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Moving your home is a cumbersome task, especially when you have lots of items in your possession. But the most difficult part of moving is the packing of kitchen items. Most households have kitchens that are over-equipped and over-supplied. All the objects in the kitchen are of varying sizes and shapes so packing them can be a headache.
With pantries full of food items and other kitchen supplies it can become difficult for anyone to get the packaging done right. Another factor is that kitchens do not have many things that you can give away because mostly they have kitchen appliances and other non-perishable food items which you can take with you when moving.
As a result, we all need a step-by-step procedure to successfully pack away our kitchen.
As someone who has moved homes a lot, I can confidently say that the packing of kitchen items is a long-winded task. Aside from the varying kinds of items that need to be taken out from dish racks and pantries, the problem also arises due to the handling of extra-fragile items and breakable items, for example, ceramic dishware and glass bottles.
This is a detailed guide made by our in-house moving experts that will help you navigate through the process of packing your kitchen while making sure that you can still use your kitchen essentials normally.
The plan of action is divided into two different steps. The first one is to get rid of items that do not need to move with you. The second one being gathering the right packing supplies.
There is a high chance that your kitchen has become a junkyard for things that are no longer in use or crockery that has chipped. So you need to get rid of these things because they will only add up to the packing list and lie around in your new home as well.
Start by making a list of items that you have not used in an eternity. Of Course, you can make an exception for the premium crockery or fragile glasses that are showcased because who in their right mind would use them in a day-to-day routine.
Appliances such as extra coffee makers can be given away to family members or friends and the chipped ceramic dishware should be shown the way to the bin. Old cleaning products such as kitchen towels or dish towels should be discarded because you can get them from any grocery store.
Your next stop should be clearing up the pantry items. Your pantry might be stocked with long-life items but over time they run stale and lose their nutrition so it is better to leave them out or donate them to a food bank. You can also get hold of perishable foods from your refrigerator and cook them to avoid wasting them.
Now we can move on to the next step of gathering packing materials. Gone are the days of using cardboard paper and newspapers to pack belongings. Specifically, designed for packing the packing paper provides more sturdiness and safety than a conventional newspaper. It provides useful cushioning between critical items that are stacked together. Packing paper will surely reduce the probability of breaking.
Other than packing paper you will also need dish sleeves and dish boxes to safely pack your dishes. You also need food storage containers for freezer items, large to medium heavy-duty boxes to keep other items.
At the end of your packing, you will need cling wrap/plastic wrap, packing tape, and markers. They will help you secure and label your boxes.
Before you begin packing your kitchen you need to get your packing supply right. To pack items you would need to get boxes of different sizes. You can find them at specialist movers/moving company outlets. You should get these moving boxes and supplies in varying quantities to accommodate the essential items of your kitchen.
Heavier items can be packed in heavy-duty boxes so they do not get damaged during transportation. It might seem that heavy items are stronger but their weight makes them vulnerable to damage if they fall from a height. Medium-sized boxes can be used to pack liquor bottles or glass jugs or kitchen pots.
Heavy-duty boxes are also best for packing lightweight items because they can keep fragile items safe. You can pack crockery and dishware in these.
Large boxes can be used to pack difficult kitchen items such as kitchenware, dish racks, and other smaller accessories. You can also get boxes in different sizes to pack other items.
Use cell kits to pack glasses, stemware, and glass bottles. You can also pack other fragile structures in them. Cell kits provide a barrier and cushioning to the items.
You can also buy sleeves for your kitchen knives. It is important to secure knives in the packing so no one gets cuts from them.
Make sure to get boxes that are thickly walled and have spines to save them from crumbling due to the weight of larger items.
Also, buy plenty of sheets of paper so you do not run out of it in the middle of kitchen packing.
Once you have all of your packing material. Take out the clean packing paper and start packing the items. Keep cling wrap and marker to secure and label the packing.
The first items you should pack are the non-essentials because you would not need them anytime soon.
Make sure that you do not make the boxes too heavy because it will make them difficult to handle. Heavy boxes are susceptible to damage so it is in your best interest to keep them light.
When preparing a box for packing items follow these steps. First of all, try to create a cushion at the bottom of the box by laying down a double layer of paper. You can add an extra layer of crumpled packing paper to extra space in the boxes. This way the items will not tumble around in the box. If you can get a roll of bubble wrap it will also be useful. Bubble wrap can reduce the chances of breakage.
Make stacks of four plates with packing paper in between and cover them with plastic cling wrap. Place them in a horizontal position to reduce the chances of damage. You can repeat this process with the rest of the crockery as well.
One last guideline is to stack the boxes with the heaviest, strongest items at the bottom and the lighter, fragile ones at the top. Also, remember to keep the boxes from getting too heavy. These simple kitchen packing tips will help you pack your kitchen and move without difficulty.