How to Pack Kitchen Items

Preparing for a move is stressful. You know how challenging it is to pack the items found in a kitchen for those who have moved before. If you are moving out of your starter home, you will be shocked at how difficult it is to pack what you find in the kitchen.

The best way to prepare to pack and move a kitchen is to hire a professional moving company to assist with the process. You can hire professional packers to help you organize the packing process up until the moving day. Work with a trusted team of professional movers to ensure that your kitchen items reach the destination safely.

Why do we recommend professional movers?

The kitchen is challenging because of all the items you need to remove from the cabinets and pantry. On top of that, you can’t just throw these items in a box and call it a day. Since most of the things you pack from a kitchen are breakable, you will need to wrap each one individually and gently place them in the appropriate boxes.

If you want to pack up the kitchen yourself, the tips you will find below for how to pack kitchen items can help you prepare for and pack up the items from your kitchen before moving. Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time to tackle the kitchen because it will take a couple of days to complete.

Get Rid of Items You No Longer Need

Moving is a great time to get rid of items you no longer need or use. There’s no reason to bring old pots and pans, silverware, glassware, or other items to your new home if you haven’t used them in years. Instead of hauling unwanted items to your new home and eventually throwing them away upon your arrival, donate or throw them away before you move.

Go through every item in your kitchen to determine which ones will be donated or thrown away and which ones you will take to your new home. This will be a painstakingly long process, especially if you or your spouse have trouble parting with things.

Keep the Kitchen Operational Before Moving Day

It might not be practical to pack the entire kitchen weeks or even a few days before moving to a new home. You should keep some essential items available in the kitchen leading up to the moving day so you can still enjoy meals throughout the day, whether you wish to cook or reheat food in the microwave.

You can always use paper plates, plastic utensils, and eat takeout to avoid using your silverware, glasses, plates, and cups, but this might not always be the best option for your family. Consider leaving some of the following unpacked so your kitchen remains operational:

• A bread knife and a wooden spoon
• A set of cutlery, a plate, and a glass for each member of your family
• A mixing bowl and a strainer
• A pot and a frying pan
• The toaster or coffee maker
• Cleaning products: soap, dishtowel, sponge, etc

Place these items in an empty cabinet so they are together. Save at least one medium-sized box to pack them in on moving day, so they are not mistakenly left behind.

Secure the Right Packing Materials for the Move

Once you are ready to begin packing the items that will go with you to your new home, you need to secure suitable packing materials for the move. Do not use newspapers or magazine pages to wrap flatware, wine glasses, bowls, or plates. Printed paper can leave ink on your items and is too thin to protect breakable items.

A list of the packing supplies you will need to pack the kitchen for a move includes the following:

• Heavy-duty boxes in various sizes for heavier items (15-20)
• Large boxes
• ​Small boxes
• Medium boxes
• Original boxes for appliances
• Bubble wrap
• Packing paper (2-3 rolls)
• Packing tape
• Rubber bands
• Markers
• Cling plastic wrap
• Packing labels

Always buy more supplies than you think you will need, so you limit trips to the store, which takes time away from the task at hand.

Check out our guide on the best moving boxes for different items that you will need the most during your move.

Choose a Cabinet and Start Packing

Standing in the middle of your kitchen staring blankly at all of the cabinets is overwhelming. Forcing yourself to start the packing process is not easy. Choose a cabinet and start taking items out of it to begin wrapping them in packing paper.

Make sure the counter is clear so you can line up all your glassware, dishware, silverware, stemware, mugs, cups, and other items for packing. The counter is a great place to wrap all of these items. You have plenty of space, and you aren’t using the kitchen table, where you should eat your final meals in the home with your family before moving.

Kitchen Packing Tips

When the time comes to start packing dishes in packing boxes, be sure to follow these kitchen moving tips:

• Line the interior of every box with packing paper.
• Place one plate on packing paper, then cover it with paper, and place another plate on top. Continue this process until you have a stack of four plates. Wrap the entire stack in packing paper and place the stack in a moving box.
• Always place stacks of plates in a box horizontally.
• You can use the same method for packing bowls but only stack them two at a time.
• Place a layer of packing paper on top of the plates or bowls before placing anything on top of them in the box.
• Glasses, cups, or mugs should only be placed on top of plates or bowls and not at the bottom of the box. They should be wrapped in packing paper individually.
• Wrap utensils in packing paper with four to six items per bundle. Be sure to keep all like-utensils together (pack knives with knives, spoons with spoons, and forks with forks).
• Pack steak knives and other sharp utensils in a container to protect yourself and the movers from harm.
• Pack pots and pans in their own box, with the glass lid, wrapped separately from the pot or the pan.
• Use plastic bags to wrap fragile items that could leak.
• Only pack unopened wine bottles for your move. If you have a large wine collection, you might want to look into having a professional moving company transport them to your new home.
• Baking trays, cookbooks, and dish racks can all be packed normally, with the heaviest items placed at the bottom of the box.

Packing Small Appliances

If you are bringing small kitchen appliances with you to the new home, you should pack them in as small a box as possible. You want them to be snug in the box, so they don’t move around much during transport. Use packing peanuts, foam, and packing paper to secure the appliance in the box. Clean the appliances before packing them so you can unpack and use them immediately upon arriving at your new home.

Packing Large Appliances

It has become increasingly less common for people to bring their large appliances with them when they move. It’s less stressful to purchase new appliances (fridge, stove, oven) for their new home instead of hauling them across the country. If you decide to bring these appliances with you, make sure you unplug them, remove all hosts, and tape the doors shut so the movers can load them onto the moving truck.