Packing Tips: Kitchen / Laundry Room

Using our kitchen packing tips, you can pack your kitchen first when you start preparing your home for the move. The laundry room is an area of the home to be packed a little later in the process. Both the kitchen and laundry can seem impossible to pack, but with our laundry room and kitchen packing tips, this task is a little easier to tackle.

Start packing your kitchen almost immediately after you begin the move process by packing those items you do not use very often, including dishes you don't use very often, small appliances and accessories. Then, pack your tablecloths, specialty pots and pans and large serving bowls. Lastly, about the week before you move, pack your everyday dishes. For the last week before your move, use disposable plates, cups and utensils once everything is packed.

Kitchen Packing Tips for the Entire Kitchen

Kitchen Packing Tips - Food Items

Use, give away or dispose of all perishables before moving. Dispose of any household cleaning products or chemicals, as these items are non-transportable. Donate boxed or canned goods, or pack them in small boxes. When donating food, please consider donating through the Move for Hunger program that Allied Van Lines is very proud to be a part of. Do not pack any open packages, and wrap glass or ceramic jars to prevent damage.

Kitchen Packing Tips - China & Glassware

• Using a few sheets of clean paper, wrap all pieces of china and glassware individually. Starting from the corner, wrap diagonally and continuously tucking in overlapping edges.
• Be generous with the paper padding and cushioning used when packing china and glassware.
• Label cartons with room, contents and "FRAGILE - THIS SIDE UP."

Kitchen Packing Tips - Flat China & Flat Glassware

• Layer the larger china, glass plates, platter and other flat pieces on the bottom of a china barrel.
• Place cushioning material in the bottom of a carton. Wrap each piece individually with clean paper, then wrap two to three in a bundle with a double layer of newsprint. Place these bundled items in the carton in a row on edge.
• Fill any voids or unfilled spaces with crushed paper. Add two or three inches of wadded paper to the top of the bundle and make a level base for the next layer of dishes. You can also use horizontal cardboard dividers to make level layers.
• Use hollow ware, saucers and smaller plates as your second layer, wrapping and packing them in the same manner as the large items previously listed.

Kitchen Packing Tips - Bowls and Odd-shaped Items

• Use bowls for bottom or middle layers, depending on how large and heavy they are. Wrap in clean paper the same way as flat dishes.
• Stand shallow bowls and soup plates on the edge in the carton and deep mixing bowls and the like nested together upside down on their rims. Stand shallow bowls (soup plates, etc.) on edge in the carton and deeper ones (such as mixing bowls) nested two or three together, upside down on their rims.
• Wrap sugar bowl lids in newsprint, then turn them upside down on top of their bowls. Then wrap both components together in newsprint. Do the same with cream pitchers, sauce containers, gravy boats and the like, then place upright in a carton, topping off the layer with wadded newsprint.

Kitchen Packing Tips - Pots & Pans

Wrap pots, pans and similar items in clean paper and pack in medium-sized cartons. Make these items the bottom or middle layer based on their weight. The heavier items should go on the bottom.

Kitchen Packing Tips - Cups

Wrap cups individually with clean paper, using extra paper to protect the handles. Then, pack these cups upside down in china barrels. If you're not using the china barrels, wrap cups individually and place those upside down in a row on an upper layer with all the handles facing the same direction. Top the layer with wadded newsprint.

Kitchen Packing Tips - Silver & Flatware

• Prevent silver from tarnishing by enclosing in newsprint or plastic wrap.
• Wrap loose flatware, individually or in sets, in paper, clear plastic bags or small gift boxes. Then, secure with tape.
• If the silverware is in a chest, wrap each piece individually and reposition in the chest, the fill all voids in the chest with newsprint. Then, wrap the chest in a large, soft bath towel.

Kitchen Packing Tips - Figurines and Other Delicate Items

• Protect figurines and other delicate items with plenty of cushioning. Be sure the items are well-protected with plenty of cushioning.
• Wrap these items in clean tissue paper, then wrap in paper that has been wadded and flattened out.
• Wrap small mirrors, plaques and pictures individually in tissue with an outer layer of newsprint.
• Wrap/pad glass with a bath towel or small blanket, then place items on edge in a carton.

Kitchen Packing Tips - Small Appliances

• Clocks, radios and other small appliances should be wrapped individually, packed in a carton then cushioned with crushed paper. Wrap the cords around the items, if applicable.
• Empty irons of all water before packing, wrap these items and place in the cushioned bottom of a carton.

Kitchen Packing Tips - Cookbooks

• Pack cookbooks of the same size together in the bottom of small cartons.
• Pack the cookbooks flat or with the spine touching the bottom of the carton. Do not pack with the spine facing upward, as this can damage the books and spine glue can break away from the binder.
• Sentimental cookbooks or those that are rare or expensive should be wrapped individually and packed separately from other books.

Kitchen Packing Tips - Allied Helps You Pack

Get your packing started off on the right foot with our foolproof kitchen packing tips. By packing most of the kitchen early, you can get this task out of the way. Use our kitchen packing tips to pack your kitchen in an organized, safe manner to ensure its secure transport to your new home. Pack your kitchen in no time at all with our expert kitchen and laundry room packing tips.