The kitchen is the most time-consuming room to pack. Fragile dishes, heavy appliances, and awkward shapes make it a challenge. Here is how professional movers approach it.
By Discount Movers · Updated May 2025 · 7 min read
Getting Started
The kitchen takes 3-5 times longer to pack than other rooms. Start at least 2 weeks before move day. Here is what you need.
Dish pack boxes (double walled), standard boxes, packing paper (not newspaper, it stains), bubble wrap for extra fragile items, packing tape, markers, and labels. Discount Movers includes 25 free moving boxes with every booking.
The kitchen is full of items you never use. Duplicate gadgets, appliances you never touch, mismatched containers. Donate what you do not need before packing. Less to pack means faster move and lower cost.
Pack items you rarely use first (holiday dishes, specialty appliances, overflow pantry items). Pack daily items last. Keep one set of everyday dishes, glasses, and utensils out until move day morning.
Room by Room
Wrap each plate individually in packing paper. Pack plates vertically (like records in a crate) rather than flat. This is the single most important tip for preventing breakage. Vertical plates distribute weight better and survive bumps on the road far better than stacked plates.
Stuff the inside of each glass with crumpled packing paper first. Then wrap the outside. Pack upright in a box with dividers or in a dish pack box. Mark the box Fragile and This Side Up. Never pack glasses on their sides.
Wrap each knife individually in several layers of packing paper. Bundle together and tape. Mark the bundle clearly with Knives. Never put loose knives in a box where someone reaching in could be cut.
Stack pots and pans with packing paper or kitchen towels between each one to prevent scratching. Fill the largest pot with smaller items like measuring cups to use space efficiently. Lids can be packed separately in a box with dividers.
Wrap small appliances in packing paper or bubble wrap. Coil the power cord and tape it to the appliance. Pack in their original boxes if you have them, otherwise in a standard box with crumpled paper for cushioning.
Pack canned goods and heavy items in small boxes only. Never use large boxes for cans as they become too heavy to lift safely. Seal any open containers with plastic wrap and rubber bands. Use up perishables and open items before move day.
Pro Tips
Kitchen boxes should never exceed 30-35 lbs. Heavy items go in small boxes, light items in large boxes. A box that is too heavy is a safety hazard and more likely to break through at the bottom.
Write the room and contents on the top and sides of every box. For fragile boxes, write Fragile on all four sides and the top. Write This Side Up on fragile boxes so movers know the correct orientation.
Use colored tape or stickers to color code boxes by room. Give movers a simple color chart when they arrive. This makes unloading at the new home much faster and more organized.
Clean and dry all appliances before packing. Grease and food residue can attract pests in the moving truck. Defrost your refrigerator at least 24 hours before move day.
Items break when they shift and bounce inside boxes. Fill all empty space with crumpled packing paper, kitchen towels, or bubble wrap. A full, snug box protects contents better than a half-empty one.
Pack a clearly marked box with everything you need for your first night, paper plates, cups, utensils, coffee maker, toilet paper, and snacks. Load it last so it comes off the truck first.
$109/hr, packing services available, 4.9 stars, family owned since 1997.
📞 Call (858) 490-0155