How to Pack a Kitchen for a Move (Without Breaking a Single Plate)

· 3 min read · By Ursa Moving

Hands wrapping dishes in packing paper next to a cell-divider box of glasses on a kitchen counter
In this article
  1. Get the right supplies
  2. Pack in this order
  3. Plates: stand them on edge
  4. Glasses: stuff, wrap, divide
  5. Knives
  6. Small appliances
  7. The fridge
  8. Label the sides
  9. Weight check
  10. Or let us pack it

The kitchen is usually the slowest room to pack: lots of small, fragile, oddly shaped things. Do it in the right order and with the right materials and it goes much faster.

Get the right supplies

Small and medium sturdy boxes (heavy plates in big boxes = broken bottoms), dish-pack or cell-divider boxes for glasses, plain packing paper (newspaper ink transfers), tape, a marker.

Pack in this order

  1. A week out: rarely used items like holiday dishes, baking pans, specialty gadgets, the back of cabinets.
  2. A few days out: most dishes, glassware, cookbooks. Keep one plate, cup and fork per person.
  3. Last day: everyday items, trash bags, dish soap and the coffee maker (into the day-one box).

Plates: stand them on edge

Wrap each plate in paper and pack them vertically, like records. Edges are stronger than flat faces. Fill gaps with crumpled paper so nothing shifts.

Glasses: stuff, wrap, divide

Stuff each glass with paper, wrap it, and set it upright in a divider box. Stemware: extra paper around the stem.

Knives

Wrap blades in cardboard or a towel, tape, and mark "KNIVES" on the bundle.

Small appliances

Use the original boxes if you have them. Otherwise wrap cords, tape them to the appliance, and pad with towels. Remove glass carafes and blender jars and wrap them separately.

The fridge

Use up food the last week. Empty, clean and dry it the day before; leave the door slightly open so it doesn't smell. Pantry: tape spices and oils shut, bag them, and pack upright.

Label the sides

Write "KITCHEN – FRAGILE – THIS SIDE UP" on two sides, not the top. Once boxes are stacked, the top isn't visible.

Weight check

If you can't lift a box comfortably, it's too heavy. Split it.

Or let us pack it

Packing and unpacking are included in our hourly rate (2 movers $119/h, 3 $159/h, 4 $199/h), along with shrink wrap, blankets and wardrobe boxes. For extra care with fragile items, Premium is $179/$229/$299 for 2/3/4 movers. Get a free quote or call (213) 292-7675.

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