HOW TO PACK YOUR KITCHEN: DISHES, BREAKABLES, AND OTHER MISC

All American Movers can pack your kitchen.  South Hill Mover or any other able movers can too, but if follow some simple tips; you can protect your kitchen items like the pros do.

PACKING DISHES AND OTHER BREAKABLES: 

 Dishes and other breakables should be packed in a dish pack ( a double walled box).

Start with a layer of wadded up newsprint about 3 inches as a base in the bottom of the box.  Wrap same-sized plates together in groups of 4 as follows.  Start with one plate down near the bottom corner of a stack of newsprint.  Fold the one or 2 sheets of paper over so it completely covers the plate, then stacks and repeat until you have a stack of 4 plates.  Then fold in the 2 side wings, and roll forward to the end of the sheet of paper.  You will end up with a 4” high dish-shaped package.  When placing the bundle in the box, stand the dishes on end, DO NOT LAY FLAT.  Try and keep the first layer relatively the same height and add another 3” of wadded newsprint as a buffer when the bottom layer is full.

The second layer of consisting bowls, serving dishes, etc is fine.  You can also use coffee mugs or glasses.  Again stand them up and put enough newsprint around handles to protect them.  When packing wine glasses, put enough paper around the stems so each glass is a cylinder.  Wine glasses should not have too much weight on them so if they are in a second layer make the top layer plastic cups, (lighter items), etc. to make the box manageable, but tightly packed with no space left open.  Dish packs that follow the heavy bottom, medium middle layer and lighter top layer work well.

PACKING A LARGE KITCHEN BOX:  

Items that are more durable like pots and pans, Tupperware, bowls, can be packed in a 4.5 cubic foot box depending on weight and density.  Packing smaller items inside larger to conserve space like 3 sizes of pots inside each other, separated by a layer of paper is good.  Always have a buffer layer of wadded newsprint to start, pack the box full to the top even if newsprint has to be used on top as a filler.

PACKING A MEDIUM KITCHEN BOX: 

Items like small appliances, dry goods, even canned goods are good in medium boxes, use the same rule with newsprint as a buffer on the bottom and top.  A wrapping of newsprint around each appliance or item works well.  Remember you want no rattle when you give the box a little shake.

PACKING A SMALL KITCHEN BOX: 

 Kitchen drawers with silverware, cookbooks, utensils, are dense and heavy so a smaller box is best.  Contents of each drawer can be wrapped up in a few sheets of newsprint almost like an envelope or separator, this makes less mess and makes unpacking easier.  Stack the couple drawer’s contents in each box and fill out with wadded newsprint.

PACKING THE FRIDGE OR FREEZER: 

 For the fridge, get a cooler or 2, and place the contents in the cooler.  A good way to keep the food cold and secure inside is to add a bag of ice over the top once the cooler items have been placed in it.  For the freezer stack in the cooler to the top, no ice is needed.

Always remember to use packing rules of thumb like the denser the items the smaller the box, and pack tight to the top, so there is no “rattle” when the box is shaken.  Follow these steps, take your time, and you can master the kitchen.