as for plates and china. Fragile mixing bowls may be packed using the technique detailed for Glasses and Cups. Don’t forget to use dish pack boxes.