Kitchen and Dining Room

Open boxes of dried or powdered foods such as rice, macaroni and cereals should be sealed with tape. Small containers of herbs and spices, condiments, gelatin, flavorings, etc. should be placed together in a small box before packing into a larger container. Cover holes of shaker type containers and seal with tape. Since canned goods are heavy, the amount placed in one carton should be limited. It is good practice to place these canned items on the bottom of a box containing several other light items. Take only those items you are sure will travel well. Do not take anything perishable. In the winter months, do not take anything subject to freezing, i.e. spaghetti sauce in glass jars.

Small clocks, radios and similar items can be packed in the same carton, or in with the linens. These items should be wrapped individually, using several pieces of paper, and should be placed in the packed carton with plenty of crushed paper.  The metal plug should be wrapped outside the appliance to prevent scratching.

Place cushioning material in bottom of carton. Then wrap each piece individually using one sheet of paper. Start from the corner, wrapping diagonally, continuously tucking in overlapping edges. After wrapping each piece individually, then wrap four to six in a bundle with a double layer of newspaper. Place these bundled items in the carton in a row on edge. The larger china and glass plates, platters, and other flat pieces are excellent as the lowest layer in the box. Smaller plates, saucers and shallow bowls could make up a second layer. Wrap and pack in the same way as larger items, making sure to rest them in the box upright, using sufficient cushioning. Surround each bundle with crushed paper, being careful to leave no unfilled spaces. Add two or three inches of crushed paper on top of the bundles to protect rims and make a level base for the next tier. Always remember, the heavier pieces go on the bottom! Cups and glassware should be wrapped in a double layer of paper and placed upside down on rims, in a row, on an upper layer within the box, with all the handles facing in the same direction.

Loose flatware may be wrapped either individually or in sets, in clear plastic or tissue. If the silverware is in a chest, you still may want to wrap the pieces individually and replace in the chest, or fill in all empty spaces in the chest with tissue paper or paper toweling.