How to Pack Your Kitchen to Prepare for Moving Day
Moving to a new home is an exciting experience, but it can also be an experience filled with stress and frustration if you aren’t organized and prepared for the move. One of the most challenging parts of a home to pack is the kitchen because of all of the small, delicate, perishable, and oddly sized items that reside here.
Here is a guide for packing your kitchen for an upcoming move, as well as where to find new decorative kitchen fixtures and supplies if something needs to be replaced.
Choosing Boxes and Containers
Having a successful packing experience requires sturdy and appropriately sized boxes and containers, especially for the kitchen. For an average-sized family kitchen, you will likely need 5-10 each of large boxes, medium boxes, heavy-duty boxes, and cell kits for classes and vases.
Essential vs. Non-Essential Items
Since you’ll need a few kitchen items left behind in your own home before fully transitioning to your new one, set aside one box of essential items that you are likely to use every day. In this essentials box, make sure to put in enough plates and bowls for each family member, silverware, necessary appliances like the coffeemaker, dish towels, and dish soap.
Labeling Strategies
Unpacking boxes can feel like a nightmare if they aren’t labeled well to help you quickly find what you need. Be as detailed as possible on your labels and number each box. Then create a packing log with columns of each box number and brief descriptions of what is in each box to make finding items as easy as possible.
Tips for Packing Dishes
Dishes are often a challenge to pack because they can be so easily broken, scratched, and chipped. Wrap dishes in bubble wrap or another protective material, and put as many dishes into each box as possible to prevent them from shifting around while carried. Cell packs or cardboard dividers are wonderful for keeping cups and glasses protected during your move.
Tips for Packing Pots and Pans
The biggest challenges in packing pots and pans often lies with fitting these bulky items into boxes and closing them up. Stack pots and pans in order of size and try to keep the lids in the same boxes as the pots and pans they go with. This will make cooking easier if you don’t unpack everything all at once. You can also tape the lids onto pots and pans to keep them together.
How to Pack Appliances
It is important to pack away large appliances, such as the refrigerator and stove, well in advance of your move to avoid broken parts and even gas leaks. For small appliances, remember to remove sharp blades to prevent potential cuts to fingers or tears in the boxes. Pack these items in their original boxes if you still have them.
Packaging Food and Pantry Items
In the weeks leading up to your move, make an effort to clear out your refrigerator and pantry as much as possible. Plan to go out to eat or get takeout on the last couple days in your old house to avoid needing extra items for cooking and serving. If you plan to transport perishable items from your old house to your new one, make sure to place them into coolers to prevent spoilage.
Reassessing Your Kitchen
Moving is an excellent opportunity to assess what you have in your kitchen to get rid of items you never use and upgrade worn-down items that you use all the time. It’s also a great time to assess the existing features of the kitchen in your new home and make updates before stashing everything away in the cupboards and drawers. From faucets to sinks and finishing touches, Central Plumbing Specialties can help with all your kitchen fixture needs. Stop by the location nearest you to browse kitchen fixtures for your new home!