The kitchen is probably the most complicated room to pack for a move. From oddly shaped glasses, sharp silverware, breakable plates, and perishable foods to large appliances, every item in the kitchen comes with a special packing requirement.
How do I pack my kitchen to move?
Knowing the best methods for packing the various items in your kitchen will save you energy, time, and headaches. I’ll share some great ways you can pack the kitchen effectively. But before that, you’ll need to get a couple of items ready.
Getting The Correct Packing Materials For Kitchen Items
Before you start packing, ensure you have suitable packing materials. When packing kitchen items you need ample packing materials. The most important supplies are:
- Double-layered cardboard packing boxes
- Dish Barrel
- Cardboard glass and bottle dividers or cell kits
- Packing peanuts (when shipping)
- Packing paper — newsprints is an alternative but can stain the glasses
- Bubble wrap
- Packing tape
- Scotch tape for holding paper and bubble wrap
- Scissors
- Marker for Labeling
- Ziplock Bags
1. Declutter and Organize
Before you start throwing things into large boxes, take a minute; breathe and ask yourself ‘do I really need everything I currently have in this kitchen?’ Get a large box and throw in anything you don’t need into it. You can donate these or sell them on the Facebook marketplace. Be sure to toss anything that is past its expiry date.
After decluttering, you want to make a list of what you need to pack. We’ve come up with a list to help you get started quicker.
Kitchen Packing Checklist
- Food (Perishable and Non-perishable)
- Dishes
- Silverware
- Pots and Pans
- Utensils
- Appliances
While you can pack pantry items and non-perishable foods weeks in advance, it’s important to leave packing perishable foods a day before your move on very early on the day of your move.
2. Pack Perishable Food in Coolers
Although this is first on our list, it should only be done the day before or on your exact moving date. You don’t want perishables staying out for too long.
You can use coolers to ensure perishables stay fresh longer. Coolers are storage containers that can be carried with ease. Because they are made from insulating materials, coolers keep your perishable foods uninfected and non-stale regardless of the outside temperature.
However, this option is only appropriate if you’re moving locally within a few hours. If your move will take several hours or days, it might be best to donate or discard perishables.
3. Pack Other Food Items in Boxes
Before placing the food items in boxes, it is essential to place them in resealable ziplock bags to avoid leaks and spills. This packing method is ideal for packing sugar, rice, flour, and bottles of olive oil and other liquids.
Glass jars and canned items are packed best in small or medium-sized boxes due to their weight. Regardless of the food item, you pack, remember to keep the weight of the box below 40lbs.
Important Tip for Packing Food
Before you pack up your food, it is advisable to declutter by donating to food banks and throwing away expired food items. The weight of food items may not be worth the cost of transporting them. Besides, it is not wise to move perishable items over long distances.
Once you’ve purged unnecessary food items, here are ways to pack the remaining food essentials:
4. Pack Appliances in their Original Boxes
Your mixers, toasters, blenders, microwave oven, and coffee makers came in inboxes. Packing them in their original boxes is the ideal way to move appliances. However, if you can’t get hold of the original boxes, you can opt for solid cardboard boxes of similar sizes.
Wrap small appliances in packing paper, place them in their suitable boxes, fill extra spaces with padding materials, and seal the box tightly.
For large appliances, it is advisable to leave the job for professional movers. They usually require adequate moving equipment, proper preparation, and ample manpower. But if you choose to do it yourself, you should prepare the appliances early by unplugging them, detaching the hoses, taping the doors firmly, and covering them with blankets in the truck.
5. Pack Kitchen Pots and Pans in Big Boxes
Unlike glassware and plates, pots and pans are easy to move. It is sufficient to pack those pots and pans in a few sheets of newsprints and place them in a big box.
The nesting packing technique is perfect for maximizing space when packing pots. You can do that by simply placing small wrapped pots into larger ones.
Garbage bags are excellent alternatives to try out.
6. Pack Wine Glasses with Divider Boxes
Divider Boxes are designed mainly for moving kitchen items, and these boxes have default dividers that typically form 24 compartments for holding glasses. Though each wine glass stays in separate compartments, you still need to wrap the glasses properly before storing them.
You don’t need to assemble these boxes. Once your wine glasses are wrapped, you can place each in a compartment. It is a good option for people with fewer than 24 wine glasses, and they also have default handles for easy carrying. You can purchase quality boxes with dividers from Banker Box Store on Amazon.
If you can’t get a sturdy box with dividers, there are other ways to pack your wine glasses effectively.
7. Packing Mugs in Quilted Bags
Quilted bags will save you time and give maximum protection to your mugs. These bags are specifically designed for moving mugs, and they are an upgraded solution for moving fragile items.
The interior is completely lined with soft padding and dividers to keep the mugs from colliding. At the same time, the exterior is made from hard plastic covered in extra-thick microfiber materials that prevent the mugs from breaking in transit.
These bags come with many advantages. You can place the items without adding cushioning material, and the bags are also reusable. After the move, you can use the bag to pack mugs whenever necessary. StorageLAB Store offers good quality quilted bags on Amazon.
However, this packing method is quite expensive and can hold just a few cups. If you are packing on a budget, you can check out other ways to safely pack your mugs.
8. Packing Silverware in a Tray
If you use a cutlery tray, packing your knives, fork, and spoons for a move will not be difficult. Just ensure your silverware, and the tray is neat and dry. You should:
- Place each cutlery category in its compartment and stuff the gaps with crumpled paper to ensure the flatware doesn’t shift.
- Add another layer of protection by covering the items with packaging paper.
- Wrap the tray containing the silverware with newspapers, packing papers, or wide towels. Plastic wrap is also a good alternative.
- After wrapping the tray, label either side of the wrap in a way you can identify where the items are packed. This is to prevent the silverware from falling out when unwrapping.
- Place the wrapped in a corrugated box of suitable size. You can fill up any remaining space with soft kitchen items like oven mitts and towels to immobilize the tray and optimize space.
- Secure the box with duct tape, use a marker to label it “SILVERWARE,” and indicate which side is up.
Tip: Wooden Silverware trays offer the best protection for your silverware. Bellsal Store offers top-quality wooden trays on Amazon. It is also important to note that there are diverse ways to pack your silverware without a cutlery tray.
9. Pack Bowls and Plates Vertically in a Dish Barrel
Dish barrels, also known as dish packs, are the ideal boxes for packing fragile kitchen items. They are also known as This cardboard box is corrugated and double-layered, and it offers maximum protection against any external pressure. You can get various corrugated boxes from Bankers Box Store on Amazon.
Even though your plates and bowls are piled horizontally in your cupboard, you need to reposition them vertically when packing them in a dish pack. This is the best way to ensure the plates and bowls don’t collide at every single bump on the road. Piling the bowls horizontally increases the risk of getting damaged in transit.
Avoid stacking bowls and plates together in the boxes to avoid easy damage.
10. Label Everything!
I can’t begin to tell you the number of times, I packed stuff without labeling because I was confident I would remember. 90% of the time, I didn’t! You want to reduce the frustrations you have to deal with during a move by clearly labeling each box or item.
I don’t advise generalized labeling like “FOOD”. It’s best to itemize what a box actually contains so it’s very easy to find things in your new location.
