With all that you have to do in a move, packing the dishes is normally one of the last. It only stands to reason since they are the one thing in the house that you consistently use on a regular basis. The unfortunate thing is, last minute items are usually packed with the least amount of care. And dishes need your full attention when packing so that you are able to make sure they make it to your home in one piece.

So here are two things that you can do to pack your dishes with speed and security. If you follow these two tips not only will you be package like a pro but also your dishes will come through unscathed on the other side.

Tip one: Pack in layers. Think of your dish box as a layered cake. You have each layer of cake with a nice layer of frosting in-between. Except in this case the frosting is packing paper and the cake is your dishes. Do this:

• Put a good layer of crumpled packing paper in the bottom of the box. (frosting)
• Put a layer of dishes in with packing paper in-between each dish. (cake)
• Put another layer of crumpled packing paper on top of the dishes. (frosting)
• Repeat steps until box is full and make sure to top off the box with more packing paper.

This may seem like a lot of paper but the plates and glasses need room to bounce, as the truck is moving. If the plates have no cushion, the first pothole the truck goes into, the dishes will break.

Tip two: Stack the plate vertically. The best way for a plate to survive the move, you must stack the plates in the box vertically. The plate has more strength when you stack it this way. I will give you an example to help illustrate the point:
 

Let's pretend you are a strong man in a circus. You have been tasked with a stunt of smashing plates against your head. Which way would you want to smash them against your head: by hitting the edge of the plate against your head or the middle of the plate?

If you answered neither, you are correct. But if you had to choose, you would choose the middle. Why, because the middle of the plate is only about an eighth of an inch thick, whereas the width of the plate can be a foot long.

So when you stack the plates vertically, you are using the maximum amount of the plate to steady it against the shocks of the road.

I hope these two tips help you as you prepare to move. If you have any questions, just drop us a line.