Moving is a chance to start fresh in many ways, and it can be an exciting time of life. You need to plan well to thrive throughout the moving process. As you pack, you’ll discover that each room offers its own challenges. Packing your kitchen is different than packing other rooms in the house. Consider these tips when it’s time to pack the contents of your kitchen for a move.
Determine How You Can Minimize Waste When You Move
Who wants to waste a lot of food during a move? In the month leading up to the move, try to use old canned foods and other shelf-stable groceries so you don’t have the added burden of moving food. Look up recipes to use the food you already have. Try to organize your fridge, throwing out anything that’s already expired well before the time of your move.
Also, minimize the perishable food you buy in the couple of weeks leading up to the move. Only buy what you need that week, and consider buying more meals out for a couple of weeks. After a day of packing, going out to eat can be a reward for a job well done, too.
Pack Cookbooks Separately
Choose small boxes for cookbooks, especially if you are moving on your own. Those boxes will probably be among the heavier boxes from the kitchen. Also, pack cookbooks separately from other items in your kitchen. Be sure to lay all the cookbooks flat to protect their spines and avoid otherwise damaging the books.
Purge Anything You Haven’t Used in a Year
Kitchen appliances and extra dishes can sometimes pile up, and it can be hard to justify throwing something as practical as a dish away. However, if you have a lot of extra things taking up space in your kitchen, it can take away from your enjoyment of the kitchen and rob you of valuable cabinet space that can go to items you’ll use.
As you go through your kitchen, only pack things that you truly want to bring to your new home. Set aside items you want to give away or donate, and then get them out of the way before it’s time to move.
Wipe Down or Clean All Items Before Packing
The kitchen gets messy easily. When you go to pack everything from your shelves, you may be surprised at which items have dried food or liquids that splashed on them during cooking or food preparation. Depending on how soiled the items are, take the time to wipe them down or give them a thorough cleaning.
Cushion All Dishes as You Pack Them
Dishes are among the easiest things to break during a move. They’re fragile and challenging to pack well. If you’ll use professional movers, you may want to save the dishes for those who have expertise. If you’ll pack your own dishes, take the time to wrap each dish in bubble wrap or other cushion before placing them in boxes.
Use Original Boxes for Appliances When Possible
If you have kitchen appliances with small or detached parts, try to put them back in their original boxes, and then place those small boxes in your larger moving boxes. That can help keep smaller parts together easily. Also, if the appliances have fragile parts, be sure that you protect them properly when packing them.
Finally, give yourself more time than you think you’ll need to go through the stuff in your kitchen. Also, plan to be finished with most of the packing at least a week before the date of your move. That will help ensure that the move runs smoothly. Contact Dixie Moving & Storage, Inc., today to speak to a caring member of our team about how we can help with your move.