Shipping off items like fragile china dishes holds both, monetary and sentimental value for the receiver as well as the sender. Nothing could pain either of them more, than knowing that it reached its destination in pieces.
Most of the times, china survives through generations as it passes down from grandmothers to daughters — imagine the shame and heartbreak if the dishes and crockery were broken or damaged while being shipped.
To avoid such a situation, let’s learn one of the best ways to pack them:
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Gather Supplies:
Begin by gathering all the right supplies. Get your hands on sheets of some bubble wrap, reinforced double-wall boxes with dividers, tape gun, Styrofoam peanuts, and shipping tapes.
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Wrap them:
Every piece of delicate china should be packed separately so that those with a lid or other accessories do not get lost or break during shipment. Make sure to work on a clean open space and wrap each item neatly. Bubble wrap each piece separately. and Try to add as much of a cushioning effect as you can.
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Boxing:
Boxing is different for different china dishes. In the case of mugs, glassware, and bowls, use cardboard boxes with dividers and put each item separately in the provided space.
In case of flat dishware like plates, make sure to cover the bottom of the box with a layer of protection. It could be crumpled newspaper wrap or Styrofoam guards. Now put the safely wrapped dishes on the cushioned surface. Ensure that plates of similar size lie together. Or go from the biggest to the smallest. Cover the sides of the boxes with Styrofoam peanut as well as the top along with proper wrapping paper. By the time you are done packing all your china, make sure there is no open or free space left in the box. Every empty space should be used to create a pillow of safety.
Where mugs and small bowls are placed flatly and side by side in a box containing dividers, china dishes such as cream pitchers and plates should be placed in narrower boxers and stacked upon each other.
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Label:
Labelling everything neatly will save you lots of time and trouble later. In case the receiver did not intend on opening every box at once, they’ll have a pretty easy time taking out exactly what they need.
If there are some china dishes in the house that you are too scared to ship off, then place your trust in those who know how not to break it (pun definitely intended). It’s about time those china dishes reach those who they were intended for.