You are having a dinner party. Maybe you are entertaining your boss and his or her spouse. Maybe you are having your family to your home for the holidays. Maybe you have invited your closest friends over for a celebration. Whatever the reason, you have decided that paper plates will not do. As a matter of fact, you don’t even want to use your regular dish set. You want to break out the fine china.
If you are like many people, you do not keep your fine china in your cabinets and you do not have a china closet. Instead, your china is in storage or maybe you are borrowing it from another person because you just do not have enough. Wherever it is, you need to transport it safely to your dinner table. Here are some tricks of the trade to get the chine to and from its destination safely.
1. Packing Supplies
First, do not begin the process of transporting your fine china without the proper packing supplies. You will need packing paper and a sturdy box or boxes. Did you know there are boxes designed specifically for china transport and drinkware transport? You can buy them at most home stores. They include compartments and are padded for extra security. If you plan on storing china outside of your home and transporting it regularly, these may be a good investment.
2. Reinforce Your Box
Before putting the first dish or bowl into your box, reinforce it for maximum protection. Fine china is heavy. The last thing you want is to watch the bottom or side of the box break as you are carrying it up the last step to enter the destination home. Reinforcing the box helps the box handle the weight of the china.
3. Do Not Overpack
We have all gone on vacation and had to sit on a suitcase to make sure it closed completely. We are masters of overpacking items into small spaces. While that may be helpful for traveling with clothing to avoid extra baggage fees, it is a recipe for disaster when transporting china. Make sure your box is packed to its recommended weight capacity and not beyond. Do not try to cram more than you can safely fit into a box for the sake of having one less box.
4. Wrap Lids Separately and Place Upside Down
Fine china comes with much more than plates and bowls. Serving pieces, including covered dishes and even sugar bowls, are all part of the set. When transporting these pieces, wrap the lids separately from the bowl and then place the lid upside down on the top of the bowl to protect the edges of the item and its handles.
5. Wrap plates and glassware separately
Each plate, cup, bowl, and glass should be individually wrapped for the safest transport, especially if the china is to be transported by a moving vehicle. This helps protect the china from bumps in the road that can otherwise wreak havoc.
The best rule of thumb is to try to store your fine china as though it is ready to be transported. If you need help packing your fine china and other valuables, contact the experts at Suburban Solutions at 1.800.Sub.Solv.
