4 Practical Tips for Packing Your Kitchen When Moving
Of all the stuff that must be packed before moving day, kitchen items are easily the most dreaded. Utensils, cookware, and china are fragile and irregularly shaped. An overwhelming number of odds and ends might also throw you off even if you're the most organized packer.
You must pack dishes well to avoid breakage while packing oddly shaped items and larger appliances efficiently to make use of available space.
Heading straight into your kitchen with no plan will undoubtedly lead to frustration and mistakes. However, you can simplify the entire kitchen packing process and handle the task like a pro. All it takes is a little bit of ingenuity and planning.
Step by Step Kitchen Packing Guide
Here are some practical kitchen packing hacks for a simplified and seamless move:
1. Get Organized
Before diving straight into packing mode, it's crucial that you first create a plan to get things in order. Like any other room in the house, review your items, and separate them into “keep” and “donate” piles.
This is the time to go through your kitchen items and lighten the load. Dedicate sufficient time to ensure the only things that you keep are those that you'll pack for your new home.
Donate all the unnecessary kitchen items that are still in excellent shape to family, friends, or charity-based organizations.
2. Get the Necessary Packing Materials or Supplies
For the safety of your kitchen items and efficiency in packing, it’s best to use different types and sizes of heavy-duty moving boxes, packing tape, packing paper, and labeling markers. Purchasing specialty dividers for stacking and packing will make the job easier for you.
Ensure you pick up some plastic wrap to help retain all the stacked items together and prevent them from moving around during the move.
When it comes to kitchenware packing supplies, you'll probably need more than you think. For instance, a family-sized kitchen would likely need a set of three extra-large boxes, five large ones, ten medium-sized boxes, and five small ones. You'll also need about three rolls (about four to five pounds) of packing paper.
Keep in mind that every kitchen is different - you may need more packing supplies, but these are the essential ones.
3. Set Aside a Few Essentials
In an effort to get ahead of your packing, you may pack up every kitchen item, then discover you didn't set aside any plates, knives, and spoons for the days before your move. Set aside these frequently used items, or create a note of the basics that will be needed right before and after you've moved.
Each family member should have their set of utensils, a cup, and a plate. You should also set aside several bowls as well as a dish towel, a sponge, dish soap, and any other items that you'll need handy for clean-up. These items should be packed in a separate kitchen essentials box on a moving day.
4. Begin the Packing
Once you have everything you need in place, you'll begin the packing process. Here's how to handle the different types of items in your kitchen:
Stemware and Glasses
Pack stemware and glasses with specialty dividers that fit into standard boxes. The dividers help stabilize the glassware while moving, but you should also wrap these items in packing paper to further protect them. Ensure nothing is stacked on top of these fragile items as they can't support extra weight.
Bowls and Plates
Stack your plates and bowls for more efficient use of space. All the breakable materials must be wrapped first, then place pieces of packing paper between them. Use the plastic wrap to keep the stacks together, then pack odds and ends in the space around the bowls and plates.
Pots and Pans
A medium or large box works best for this job. Begin with stacking the pans in size order (like a set of Russian Dolls) and ensure pieces of packing paper are between them. You can stuff dish towels or packing paper into the openings to keep the items from moving around during transport. Also, be sure to wrap the glass lids with packing paper, before packing them away.
Serving Utensils and Flatware
To pack serving utensils and flatware, wrap them in a tray secured with plastic wrap, then place them flat in a box. You can then place the extra serving and cooking utensils on top, wrapped in some packing paper to avoid scratching and marring during transport.
Knives
Each knife should be rolled in packing paper and secured it with a rubber band. This will protect the knife blade and keep it from cutting or scratching other items in the box. Ensure the knives are always on their side–not facing up.
Food Items
Start by packing the spice cabinet. All the glass spice jars should be wrapped with packing paper then stored safely in a small box. Next, start packing the pantry. Check the dates on the items, and throw away any that are expired or items you no longer need. Consider donating any non-perishable food items you don’t intend to keep.
Dry food items should be well sealed then packed up in canvas grocery bags or a medium-sized box. Keep all the perishables from the pantry and fridge in a cooler. If you are moving out of state, consider giving perishable food items to friends, family, or neighbors. Some foodbanks may also take these items as a donation.
Appliances
The ideal storage for your appliances is in their original boxes. If you no longer have them, pack your kitchen appliances in individual boxes, securing them using packing paper. Large appliances such as a refrigerator or microwave should be unplugged, hoses removed, and all doors shut. Your moving company will help you with the rest – they may even have specialty boxes for these items.
Everything Else
Pack the rest of the kitchen items such as cookbooks, mixing bowls, oven mitts, baking sheets, and food storage containers the same way you would with any other item in the kitchen. Keep everything together by labeling the boxes to make unpacking easier. Finally, avoid making one box too heavy.
You're in Safe Hands
Packing up your kitchen doesn’t have to be difficult as long as you plan and use the appropriate materials. With the above packing tips for your kitchen, you're in a position to ensure a seamless move.
College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving® carries all the necessary packing materials to help you get your kitchen organized and ready for your next move. Whether you do it yourself or hire us to help with packing and moving, we got your back.