Packing Tips: Dining Room

Dining room packing tips from Allied are designed to help you in packing up this room. These tips are important, as the dining room generally contains items like china, crystal and other fragile items that need to be packed securely and properly for transport.

Dining Room Packing Tips - What to Remember

Some other things you will want to remember when packing your dining room include listing those items with values exceeding $100 per pound on your "High Value Inventory" form to receive proper valuation coverage. You will want to be compensated for any damage or loss that occurs to these extraordinary value items.

Dining Room Packing Tips - China & Glassware

• Separate all pieces of china and glassware and wrap separately. Using a few sheets of clean paper, start from the corner and wrap diagonally, tucking in overlapping edges.
• You can't be too generous with the paper, padding and cushioning used for china and glassware.
• Clearly label cartons with "dining room," the cartons' contents and "FRAGILE - THIS SIDE UP."

Dining Room Packing Tips - Flat China & Flat Glassware

• Place cushioning material in the bottom of a carton, such as bubble wrap. Use clean paper to wrap each piece of china or glassware, then take three of the individual pieces and wrap those in a bundle. Make rows of the bundles in the carton.
• Place larger china and glass plates, platters and other flat pieces at the bottom of the carton.
• Fill all voids or open spaces with extra paper to ensure the items will not be jostled during transit.
• Use horizontal cardboard dividers to keep layers of china even.
• Smaller plates, saucers and shallow bowls should be wrapped in the same manner listed above and used as the second layer in the carton.

Dining Room Packing Tips - Cups

Use china barrels to pack cups. If not using china barrels, wrap each cup individually using a double layer of paper. Place the wrapped cups upside down in a row on an upper layer of the carton with all cups facing the same direction. Top this layer of cups with wadded paper. Protect handles of the cups with an extra layer of clean paper.

Dining Room Packing Tips - Silver & Flatware

• Protect silver pieces from tarnishing by wrapping them in newsprint or plastic wrap.
• Bowls, tea sets, serving dishes and other hollow ware should be wrapped carefully and packed like china (see above for china packing tips).
• Loose flatware may be wrapped individually or in sets, and in paper, clear plastic or small gift boxes that are then secured with tape.
• If you have a flatware chest, empty the chest and wrap this in a fluffy towel.

Dining Room Packing Tips - Figurines, Curios and Other Delicate Items

• Use plenty of cushioning to protect these items.
• Wrap first in tissue paper, paper towels or facial tissue. Then, wrap carefully in paper that has been wadded and flattened out.
• Wrap these items individually.
• A bath towel or small blanket makes an excellent outer wrapping and padding for glass, mirrors and other delicate items.
• Place flat items on edge in a carton.

Dining Room Packing Tips - Fragile Items

Items with values exceeding $100 per pound need to be listed on your "High-Value Inventory" form to receive proper valuation coverage. If an item is extremely valuable as well as delicate, it might be wise to have it packed for you. These types of very fragile items require extra special protection and care to ensure their safe transport.

Dining Room Packing Tips - Lamp Bases

Remove the light bulb and lamp harp; wrap the base, harp and bulb separately in newsprint. Place them together in a carton, filling voids with wadded paper to ensure no jostling during transit.

Dining Room Packing Tips - Lamp Shades

• Only use clean, unprinted tissue paper to wrap lamp shades so that the ink does not rub of onto the shade. Use three or four sheets of tissue paper to wrap the shades.
• Use a sturdy carton at least two inches bigger all around than the largest shade. Line it with clean paper, using crushed paper under the lamp shade to create a protective layer, but not around the shade.
• A smaller shade may be nested inside a larger one, provided they do not touch.
• If packing silk shades, only pack one to a carton so the silk is not stretched out.
• Do not pack shades with any other types of items.
• Label cartons "LAMP SHADES - FRAGILE - TOP LOAD ONLY."

Dining Room Packing Tips - Chandeliers and Leaded Glass Shades

Have your professional moving company pack your chandeliers and leaded glass shades for their ultimate protection and safety.

Dining Room Packing Tips - Glass Tabletops, Marble Slabs, Large Mirrors, Paintings, Statues & Large Vases

Have your professional moving company pack these items for their safe transport. Your moving company can provide a custom crating service for these items or contact a third party company to accommodate these packing needs for you.

Dining Room Packing Tips - Table Leaves

Transport table leaves in paper pads, then tape the pads to hold them in place, but never to the top of the wood. Do not use plastic on wood, as any moisture created can warp and damage wood.

Dining Room Packing Tips - Draperies & Curtains

Use wardrobe cartons to pack curtains and drapes. Fold the curtains and drapes, place them over a padded hanger, pin them to the hanger and hang in the wardrobe. If you prefer to pack these items, fold them and place in cartons lined in paper or plastic wrap.

Dining Room Packing Tips - Rugs

• Let your professional moving company handle the packing of the area rugs.
• We suggest having area rugs professionally cleaned before your move - you'll get them back from the cleaners wrapped, rolled and ready for shipping.
• Area rugs should be loaded last and unloaded first so the furniture coming off the truck can be placed on your desired rug

Dining Room Packing Tips - Furniture

• Your packing crew will stretch wrap large, upholstered items.
• Talk to your moving professional beforehand about any leather items.
• Table corners can be protected with cardboard.
• Pack couch pillows and decorative pillows, quilts and throws in large boxes.

Dining Room Packing Tips from Allied

Use our detailed tips to pack your dining room in the most secure, efficient manner. Since your dining room will likely contain some of the most fragile items you have, it's important to follow our dining room packing tips accordingly.