Anyone who has ever moved to a new home can tell you that packing up your kitchen is the most time consuming, and most difficult, room in your entire house. There are so many different items in your kitchen – from heavy pots and pans to delicate glassware, the assortment of tiny spice jars to a pantry full of food – it’s easy to see how it can feel overwhelming. Luckily, with a bit of planning, you can have your kitchen completely packed up without a lot of difficulty.
Packing Away Your Kitchen Items
The last thing you want to do is jump right into packing your kitchen without a plan of attack. Follow these tips to make packing up your kitchen as stress free as possible.
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Get Organized
This might feel like an unnecessary process, but it saves time in the long run. Take a quick run through your kitchen and remove any items you no longer want or need. Donate usable items and throw away, or recycle, anything chipped, cracked, or broken. As a rule of thumb, if you haven’t used it in over a year, get rid of it.
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Gather Packing Materials
You want to make sure you have everything you need before you get started so you don’t waste time looking for supplies. You will need heavy duty boxes in an assortment of sizes, lots of packing paper and packing tape, and thick markers to label your boxes. If you save your grocery bags, this is the perfect opportunity to put them to good use.
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Plan For Final Meals
You won’t want to search through a mountain of boxes to find the pots and pans you need to cook dinner in the last night in your home. If you aren’t planning on ordering take out at the end of the day and grabbing donuts for breakfast the next morning, you will want to make sure to keep out at least one set of dishes for each family member as well as any pantry items you need to prepare your meals.
You can also opt to order pizza and use disposable dishes to make things easier. Please remember not to pack any of your perishable foods from the refrigerator, freezer or pantry into your moving boxes.
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Set Essentials Aside
You will want to make sure you have one box full of your kitchen essentials set aside and labeled accordingly. This keeps you from having to hunt for the items you use every day when you get into your new home.
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Choose Your Starting Point
One of the most difficult parts of packing your kitchen is just getting started! Since everything needs to be packed up, you can start anywhere you choose.
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Packing Pots & Pans
Stack pots and pans into a medium or large box with the smaller ones nestled into the larger ones, with a sheet of packing paper between them. Glass lids should be wrapped in packing paper, bubble wrap, or thick towels then placed around the pots and pans, or packed in a separate box. Fill any empty space with crumpled packing paper, dish towels, or plastic grocery bags to keep the contents from shifting.
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Packing Plates & Bowls
For fragile items, wrap each item with a layer of packing paper then stack them together. Wrapping stacks of plates and bowls tightly with plastic wrap can help keep them together. Fill any gaps with odds and ends, then fill remaining empty space with filler such as packing paper.
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Packing Glasses & Stemware
When it comes to fragile glass, it’s recommended that you invest in specialty dividers that fit into standard size moving boxes. Wrap each piece in packing paper and gently insert them into the divider. Do not pack anything on top of your glasses. Fill any empty space with dish towels, crumpled packing paper, or plastic grocery bags.
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Packing Silverware & Other Utensils
Your flatware is one of the easiest things to pack in your kitchen. Wrap your silverware tray tightly with plastic wrap and put it inside a box. Pack other cooking utensils on top then fill extra space with dish towels or packing paper.
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Packing Knives
If your knives are in a block, simply wrap the entire block tightly in plastic wrap then place inside a box. For individual knives, roll each one in a sheet of packing paper when wrap a dish towel around it. Secure with a rubber band and pack knives on their side.
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Packing Small Appliances
If you happen to have the original boxes for your small appliances, like your coffee maker, packing them up is a breeze. If not, wrap each small appliance in packing paper and place inside a small box. Fill empty space with filler. Packing one appliance per box will prevent you from having a very heavy box that could rip under its own weight.
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Packing Food Items
Throw out anything that is expired. If you have unwanted items that are not opened or expired, donate them to your local food bank. Then wrap your spice jars in paper and pack them in a small box.
Make sure the remaining food items are well sealed and pack them in a medium to large box, or grocery bags. You can put perishable items in a cooler during your move.
Kitchen Moving Tips
With so many unique items in your kitchen, it’s important to pack (and stack!) each one accordingly.
- Double tape the base of your moving boxes for added strength.
- Line the inside of your boxes with a layer of scrunched moving paper.
- Heavy items should be placed in the box first, followed by lighter items as you pack.
- Don’t overpack your boxes. Fill empty space with crumpled packing paper or bunches of grocery bags.
- Label the box on all four sides, as well as the top, so you know exactly what is in the box regardless of how it is positioned or being held. For those who like to be extra organized, slip a list of the contents on top of the packing paper before you tape it shut. Don’t forget to mark boxes with breakables as fragile.
- When stacking your boxes, place the heaviest and largest on the bottom then stack smaller and lighter as you go up. Be careful not to stack too high as it increases the likelihood of falling.
Moving Out Kitchen Essentials
Here are some common everyday items that you might want to add to your kitchen essentials box:
- One of each per family member:
- Plate
- Bowl
- Coffee Cup or Mug
- Drinking Glass
- Knife, Spoon, and Fork
- One Saucepan & One Frying Pan
- A Large Bowl
- Tongs & Spatula
- Coffee/Tea Pot, Filters, & Coffee/Tea
- Paper Towels
- Dish Soap & Sponge
- Potholder
- Resealable Plastic Bags
- Aluminum Foil
- Plastic Wrap
- Salt & Pepper
- Individually Wrapped Snacks
Professional Movers In Chicago
At Aaron Bros. Moving System, Inc., we understand how stressful packing up a home can be. That’s why our moving company offers full service moves! From planning and packing to loading and unpacking, our experienced team of professional movers do it all so you don’t have to lift a finger.
We’ve been providing stress-free residential and commercial moving services to Chicagoland since 1969 and are dedicated to our customers’ satisfaction. If you are planning an upcoming move to or from the Chicago area, give us a call for your free estimate today!
