The kitchen is one of the most important parts of your home and also one of the hardest to pack for a move. The wide range of sizes, shapes and delicacy of items in your kitchen makes packing tricky and time-consuming. Luckily, there are some strategies you can use to make the process more efficient and also help you unpack when the time comes. Here is a guide for the best way to pack your kitchen for a move.
Before you get started on the actual packing, make sure you have all the supplies you need. For packing a kitchen, you’ll want to have box dividers, packing paper, tape and a marker. You may also opt for using thin bubble wrap for some of the more delicate items.
Create a basic table setting for however many people are in your household and pack it separately. Each set of basics should include a plate, a bowl, a set of silverware, a cup, a mug and anything else you might need. The idea is to set aside a small amount of essentials so you can eat without unpacking your entire kitchen once you move in.
The simplest way to pack your kitchen is to first sort items by area. Basically, the goal is to keep everything together that belongs together, so unpacking is quicker and easier later. For example, include all of your spices and seasonings in the same box. Auxiliary cookware and tools like can openers and vegetable peelers should stay together with items in the same drawer or cupboard.
For actually putting things into boxes, the best place to start is with uncommonly used items. This can include things like dishes you only take out on special occasions. If you have not used an item in your kitchen in the last three months, it’s safe to pack it away first.
If you still have food in your fridge and freezer, you’ll need to transport it safely. Fill a cooler with ice and load it with perishable items. When loading a truck or other moving vehicle, try to add this last so it’s one of the very first things to unload on the other side. That way, you can put things back in the cold where they belong without risking spoilage or melting.
Packing the kitchen can be overwhelming, especially for homes with extensive collections of flatware and other items. Try these tips for more efficient packing to make your move easier.
I'm John Mahan, Sales Associate with William Raveis Real Estate, Harwich Port Office.
Throughout his childhood, John Mahan spent summers on Cape Cod at his parents’ home in Dennis Port. His intro to the Cape was, as he puts it, when his parents “carried me down the stairs at Sea Street Beach when I was a week old.” With a lifelong connection to Cape Cod, it seemed only natural for John and his wife, Mary, to move to Harwich – where they still reside – with their two young children in 1996.
Prior to moving to Cape Cod, John lived in the Worcester-Auburn area where he worked for Mass Electric for 10 years and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Utility Workers. When John and his family moved to the Cape, he worked at NSTAR for six years.
John began his career in real estate in 2002 when he joined Team Waystack Realty in Harwich Port. He has been a consistent top producing realtor in the Harwich area for the past 20 years. John’s approachable demeanor, combined with an integral understanding of the Cape Cod residential real estate market, have allowed him to build trusting, long-term relationships with his clients – both sellers and buyers.
