Tips for Packing your Kitchen and Other Fragile Items

The kitchen is one of the trickiest spaces to pack when faced with a move. More than any other space in your home, boxing up your kitchen requires a great deal of care to ensure that the many fragile and/or irregularly shaped objects populating your cupboards and pantries are secured.

 

And sometimes, the sheer volume of objects in this space is enough to make you feel overwhelmed!

 

At Bird’s Moving, we want to make the process of moving as easy as possible for you. That’s why our team has compiled this list of suggestions to help you safely and efficiently pack up your kitchen and other fragile items.

 

So, let’s get started!

 

First things first: You’ve got to have a plan. In the early stages of planning your move, it is a good idea to get organized and visualize how you will accomplish the task before jumping into it.

 

This is also a good time to think about items you no longer want or need. If you find that your kitchen is filled with objects that no longer “spark joy,” to quote Marie Kondo, consider donating them to local charities or thrift stores. This also goes for non-perishable food items!

 

It is helpful to do research and consult blogs (like these!) for tips and strategies on getting yourself organized—so good on you! You’re already ahead of the game!

 

Once you have a plan of attack, it’s time to get to work!

 

Let’s talk boxes. You’ll want to get your hands on variously sized boxes (which are available for purchase at the Bird’s Moving office!)

 

Lifestyle blog The Spruce recommends using large boxes for lightweight, hard-to-pack items like plastic kitchenware, dish racks, small appliances, and baking tins, medium boxes for heavier items like small appliances, pantry staples, pots and pans, silverware, and cookbooks, and heavy duty boxes for fragile items like plates, glasses, stemware, wine, and canisters.

 

They also advise purchasing a 4- to 5- lb. roll of unprinted news-wrap paper to secure fragile items and small appliances. For glassware, consider using speciality dividers that fit into standard sized boxes in addition to securing with newsprint.

 

But don’t get too ahead of yourself—make sure that you leave yourself enough dishes, cutlery, food, and cleaning supplies to sustain you until moving day!

 

Now, let’s get to packing!

 

You’ll want to start by packing items that you don’t use on a daily basis: vases, special utensils, fine china, cookbooks, and things of that nature. You might also consider packing pantry items that don’t get a lot of use. Toss those heart shaped sprinkles and old cans of sardines right in a box!

 

From there, you can slowly start to tackle the rest of the kitchen, starting with the most cluttered and time-consuming spaces.

 

Here are some tips for packing specific items:

 

When packing pots and pans, stack smaller pots into larger ones and secure with a dishtowel or small piece of packing paper.

 

Plates and bowls should be wrapped in paper, but for additional security, try wrapping these small stacks in plastic wrap.

 

For flatware and utensils, wrap your tray in plastic wrap to avoid having to reorganize in your new place!

 

Knives can be wrapped in paper and then secured with a dishtowel and elastic. Always pack knives on their side, for obvious reasons!

 

When you are ready to begin packing food and other pantry staples, make sure all items are well-sealed before placing in a medium-sized box or grocery bag. Use a cooler to keep perishable food items fresh. However, if you are moving long distance, you may want to consider discarding these items.

 

Appliances are ideally stored in their original boxes, but if unavailable, wrap them in paper and pack them securely in as small a box as they will fit in. To keep them as still as possible, consider filling the box with dishtowels or other soft items that will prevent them from moving but are not solid enough to break them.

 

Packing your kitchen can be a time-consuming process. Make sure you give yourself enough time and don’t be afraid to ask for help!

 

Bird’s Moving & Storage offers a full packing and unpacking service to help make your move as stress-free as possible. Our qualified packing team will handle your belongings with the utmost care to ensure that the contents of your home reach their destination in one piece.

 

For more information on these and other services we offer, visit our website today!