When it comes to packing, most of the people are dreading packing kitchen. You really must take your time packing kitchen stuff. Otherwise you might end up with a bunch of broken glass at the end of your move. This post from Professional Boston Movers is here to help you to avoid the most common mistakes and provide some tips on how to  have your kitchen moving-ready over the weekend.

 

1.       Start packing as far in advance as possible. There are a lot of things in your kitchen that is not being utilized on a daily basis but rather is taken out for special occasions. If you start slowly packing away such things a week before the move, it is a lot better than having to pack everything the night before, when the stress level is at the highest. Your china dinner sets and serving dishes, or seasonal things are a few of examples of things that do not need to wait till the very last minute and could be packed away in advance. It of course varies from family to family, but most of us don’t need much on a daily basis and can do away with a few plates, cups and utensils, a couple of knives, a couple of pots and pans, a coffee machine (of course! We need our coffee in the morning!) as well as cleaning supplies and a kitchen towel. Everything else can start getting wrapped and put safely away in boxes a week before the moving day.

2.       Stock up with packing material in advance. Kitchen is the one place where you will definitely use a lot of packing materials!

·         Boxes – we recommend small and medium size boxes. Large boxes full of plates would be too heavy and prone to falling apart while transporting. They are not practical for fragile things. One exception is boxes for pots and pans. The way you pick a box for those items is to get a box big enough to fit the biggest item to go into the box. For the boxes that carry glass items, it is recommended that you put an extra layer of tape on the bottom of the box to avoid the bottom falling off or falling apart.

·         Packing wrapping paper – it is used to wrap fragile items, such as glasses, plates and also utensils.

·         Tape – don’t try to save a few extra bucks here and get yourself a tape dispenser. It will save you a lot of time.

·         Markers and stickers – carefully label each box to make sure you can quickly identify its contents. If you end up with 30 boxes that say “kitchen”, it will be quite hard to find anything while unpacking. Be as specific as possible but without going into too much details (e.g., “plates”, “pots and pans” etc). You can get different color stickers to label different rooms items go to (e.g., red – kitchen, blue – bedroom etc). This provides very helpful visual clues as to where each box belongs.

·         Bubble wrap – it can be used for wrapping extra fragile items and also for filling in gaps in boxes.

3.       Pack items you will need first together in one box. You can pack a box or two of things that you will need right away when you are moved into your new place. Pack it with a few plates, cups and utensils, a couple of knives, a couple of pots and pans, a coffee machine or teapot, as well as cleaning supplies and a paper towels.

4.       Packing of kitchen appliances. This part is not about large appliances, such as refrigerators, stoves, etc., but rather it is about small appliances, such as your mixers, toasters, and blenders. If you still happen to have the original boxes, it would be optimal to just pack those appliances into their original boxes. If not, you will need some medium size boxes and creativity. You should wash each appliance (take it apart if possible and wash each part) then let it dry or wipe it dry with some paper towels or cloths. Remove small and fragile parts (e.g., glass bowls). If you still have the assembly instructions, pack it together with each appliance (you can tape it to the body of the appliance). It will be helpful when putting the appliance back together. Use wrapping paper or bubble wrap to pack fragile or small parts. Pack the appliance into the box and put the small parts on top.

5.       Plates, cups, and glasses. Layer the bottom of the box with at least 2 coats of bubble wrap or wrapping paper. Each piece should be individually wrapped with wrapping paper before put away into the box. Even though all plates are individually wrapped, put a layer of bubble wrap (or wrapping paper) between plates for extra cushioning. You should wrap fragile pieces (such as wine glasses, for example) in bubble wrap instead of wrapping paper (for extra cushioning). There should be no empty space in the boxes with plates and glasses. Fill empty space with wrapping paper. Items in the boxes should NOT move when box is moved or shaken.

6.       Utensils. Sort your utensils and secure them with rubber bands. Put them into an empty shoe box. Wrap knives’ blades with paper towel or cardboard before packing away into the box with other utensils.

7.       Pots and pans. Finding a box big enough to hold your pots and pans is easy. Place your biggest item into a box. If it fits both horizontally and vertically, you have found the winner! Pack the rest of your pots and pans into boxes. Don’t forget to wrap glass covers to protect them from breaks and scratches!

8.       EAT your food! The more you consume, the less you would have to pack and transport (risking some of it going bad or squashed etc.). Reduce your grocery lists to the very basic items that you will most surely consume before the move. If you must pack your perishables and liquids, place them into a plastic bag to avoid leaks. If you have cans and jars to pack, place them on the bottom of the box. Place less heavy items on top. Don’t forget to wrap glass jars.

9.       Cleaning supplies. Open the lids, place a piece of shrink wrap onto the opening, and replace the lids. Place all the cleaning supplies into a heavy-duty plastic bag before packing into a box.

10.   Frozen food. Place perishable food into bags or coolers right before the move, and cover with ice. Defrost your refrigerator and clean it thoroughly. If you are taking your fridge with you, we recommend that it is loaded onto the truck last. This way, it can be unloaded first at the destination. Then, you can just turn it on and load the food back into it.

You can avoid a lot of headaches if you spend some time preparing and carefully planning your packing and moving. We recommend that you read these instructions a few times before trying to pack your kitchen. You could even print it out and use it as a guide while packing. We hope this article helps you start enjoying your kitchen sooner at your new home!