Moving? Here's How to Pack Every Kitchen Item Securely

Packing up my kitchen to move always gives me anxiety. All those fragile plates and glasses, not to mention precious pots and pans--it can feel like an impossible task trying to safely pack everything. But having a good system makes all the difference.

Follow these tips, and you can move your kitchen across town or across the country with confidence.

Gather Your Kitchen Packing Supplies

Before packing up a single spoon, you need to gather supplies that will help everything arrive safely. Having the right materials on hand will make the packing process much smoother.

Packing Paper

Your best friends here are newsprint, tissue paper, and butcher paper. These materials wrap around fragile items and fill empty spaces to prevent breakage. You'll need lots of sheets and balls of paper in various sizes to pad boxes as you pack.

Boxes & Containers

Secure sturdy cardboard boxes designed specifically for moving dishes and glassware. These "dish boxes" have separators that keep plates and bowls neatly stacked. You'll also need small, medium, and large cardboard boxes and even some plastic bins or coolers for temperature sensitive foods.

Padding Materials

Bubble wrap, packing peanuts, crumpled paper, and towels or soft fabrics help immobilize kitchen items to prevent damage. Have these on hand before packing up gadgets, appliances, or cookware.

Tools & Miscellaneous

Other packing essentials include a permanent marker for labeling boxes, clear packing tape for sealing boxes, twist ties and rubber bands for bundling items together, and of course, labels to clearly designate box contents and room destinations.

Pack Dishware Securely

From Grandma's China to everyday plates and bowls, properly packing dishware takes a delicate touch. Follow these steps when wrapping up your dishes.

Assess Your Dishes

First, gather together everything--all plates, saucers, bowls, cups, and other dishware. Assess for any chips or cracks that could worsen during moving. Set these aside to pack with extra care.

Wrap Items Individually

Wrap each plate, bowl, cup, and delicate item individually in tissue paper or newsprint. Make sure pieces don't touch or bump together when wrapped.

Fill Dish Box

Next, place wrapped dishes vertically in sturdy dish boxes, filling any gaps tightly with additional paper or padded fabrics so nothing shifts around. Stack larger items on the bottom with smaller plates and saucers layered on top.

Label Box

Finally, clearly label dish boxes with permanent marker, indicating the destination room in your new home along with "Fragile Dishes" as a descriptive secondary label.

Bundle Cookware Effectively

Protecting pots, pans, and lids requires a different approach than dishes. Follow my method for keeping cookware scratch-free.

Take Inventory

Gather together all pots, pans, lids, baking sheets, colanders and anything else in this category. Nest pots and pans inside one another by size with lids stacked neatly underneath.

Pad & Secure Sets

Next, wrap entire cookware sets in soft kitchen towels or bubble wrap, securing bundles together with twist ties or rubber bands. This prevents scratches and keeps sets intact.

Designate Box

Line a medium or large sturdy box with a soft blanket or towel. Gently place bundled cookware into the box, nesting piles together. Fill gaps with wadded paper and label the box clearly with room location and "Cookware" designation.

Pack Glassware Using Protective Steps

When it comes to delicate glassware, wine glasses, and stemware, it pays to take extra precautions like these during packing:

Gather Cups & Stemware

Collect together mugs, cups, wine glasses, and other glass drinkware. Inspect for any chips or cracks that need gentle handling.

Wrap Each Piece

Individually wrap each glass or stemware item in a sheet of bubble wrap secured with tape or balls of tissue paper to immobilize securely.

Situate Vertically In Box

Stand wrapped glassware vertically in a sturdy box, filling gaps with packing paper to prevent sliding and damage during transport. Take care to fully immobilize and pad glasses in an upright position.

Label Appropriately

Always label glassware boxes with a "Fragile Glassware" warning to indicate delicate contents. Include the destination room as well.

Miscellaneous Kitchen Items

Don't overlook smaller kitchen gadgets, appliances, and tools that also require secure packing methods.

Gadgets, Utensils, Appliances

Group like items together - utensils in one bundle, appliances in another. Remove water from appliances, wrap cords neatly, and pad sharp edges to prevent damage.

Wrap & Contain

Use packing paper to wrap gadgets and appliances before placing in boxes. For utensils, small airtight containers or bags prevent dust and damage. Seal everything securely with tape.

Label Contents

Inventory miscellaneous boxes with a detailed list of contents taped to the top or side for easy unloading later.

Use Proper Loading Techniques

One last critical step when moving a kitchen is properly loading the moving truck or vehicle.

Load Heavier Items First

Heavier dish and glassware boxes should go on the bottom, stacked tightly together with lighter cookware and gadget boxes on top to prevent shifting during transport.

Use Blankets As Protective Layers

Also layer furniture pads, moving blankets, or thick sheets between kitchen boxes and other household items to act as protective barriers.

With the right containers, wrapping materials, labels, and loading techniques, everything in your kitchen can arrive safely. Just be sure to follow these packing steps for dishes, cookware, appliances and more. Now you can move across the country confidently with all your kitchen belongings secure from damage!

Food Storage Containers

To prevent food waste and reduce the number of boxes needed, consider packing food storage containers with dry goods like pasta, rice, and cereal. Make sure to label these containers clearly and pack them in a way that prevents them from shifting during transport.

Small Appliances

When packing small appliances like toasters, coffee makers, and blenders, remove any excess water from the water tank or reservoir, and wrap the cords and attachments in paper to prevent them from getting tangled. Pack these appliances in smaller boxes with plenty of padding to prevent damage during transport.

Spices and Seasonings

To avoid the mess and weight associated with packing spices and seasonings in their original containers, transfer them to small, airtight containers. Label these containers with the spice name and any allergy warnings, and pack them in small boxes with plenty of padding.

When packing gadgets like can openers, cheese graters, and vegetable choppers, wrap them in paper to prevent them from getting damaged during transport. Pack them in smaller boxes with plenty of padding to prevent movement during transport.