How to pack a kitchen for moving
The kitchen takes longer than any other room: lots of small, heavy and breakable things. Start it about a week before the move and leave a few essentials until last.
What you'll need
- 8–15 medium boxes for an average kitchen
- A 5 kg pack of packing paper
- Plate and glass dividers (optional, but they speed things up)
- Fragile tape
The order to pack in
- Things you rarely use: serving dishes, special glasses, baking tins, the bread maker.
- Food cupboard: use up what you can. Tape open packets shut, and put jars in a box lined with a bin bag.
- Most crockery and glasses: keep out one set each. See how to pack plates and glasses.
- Pans and utensils: nest pans together with paper between them; wrap knives in paper and mark the bundle clearly.
- Last of all: kettle, mugs, a plate, cutlery and tea towels go in your "open first" box.
Appliances
- Fridge freezer: defrost it the day before and leave the door slightly open. Once moved, let it stand for a few hours before switching on.
- Washing machine: needs transit bolts fitted before moving. Check the manual or ask your removals company.
- Small appliances: in their original boxes if you still have them, otherwise wrapped in bubble wrap in a medium box.
Packing tip: Label kitchen boxes by cupboard ("cups and mugs", "under the sink") as well as by room. It makes unpacking twice as fast.
Questions
How many boxes do I need to pack a kitchen?
An average kitchen needs 8 to 15 medium boxes. A large family kitchen can need 20 or more.
When should I pack the kitchen?
About a week before the move, leaving one set of everyday crockery and the kettle until the last day.