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House Cleaning: Pack

Obtain plenty of barrels, and a relatively large number of small packing cases rather than a few large ones, a quantity of excelsior, burlap, and strong manila cord. Also a number of strong manila tags on which write, stamp, or print your name and the address to which the goods are to be shipped. Number these tags from 1 upward. Pack, as far as possible, by themselves articles from each separate room or part of the house, and note in a blank book the contents of each barrel, case, or package. For example, if numbers 1 to 5 are china, and numbers 5 to 10 are kitchen hardware, the packages can be delivered to the appropriate part of the house and unpacked as required without confusion.

To Pack China. -Pack china and other fragile articles, also small me tallic objects, as lamps, kitchenware, bric-a-brac, etc., in barrels rather than packing cases. To pack such articles, first cover the bottom of the barrel with a layer 3 or 4 inches "Nest Dishes Together and Pack on Edge." deep of excelsior or fine hay slightly moistened. Wrap each article separately in newspaper or tissue paper. Select the larger and heavier pieces and lay a number of them side by side 2 or 3 inches apart. Stack plates and platters together, with just enough packing material between them to separate them of an inch or so, and stand them on edge. Nest together in the same way cups and saucers, Gauce dishes, and other articles of similar shape and size, putting a little packing between, but handling the entire nest in packing as one solid article. Take special care to protect handles and other protuberances so that no strain will be likely to come upon them.

Surround these dishes with a layer of excelsior or hay 2 or 3 inches in thickness, crowding the packing material also between them, and finally cover them with a layer of equal thickness. On this lay a number of other articles of somewhat smaller size and less weight, surrounding, separating, and covering them with several inches of packing material, and pressing all so firmly together that they cannot be shaken out of place. Shake the barrel occasionally, and if any two pieces are not properly separated by the packing material, the fact can be detected by the sound of their contact.