Kitchen Packing Tips
Some people get so wrapped up in making sure that their
electronics are handled carefully during a move that they completely neglect
their kitchen items. This is where most of the breakage happens though. Look
through your kitchen; do you have things that could be easily broken? Would you
miss your great grandmother’s gravy boat every Thanksgiving? Would you be upset
if the champagne flutes from your wedding were destroyed?
Set Aside Essentials
When you finally move into your new
home, you may not want to unpack right away or you may find that finding
something as simple as a bowl or a fork to be impossible when faced next to a
mountain of boxes. Of course, we hope for the best by labeling our boxes but it
is wise to set aside some kitchen essentials to get you through the last couple
of days at your new place and the first couple of days in your new place. Some
items to keep on the side include: a couple of forks, spoons and knives
(depending on the size of your family), two to three bowls or plates, two to
three cups, stack of napkins or paper towels, dish soup and a sponge, etc. You
can either set these items in a small-to-medium-sized duffle bag or place them
in a bare cupboard.
Start Packing Less Important Items
Once you have your boxes, it’s time
to get to work. Start by packing items that you don’t use every day such as
decorative vases, cookbooks, extra dishtowels, the majority of your pots and
pans, pictures and small appliances. Pack them in their appropriate box (as
listed above) and not haphazardly or all together – this can lead to damage and
breakage of your belongings on moving day.
Pack Pots and Pots
Pack them in a medium-sized box,
leaving one out in case you need them in the next couple of days before your
move.
Pack Fragile Items
Now, it’s time to pack your china,
dishes and glasses in medium-sized moving boxes or kitchen boxes. In the
kitchen boxes, pack like items together – dishes with dishes, plates with
plates and so on. Make sure you have sufficient packing materials such as
Bubble Wrap®, stretch wrap and packing paper, which is good for filing
in extra spaces. Since these items are the most susceptible to damage, make
sure they are well-protected and tightly packed. You should also make sure that
these boxes aren’t too heavy, where they can break
Pack Your Utensils
When you are packing your utensils,
make sure to keep one or two sets out so that you will have a few pairs for the
first few days as you are unpacking. You can also include spatulas, large
mixing spoons, can openers, etc with your standard forks and knives. Wrap a few
forks together (five to six is a good number) with packing paper and place them
gently in a small-to-medium-sized box.
Packing Different Items
China and Glassware
Although in most cases, 50
pounds is a comfortable weight for boxes to be, you should aim to be well under
this number when you are dealing with china and glassware. You also do not want
too large of a box either, because then you will need to waste a lot of packing
materials to stuff in there to keep contents secure.
In the bottom of the box,
place foam, packing peanuts or even a layer of towels or sweaters. Then, each
piece of china or glass should be wrapped in white paper. A layer of newspaper
can then offer additional protection.
Glass plates and larger
china should be on the bottom, and some type of cushioning needs to go between
each layer. Even if it’s bubble wrap or crushed paper. Smaller plates or
saucers can make up the second layer. Chances are good that now you have some
awkward space, which is perfect for a few pieces of stemware.
When the box is full, add
packing materials to help the contents from bouncing around. Make sure when you
seal the box that you label it as FRAGILE, and also mark which side is up.
Bowls
Bowls just never wrap well
due to their shape, but the good news is that the awkward space leftover in
these boxes can also be used for glasses, coffee mugs, etc. Shallow bowls can
be stood on edge as long as the carton has a nice layer of cushioning in the
bottom. This may allow you to nest more in the box. You can pack some upside
down at the top as well. Similar to the china, wrap each bowl with white paper
and newspaper, and stuff the empty space with some type of packing material to
make sure contents don’t move.
Silver
Although it is possible to
remove tarnish from silver, if you pack it right, you won’t have to deal with
it. Silver tarnishes because of air, so every piece needs to be completely
enclosed in tissue paper. This includes everything from platters to flatware.
When you do wrap the flatware for your move, it does not all have to be wrapped
individually; sets are fine. If the flatware is in a chest, stuff the chest
with bubble wrap, crushed paper or anything else to keep them from sliding
around all over one another. Even a towel or small throw blanket will work.
As you are taping your
boxes do a final check and mark your boxes based on its contents as well as if
an item is fragile. You may also want to indicate the room the boxes go to such
as kitchen, dishes, etc.
It really does not take
that much extra time to pack your kitchen the right way. A lot of things you
likely don’t use daily, so they can be packed far in advance when you are not
in such a hurry. Don’t wait until you are trying to finish everything up the
night before the big day.
