Packing China

Packing China can be quite daunting to some people especially as some China dinner sets or tea sets can be unbelievably expensive. So learning how to pack China safely can ease the worried mind of many a nervous owner.

Packing China is not much different then packing any other types of crockery or breakable items.

The main packing tips we can give you are to use some extra cushioning material in your carton and to wrap your bundles in a couple of extra sheets of paper. We will also use tissue paper just to make sure that nothing can get scratched.

If you have the original boxes we recommend that you certainly use them and then place the box safely into a moving carton.

If you don't have the original packaging then follow along and we will show you how to make sure your treasured dinner and tea sets arrive at their destination intact. It is also always best if you pack your sets in the same carton.

Plates:

Ensure that your packing carton has more cushioning material in it then normal.

Wrap each individual piece of china in one or two pieces of tissue paper, making sure that all edges are well covered.

Place one tissue paper wrapped plate on top of your stack of newsprint or butchers paper, near the middle, and fold one or two sheets of paper from the corner nearest you, over the plate making sure it is fully covered.

Place another tissue paper wrapped plate on top and fold another one or two pieces of paper from the corner nearest you, over the plate making sure it is fully covered.

Repeat this until no more then four plates are covered.

Now wrap the paper from the two adjoining corners over the bundle and fold the whole bundle away from you so that the bundle is now upside down.

Bring the bundle back near the middle of the stack of paper again and then using two or three sheets of paper, re wrap the entire bundle using the same procedure as before. That is, start from the corner nearest you then the two adjoining corners and then fold away from you.

Now you can place the bundle of plates into your prepared carton on their edge

Never lay plates flat in a carton as their strongest point is their edge.

Cups:

It is recommended that when packing china cups, they are always wrapped individually , as the handles on these cups are often very delicate and are prone to breaking if nested inside each other.

Place your tissue paper wrapped cup on your stack of paper, with the handle facing away from you, near enough to the corner nearest you so that you can fold a piece of paper over the cup and fully cover it.

Fold the adjoining corners over and wrap in the rest of the paper rolling away from you. Keep in mind where the handle of the cup is.

Repeat this procedure once or twice more and you should end up with a cylindrical type package.

Place in your carton on the top tier, with the drinking edge down and the handle facing towards the inside of the carton.

Only put cups on the bottom tier of your carton if you intend to only pack cups and lighter china items in that carton.

Teapots:

A little extra preparation may be needed when packing china teapots.

Extra tissue paper should be used to wrap around the handle to give it a bit more structure and strength, likewise the spout.

The lid should be wrapped individually in tissue paper and if you want to keep the lid with the pot then you put it back in its position, but invert it so that the handle or knob is inside the pot. Remember when packing china, make sure that no parts of the china are directly touching each other.

When this is done lay the pot on your stack of wrapping paper, being careful not to let the lid fall out, with the base facing the corner nearest you and the handle and spout facing the adjoining corners.

Fold the corner closest to you over the pot and fold the entire pot over once. The base of the pot should now be facing away from you. This now makes sure that the lid is secure.

Now fold the adjoining corners over and wrap into a bundle rolling away from you.

Bring back to the middle of the paper and wrap bundle up again in one or two sheets of paper.

Place in the carton in the same position as it would stand on a table, making sure the handle or spout aren't near the edges of the carton.

Milk and Sugar Bowls:

These should be handled similarly to packing china teapots.

Extra tissue should be used on any feet or lids to strengthen and protect them, as well as their handles.

If you want to keep the lids with the bowl, invert them and make sure no china is directly touching each other.

Wrap them up in the same manner as for the cups, paying special attention to where the handles are.

If you keep the lids in the bowls, stack in the carton as they would sit on the table, but if you wrap the lid individually then stack the bowl with the top rim facing down, just as you would for a cup.

Trays and Platters:

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