Category Archives: and Other Art

The Amazing “Mini Dishpack” Box

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I only recently discovered this box. It is the “Mini Dishpack” box at 18″ x 18″ x 14″ (2.63 cubic feet) or exactly half the height of the standard-sized Dishpack box at 18″ x 18″ x 28″ (5.25 cubic feet). The great thing about Dishpack boxes in general is they have double-thickness cardboard. While doing moves through McGregor Moving for 19 years, I have NEVER had anything break in a Dishpack box if it was halfway properly packed. The double thickness cardboard is really a lifesaver. The main two applications I’ve found for the Mini Dishpack so far:

1) When you have just a few more fragile items to box-pack and you want the double thickness protection of a Dishpack, but you don’t need a full 24″ tall Dishpack. Previously In this situation I would have to:

A) Go with something like a single thickness 3.0 cubic foot box, and hope it was strong enough, or

B) Nest a smaller box within a bigger box, or

C) Use the standard size 24″ tall Dishpack box, and have to work hard to fill the remainder of the box with other items–maybe filler items like towels–or actually waste expensive packing materials by filling the excess box with newsprint, or packing peanuts, or something even more expensive like bubble wrap or mircrofoam.

2) You have something like a heavy rod-iron 16″ statue. You or the customer may not want to pay to have the statue wood-crated, but a standard single-thickness box is really too flimsy.

ENTER THE MINI DISHPACK BOX!

The “Mini Dishpack Box” is part of my regular box-packing arsenal now!

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Preparing Paintings and Pictures To Be Moved

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Glass Covered Painting, and small enough to go in Dish-Pack Box

Glass Covered Painting, and small enough to go in Dish-Pack Box


Dish-Pack Box in which small paintings and pictures can be packed

Dish-Pack Box in which small paintings and pictures can be packed

For moving purposes, there are four categories of paintings and pictures:

1) Ones small enough to fit in a Dish-Pack Box:

Since a Dish-Pack dimensions are around 24” x 20” x “34, the picture should be small enough to comfortably fit in the box. Wrap the pictures in Packing Paper or even Bubble-Wrap—though Bubble-Wrap is usually not necessary—and you can fit multiple pictures this size in Dish-Pack Box

2) Paintings or Pictures too large to fit in a Dish-Pack box, and under $1000 in value which are covered with glass:

Because of its glass-covering, the painting/picture might be moved safely covered in either a quilted pad or a paper pad—as long as the picture frame is not fragile or expensive. If it is, then we should use the next higher level of protection—the Picture Box. The best way is to wrap the picture in a Paper Pad before inserting it into the Picture Box. If you don’t have a Paper Pad, you can also use Packing Paper or Bubble-Wrap. Make sure you protect the corners.

Framed Oil Painting--Needs be covered in Paper Pad, then placed in Picture Box

Framed Oil Painting--Needs be covered in Paper Pad, then placed in Picture Box

Picture Box

Picture Box

3) Paintings or Pictures too large to fit in a Dish-Pack Box, and under $1000 in value which are not covered by glass—“Oil Paintings:”

You don’t want a dirty quilted pad to touch the surface of an oil painting, and they usually have decent frames so a Picture Box is usually required. The best way is to wrap the picture in a Paper Pad before inserting it into the Picture Box. If you don’t have a Paper Pad, you can also use Packing Paper or Bubble-Wrap. Make sure you protect the corners.

Pictures Wrapped in Paper Pads Without "Picture Boxes" Surrounding Them

4) Paintings/Pictures over $1000 in value:

$1000 is obviously an arbitrary even number, and the number should climb higher with inflation, but in 2009 most Movers will think about having a wooden crate made for pictures in this value category. And there are many pictures in Atlanta homes valued at 10K, 50K and higher. Movers are not going to put a high-value picture in the truck without it being in a wooden picture crate. If it’s a local move, the homeowner/customer does have the option to move the picture himself–in his car–in order to save the extra cost of having the wooden crate made. Check to make sure your vehicle will accommodate the size of the picture.