When moving to a new home, you have the chance to create your dream home – to change everything you didn’t like in your old house or apartment and recreate everything you did like in your old residence. To do so, you’re going to need plenty of new things – functional, comfortable, beautiful things – that will allow you to create the practical, stylish atmosphere you want for your new place and plenty of old things – the things you enjoyed having around in your old home – that will bring warmth and coziness to the space.
So, if you have dried flower arrangements in your old home and enjoy their beauty and charm, you will certainly want to take them to your new place when the time comes to move house. Moving dried flowers, however, is quite a challenge – the delicate leaves, petals, grasses, ferns, twigs, etc. can easily break during the relocation and the entire arrangement can fall apart.
To safely transport your dried flowers to your new home, you need to keep them immobile in their packing box without letting anything touch the fragile plant parts. And this is a rather difficult task.
Here is how to pack dried flowers for moving do they survive the trip to your new home safe and intact.
What packing materials you need
As with any packing task, your first step is to gather appropriate packing materials. When packing dried flowers, you’re going to need:
1) Moving boxes of appropriate size – depending on the type of your flower arrangements (flat or dimensional), you may need laydown boxes or upright cartons:
- Dimensional flower arrangements (cone-shaped, oval-shaped, circular-shaped, and other three-dimensionally shaped arrangements that are designed to be seen from all sides) should travel in an upright position and, therefore, need to be packed in a deep carton;
- Flat flower arrangements (that are flat on one side and meant to be seen only from the front) and individual flowers should be packed lying flat on their back in laydown boxes;
- Very tall and very large flower arrangements should always be packed flat – in such cases, you may need to use several large boxes (with the edges flattened) to procure the necessary length or width (the resulting box must be well secured with quality packing tape).
2) Packing paper – thin tissue paper is the best option as it will provide padding and support without crushing the fragile leaves, flowers, seed heads, and twigs.
3) Bubble wrap and air-pillows
4) String
5) Packing tape
6) Scissors
7) Permanent marker
Every flower arrangement should be packed in a separate box and well secured in the moving container.
How to pack dried flowers
The first thing to do when packing dried flowers for moving is to line the box with tissue paper and arrange some sheets so they hang over the edges (these sheets will later be folded around the arrangement). Then, you need to make a “nest” for the flowers and secure them in the box.
How to pack dimensional flower arrangements
Dried flowers arranged in a pot, vase, or some other decorative container need to be packed as they’re – upright, together with their container (so the floral arrangement is preserved during the move). Therefore, you need to find a way to keep the arranged flowers upright in the moving box.
The best way to achieve this is to make a nest of packing paper at the bottom of the carton – the container with the flower arrangement will fit perfectly in the custom-shaped (and custom-sized) space and will stay safe during the relocation process. The flowers will sit snug in a bed of crushed packing paper that will hold the vase on all sides.
The paper nest will keep the dried arrangement from tipping over or leaning against the side of the carton and will provide cushioning and support to the container.
Good to remember:
- Wrap the vase in a protective layer of packing paper and bubble wrap before putting it in the paper nest. When wrapping the container, be very careful not to damage any elements of the flower arrangement hanging over the rim (See also: How to pack vases for moving);
- Make the paper nest before putting the flowers in the box. It may seem easier to just put down a layer of paper, put the dried arrangement in the carton, and then stuff some paper down around the vase, but that is not a good idea – you can easily break some delicate leaves, flowers, or twigs while trying to place the paper padding around the container.
How to pack flat flower arrangements and individual dried flowers
Individual dried flowers, dried flower bouquets, dried wreaths, and all types of flat flower arrangements should be packed in a lying position – so the risk of damage to the flowers is smaller and the packing process is easier.
All you need to do is create a bed of packing paper for the flowers to rest on and put the arrangement flat on its back in the box (face up).
Bonus tip: For added safety, you may want to make paper nests for your flat flower arrangements too – use tissue paper to create a cradle in which to put the flowers.
How to secure your dried flowers in the moving boxes
Once you’ve laid your dried flowers in their protective paper bed, you need to find a way to keep them there – to prevent them from bouncing around inside the carton during transit.
The logical thing to do is to fill the empty space with paper wads – to provide cushioning and keep the flowers from shifting. You can do that (use crumpled tissue paper and fill the space carefully and lightly) but it is risky – some fragile parts of the flower arrangement can be crushed in the process.
Using a string is your better option – it will hold the flower arrangement in place without exerting pressure on its delicate elements. Make small holes in the sides of the cardboard box (low for flat arrangements, near the centers of the sides for dimensional arrangements) and run a piece of string through them – a couple of string pieces will be enough to keep a flat arrangement secured in place while a dimensional arrangement will need at least four pieces. Tape the ends of the string to the outside of the carton or loop the string through the holes of the box and tie the ends together.
Bonus tip: If there is a lot of empty space in the packing box, you can add some air-pillows in it – they’re very light, so they should not damage the delicate dried arrangements – for padding and support against movement and vibrations.
Once you’ve secured the flowers in place, take care to protect the top of the arrangement – fold (or roll in) the overlapping sheets of paper round the inside of the edges (to form a sort of paper nest at the top of the box) and cover the entire flower arrangement with a light sheet of tissue paper or cellophane (crumpled and loose so as not to damage any protruding plant parts).
Close the box, seal it tightly with packing tape, and write “FRAGILE” and “HANDLE WITH CARE” all over the carton. Mark the top side (“THIS SIDE UP”) with big, bold, bright letters.
How to move dried flowers
If possible, transport your dried flowers yourself – take them in the car with you, position the box on top of your other boxes (so it is not crushed by heavier items put on top of it) and make sure there is no risk of something falling on it. (See also: How to pack a car for moving)
If your dried flower arrangements will be transported in the moving truck together with the rest of your belongings, make sure the box is well secured on top of your items (and not stacked under other boxes) and nothing can fall over it.
See also: How to move with plants
Now that you know how to pack dried flowers for moving the right way, your beautiful arrangements will stay safe and intact during the relocation and will bring cheer and style to your new home. May it indeed become the home of your dreams!
