Packing your kitchen items for moving is really so much bigger than just your dishes — it’s everything in your kitchen. We’re talking pots and pans, small appliances, silverware and serving utensils. We’re talking about oddly-shaped items and bulky items and items that don’t seem to fit into any sized box. It’s also about all the fragile items from water glasses to stemware.
If you’re afraid to even start packing your kitchen, don’t be. With the right materials, boxes and some tips, there’s nothing you can’t pack. So, stop procrastinating by packing all the other rooms of your home. It’s time to tame the beast.
How do you pack a kitchen for moving?
To get your kitchen ready for a move, you’ll need all the standard supplies — boxes, tape, some kind of paper and bubble wrap. The secret to not feeling overwhelmed, though, by the sheer amount of stuff in your kitchen, is to separate everything by type. You’ll more easily see what you’ve got to pack, and can estimate what will fit together in boxes so you can get an accurate total. It also lets you work in stages so you don’t feel like everything is happening at once.
How many boxes do I need to pack a kitchen?
For the average-sized kitchen, you’ll need a variety of different boxes. These include:
- 2-4 small boxes
- 5-6 medium boxes
- 4 large boxes
- 2 extra-large boxes
- 4-6 dish boxes with specialty dividers
With a breakdown like this, you should end up with a box to fit anything from larger appliances like a stand mixer to small items like the contents of your spice cabinet. The trick is to use your space wisely, packing little things in the smaller
boxes, saving those extra-large moving boxes and specialty boxes for those items that really need them.
You also should remember to label all kitchen boxes as fragile, whether they’re holding breakable materials or not. Chances are you don’t want the non-breakables getting jostled around too much during the move, so handle all boxes with care.
What can I use instead of packing paper?
Packing paper is often your best friend when packing, but to save some trees and use items around the house that also need to get packed, you do have some options. Alternatives that will work in a moving box in the same way as the all-important paper include:
- Linens
- Towels
- Clothing
- Bubble wrap
If you’re using linens, blankets work the best. They’re a bit thicker than sheets. The same goes for those winter sweaters if your moving supplies consist of your own clothing. T-shirts will work well, too, especially with plates, but don’t use anything nice, just in case.
When should I pack my kitchen when moving?
Since it’s a big job, starting early to pack your kitchen up is pretty important, however, you don’t want to lose the functionality of your kitchen either. To avoid saving the entire room for the last minute, create an essentials box. These are the items you’ll pack up right before you move that allow you to use your kitchen even as you’re packing it up.
What kitchen supplies belong in your essentials box?
- One table setting for each member of the home
- A wooden spoon and a pair of tongs
- Oven mitts or dish towels
- A medium-sized frying pan and pot with a lid
- A strainer and mixing bowl
- A coffee maker or any single appliance you really can’t live without
These are the items you’ll clean and pack up the night before your big move in some standard boxes. Keeping them out until then lets you continue to go through all your perishable food as you pack other rooms.
How to pack almost anything in my kitchen
There’s a lot to get into those boxes before crossing the kitchen off of your packing list. To streamline the process and make it easier to get even your kitchen appliances boxed up, here’s what to do.
Dishes
To pack dishes, start by doing a little triaging. Recycle or throw out any broken or chipped dishes. Donate anything else you’ve really never used or is a duplicate dish.
Next, you should reinforce each box before packing it up. To do this, add an extra layer of tape across the seam inside the bottom of the box. Then, make sure to pad the bottom with some crumpled packing paper or bubble wrap so the dishes aren’t coming into direct contact with the box itself. Make sure you pack and store all your dish boxes on a flat surface, away from any edges.
To optimize box space in each separate box, create stacks of same-size dishes to pack together. Then, begin wrapping and bundling. This process has you wrap every single item in packing paper first until you get a stack of three or four dishes. Wrap the stack up, as well, seal with tape and set the bundle in the box vertically. Even though this is counterintuitive to how you lay them on shelves, packed flat, dishes have a higher chance of breaking during the move.
Remember to stack from heaviest to lightest with your dishes, using crumpled packing paper for padding in the gaps. You should also consider nesting items that naturally come in groups, like mixing bowls, once each individual piece gets wrapped.
Cups of all kinds
From glasses to those heavy coffee mugs to your stemware collection, cups are probably the most fragile thing on your kitchen packing list. Luckily, these items are some of the easiest to pack if you have the right box. Look for new or used boxes that have specialty dividers in them, most likely meant to hold bottles if they’re used. New boxes for packing dishes are known as cell boxes.
Packing glasses, like those you use for water, is pretty straightforward. After laying a few sheets of packing paper down on the bottom for insulation, place each, individually wrapped glass into the box in an upright position. This is the best position to keep them safe.
Packing mugs follow a pretty similar pattern as glasses, the only difference is the handle. It’s best when packing mugs to wrap the handle separately. Doing so reduces the risk of it breaking off at any point. Most mugs do fine in packing paper, but if there’s a special one you want to protect, use bubble wrap instead.
Packing stemware requires a more delicate touch. Those stems are fragile and it’s pretty easy for a base to snap off a wine glass. Use smaller boxes for these items to ensure it doesn’t get too heavy. Then, pad the box a lot, on all sides. Stemware should go into the box vertically, once wrapped, with extra paper stuffed in the gaps to ensure nothing really shifts around once the box is full. To properly wrap stemware, gently fill the globe with tissue paper before wrapping the entire glass in packing paper or bubble wrap.
To get a perfect wrap every time, no matter the cup:
- Set out a few sheets of packing paper
- Place the cup in the corner of the sheets and roll
- Fold the ends back toward the cup
- Apply a small piece of tape to the bundle
This keeps each cup contained and protected. For extra safety, make sure to place a layer of paper between each row of glassware so you’re not stacking one directly on top of another.
Silverware
When it comes to packing silverware, you can most likely fit everything into a small box. Start by making sure everything is clean and dry, then divide everything by item. You should end up with a pile of spoons, forks and knives. Next, arrange by size. Once done, stack each pile and wrap tightly with plastic wrap, a rubber band or packing paper.
If you keep your silverware in an organizing tray, the bundles can go back into it. When that’s full, stuff any empty spaces with packing paper and then, wrap the whole thing before it goes into a box.
Serving utensils should also be grouped and wrapped in the same way, although you may just have to put those bundles directly into the box. For larger cooking utensils, like wooden spoons and silicon spatulas, wrap them up in plastic wrap.
If you have any sterling silver, you’ll have to individually wrap each piece to protect it.
Make sure when you pack flatware of any kind that it’s securely situated within the box. Although they’re not fragile items, you don’t want them to get bent out of shape.
Knives
For kitchen knives that are actually sharp (not butter knives), you’ll need some special packing supplies. Ideally, you’ll have a protective sleeve for each knife to prevent anyone from cutting themselves. Bubble wrap does make an OK substitute.
Wrap each knife separately. Then, you can group them together and bag them up before putting them into a box. You can also add them to your silverware box if there’s room. If you do wrap any knives in paper, make sure to label them so you know what you’re grabbing out of the box.
Heavily pad the area in your box with knives with crumpled packing paper to prevent knives from shifting around.
Pots and pans
You might want some heavy-duty boxes when it comes time to pack the pots and pans. Even with just a few of them in a medium-sized box, they can still get heavy fast. To pack pots and pans, you can stack them from largest to smallest, but you’ll still need to separate each item with packing paper. You’ll also want to wrap each handle separately.
To get a good set of stacked items, set down the largest pot or pan first and put a few sheets of packing paper inside, add the next largest pot or pan and continue the process. Once done, wrap the entire bundle using at least three sheets of packing paper and seal with tape.
It’s also a good idea to line the inside of the medium box with packing paper for extra cushioning.
If you’ve got cast iron pans, make sure to distribute the weight, putting only one in each box at the very bottom. Cast iron pans also need more protection so use bubble wrap or dish towels to cover them up.
For non-stick pots and pans, wrap each individually in paper or bubble wrap and try to pack them facing down. This will prevent any scratches. Since stacking them is out of the question, save your non-sticks for the top of any kitchen box. It will actually protect them more this way.
Wrap any glass lids with bubble wrap or packing paper individually so they don’t bang against anything. You can even use a dish towel to wrap each lid. Pack these in a vertical position so they’re not as vulnerable to cracks.
Kitchen appliances
All the kitchen appliances you’ve added to your apartment, like your coffee maker or toaster oven, will also need to get packed up. While they’re not necessarily breakable, they’re fragile items, so moving them in their original boxes is the most ideal solution. If that’s not possible, you should put them each in a separate box since they’ll often take up most of the space anyway.
Packing appliances is always a lesson in packing oddly-shaped items so you may need some additional packing materials. One of the best is packing peanuts. They work wonders when filling in tiny empty spaces inside a box, don’t weigh a lot and provide protection for our appliances without having to wrap them up.
Some key packing tips for appliances include:
- Packing complementary accessories in the same box as the appliance
- Using packing tape to seal all doors shut on appliances (like a toaster oven)
- Stuffing packing materials like paper or newsprint into all gaps with a box to secure the appliance and prevent jiggling
A moving company can also pack these items and any large appliances up for you if you’re concerned about them making it to your new home safely.
Pantry items
Dealing with perishable food items should also be on your list when packing up the kitchen. For things already in containers, you can bag like items together and use canvas grocery bags to transport them. If you’re trying to preserve food from half-eaten bags of chips or open boxes of cereal, transfer them to food storage containers. Some perishable food items, like condiments or salad dressing bottles, can get sealed in plastic wrap and boxed or bagged for the move.
For food that you don’t want to make the trip with you, consider donating anything not opened to a local food bank. Ideal food items for donating include:
- Peanut butter
- Canned fruit and vegetables
- Canned soup or stew
- Canned fish
- Pasta
- Rice
Just make sure nothing you’re donating has already expired.
Packing tips for the rest of the stuff
Tackle everything else in your kitchen with your remaining packing supplies. Grab a few medium boxes, plastic bags, packing paper and packing tape and dig in. This portion of your kitchen pack should go quickly since by now you’ve packed all fragile items.
Most miscellaneous items can get wrapped in packing paper, so make sure you have plenty on hand. Use full sheets for most items, and tape closed heavier bundles, as well. If wrapping up small items like spice containers, you can put a few into a single sheet of paper, but make sure each is fully wrapped before you add in another one.
Getting that kitchen packed
Yes, packing your kitchen is serious business. There’s so much to keep track of among all the details that make up a successful move. And, even though there’s a lot to get packed up safely, with the right materials and some focused time, you can pack your kitchen items for moving as fast as any other room in your home.
Source: rent.com