Shipping China Set

13 years ago

I have to ship a complete china set from Arizona to Mississippi. This is a complete eight person set of plates, cups, saucers, etc, etc. I'm at a complete loss how to do this safely. If anyone has done this, could you please tell me what you did and how it worked out?

Just for additional information. The set is loosely boxed up right now and the boxes are really heavy. I'm just having nightmares thinking no matter how it is packed, if a box was dropped at all much would be shattered. There is nothing special about the set other than it belonged to my mother. I don't know. To ship properly I may find I could buy an entire new set for what it would cost to box and ship? Comments.

Featured Answer

rrah

13 years ago

Bubble wrap, and lots of it, works well. When I purchased some ceramic dishes from ebay, they came in a box stuffed with newsprint so that items could not move around. Each piece was wrapped in a couple of layers of bubble wrap. About this time of year I start saving the packaging materials I get from Amazon purchases. The peanuts come in handy. I do like the air bags (don't know what they are called) that are used to fill a package.

The key is that the pieces cannot shift. A nice layer of protection on the bottom, sides, and top of the box are important.

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Comments (9)

ilovepoco
13 years ago
When you say "shipping", do you mean via FedEx, UPS, USPS? Or are you packing it to ship along with your other belongings as part of a move?

If I were shipping the china set separately and it was important to me (even if it were not inherently valuable), I would use a packing and shipping firm, let them handle all aspects (including packing), and insure it. Take pictures of the entire set, keep all paperwork, and make notes of phone calls, etc. in case there is a problem upon delivery.

If it's part of a move, bubble-wrap and pack the flat items layered inside boxes of clothes or bedding. Bubble-wrap cups and small items and pack in peanuts in multiple smaller (lighter) boxes.
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sushipup1
13 years ago
Follow the other suggestions, but break it down into several packages instead of one too-heavy one.
Fori
13 years ago
I've had good luck saran wrapping things into stacks, too. Then they can't jiggle against each other but instead are held firmly and wigglelessly together. (The plastic wrap goes between each piece as well--wrap a plate, add a plate to the stack, wrap that, add another, etc.) Then the entire bundle can be safely treated as a larger item to be properly bubble wrapped. If you go with the wrap, get a big box from Costco or similar with a good cutter--you don't want to mess with a regular box of plastic wrap.

You want everything tight in the box and if any items touch, they must be bound together so they will move together.

And yes, use smaller boxes!

It just occurred to me that I have a glob of teacups that have been moved 3 times and never unwrapped or used. I can tell that they are fine in their mass but haven't bothered to release them in 10 years. The organizing forum would have me get rid of them--but they're so well packed! :P

Oh, probably not a good idea to leave things wrapped in plastic for 10 years. Decaying plastic might not be good for decorations on china....
ilovepoco
13 years ago
Forgot to add, if you are shipping the set via a shipping company, make absolutely sure that you understand the details of any guarantee policy and insurance offered, and get everything in writing. (I watch a lot of Judge Judy!)
ilovepoco
13 years ago
Forgot to add, if you are shipping the set via a shipping company, make absolutely sure that you understand the details of any guarantee policy and insurance offered, and get everything in writing. (I watch a lot of Judge Judy!)
User
13 years ago
If the value of the set is mostly sentimental, then take it with you on a car trip or moving van. The cost of shipping something so fragile is likely to outstrip the cost of purchasing it. If it has some financial value, and there are replacements readily available at places like Replacement.com, then just take it to a shipping company and have them do all of the boxing and transport, and guarantee the shipment with insurance, etc. It will not be a cheap project though, and that's why I said if it's mostly sentimental value, to just handle it yourself.
cocontom
13 years ago
I would do the plastic wrap thing, put them in a tight fitting box, and then put that box in a larger padded (with peanuts or foam, on all sides) box.
graywings123
13 years ago
To ship properly I may find I could buy an entire new set for what it would cost to box and ship?

Yes, that is correct.