Moving homes in general is a hectic affair. On top of that, packing and moving your kitchen space is the most difficult of the tasks! With a multitude of items to be packed, some being huge, while others being fragile – packing a kitchen can even throw the most organized of packers into a toss! Hence, the last mistake you can make is stepping into the kitchen without a plan. Here are some steps to follow when pack a kitchen that will make your job comparatively easier.
In this blog, we will elaborate a list of ways to streamline the packing of your kitchen items and outline for you the right way to streamline the whole work for a hassle-free move.
What steps to follow when pack a kitchen?
The steps to follow when packing the kitchen area –
Step 1 – Get the whole area organized
The best time to pack up your kitchen during a move is approximately 8-10 hours before the planned move. To start with – you need to get your kitchen area organized. That implies, segregating the cutlery of regular use from those used on special occasions. If you are not using any item, or will not use it ever again, keep it aside.
After that, you need to check out the expiry dates of the food items and throw out the expired ones. Then stack up the edible ones together for easy packing.
Disconnect the kitchen appliances that you will not need before the transit to allow ample time to cool before you start cleaning.
Place all the goods that you will take along with you in one corner separately and the discarded items separately. If suitable, donate them to the local charity, or soup kitchens and food banks.
Step 2 – Collect the materials required
The most crucial of the steps to follow when pack a kitchen is getting the required materials. Let us quickly give you the list of things that you will require to pack up your kitchen utilities for the transit –
To start with, you will require boxes of various sizes and load-bearing capacities. Also, get a couple of robust, heavy-duty boxes as well. For those of you, who wish to get a number, you can opt for – large boxes (18x18x24), heavy-duty boxes (18x18x28), and medium boxes such as (18x18x16).
Apart from that, you must also secure – unprinted news wrap paper (almost 4-5 pounds), packing/sealing tapes, moving blankets, cardboard padding, and bubble wrap.
Step 3 – Clean the kitchen items before packing
This is an important point that most people tend to ignore. Please clean your kitchen items before you pack them up! Whether it is the bowls and plates, or the appliances (stoves, microwaves, and toasters), make sure they are cleaned, dried, wiped, and labeled before they are put into transit.
Step 4 – Kickstart the packing process
Here comes another of the important steps to follow when pack a kitchen – to start the packing process.
It is best to start off by packing those items that are not frequently required in the kitchen. This includes mixing bowls, food storage containers, wine glasses, pie pans, dishcloths, and utensils used on special occasions. Ensure that each of them is wrapped in proper wrappers, and placed in the box carefully before sealing it. For those of you who own silverware, make it a point to wrap them in cotton cloth to prevent oxidization during the transit.
After that, it is time to pack up the fragile items. For ceramics and glass items, utilize bubble wrap. Cushion the boxes with proper padding material and then place the cutlery and other items carefully.
Regarding the knives, choppers, and cutters, it is advised to roll them in packing paper and then wrap a dish towel over them for additional security. Pack them in robust cardboard boxes with ample foam sheets to prevent injury.
Lastly, comes the food items. Keep the packed items in one box, while getting a cooler for perishable items (if you are transporting long distance). Regarding the items that you were in the middle of consuming, do store them in air-tight plastic or steel containers as you travel to avoid a spillover.
Step 5 – Prepare the appliances
Once you are done with the dishes and the knives, you must take care of the packing of the dishwasher and microwave! To start with, you must stop using them (those that are possible) a minimum of 8-10 hours before packing them. After that, disconnect the cords, or pipes, pack them in specific packets, and label them. The bigger appliances like – refrigerators and dishwashers require additional help in disconnecting. Either follow the instructions given in the manual carefully or connect with a professional. Then clean these appliances (racks, shelves) and leave them to dry.
Once you prepare the appliances to be packed, you need a set of moving blankets, bubble wraps, robust cardboard boxes, plastic wraps, and packing tapes. If required, consult the manual while packing these carefully and ensure that the associated parts of the appliance (say the microwave connecting cords) are with the appliance (the microwave) in the same box, if possible. This will reduce the hassle comparatively.
Step 6 – Organize and Label the boxes
The last of the steps to follow when pack a kitchen is labeling the boxes and organizing them to ease the transit. This is a must since it is based on those labels that the ultimate packing is to be done. You can use color-coded labels, or simply mark them in bold, to ensure while packing – the fragile goods are handled with utmost care, while the ones that carry sharp objects are placed correctly.
If you follow these steps to the toe, your relocation process, especially cleaning out the kitchen area will be easier.
Keep these points in mind
Assuredly, the abovementioned steps to follow when pack a kitchen cover a major portion of what and how you must streamline the job. Having said that here are some quick tips to remember –
- While packing up – you must have a specialized ‘essentials’ box that has the cutlery, food items, kitchen items (knives, cutters, choppers), and small electronic appliances (kettle, toaster) that you need regularly. When you move to your new home, you simply need to unpack this box and get going for the first couple of days! For those of you who require professional assistance, you can always contact Packers And Movers Bangalore, for their relocation assistance service.
- As already mentioned, you need to sift through your kitchen while relocating. Throw away expired and useless items, to start with. Then put the items that are nearing the expiry date in a different box, so that you can use them up before opening up new packets.
- Often boxes topple when stacked one over the other (a common mistake that people make). So, it is best that you fill-up the box to a little below the edge and then cushion the box up with packing paper to the top. This will keep the boxes from tipping over.
Keeping these points in mind will help ease your relocation process.
Final thoughts
Of all the areas in one’s home that have to be packed for a house shift, loading up your kitchen is the toughest! With a plethora of goods, that range from sharp knives, scissors and choppers to fragile cutlery and expands off to electrical appliances – anyone will have a difficult time organizing and packing these carefully. These steps to follow when pack a kitchen will assist you in streamlining the job and make things comparatively easier.
Apart from organizing things, you also need to take care that the kids and elderly people in your home, are kept away from that area, to avoid any untoward scenario.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Should you use the original box for packing kitchen appliances?
If possible, yes! Since the appliance was delivered to you in that box with the required padding and bubble wrap, it is the box that is best suited during the transportation process.
Q2. What should you not pack while moving kitchens?
When moving kitchens, make it a point to not pack dirty pots and pans (they spread foul smell and germs), perishable food items (can rot in transit), household cleaning material and pesticides (they can leak and cause toxicity), and kitchen plants (they can die) during transit. As mentioned before, clean every kitchen item, and pack them specifically as mentioned.
Q3. How many boxes do you need for packing your kitchen space?
This varies from case to case. When taking stock of the situation, it is best to keep at least – 10 medium-sized boxes, and 5 small and large-sized boxes respectively. At standby, it is best to keep ‘extra-large’ boxes since the kitchen appliances can be packed and transported easily in them.
Q4. Is climate-controlled transportation of goods important?
This is one of the most asked queries in current times. Long-distance moves definitely call for additional challenges, and managing the temperature levels is one of those. For those of you moving items that are temperature-sensitive, like wine, or certain types of food – it is best to opt for packing materials that offer climate-controlled transportation. That will protect the items in the long run.