A Professional Mover’s Guide to Packing and Moving Your Kitchen

Amid all the excitement and potential frustration, it’s easy for your kitchenware—everything from glassware to small appliances—to accidentally break, get misplaced in the wrong rooms, or end up buried under a mountain of less-important boxes. 

But it doesn’t have to happen that way! We spoke with the experts at Gentle Giant, a Massachusetts-based moving company that operates nationwide, to get some tips about how best to pack and transport your kitchenware. 

Follow these guidelines to make sure everything arrives safely and that you don’t spend your first night in your new place searching desperately for a fork.

Your plan for success starts with your packing materials. If you’re planning on picking up boxes for your move from your local supermarket or liquor store, you may want to rethink that plan. That may be the most cost-effective solution, but it’s not the gold standard for keeping your beloved items safe. 

Why? A mismatched assemblage of different-size boxes will not stack securely in a moving truck or van. There will be gaps that allow boxes to slide or tilt, increasing the chances that your fragile items will break. 

Boxes designed for moving are standard sizes, and they stack securely and distribute weight evenly. Many of them are reinforced with an extra layer of cardboard for added strength, and they have lots of blank surface area on their tops and sides for labeling the contents. Some even have convenient handholds for easy transport.  

Another item you shouldn’t skimp on is quality packing material. Most pros use blank newsprint or packing paper. Here are some of Gentle Giant’s tips for wrapping and packing your items.

• Designate a flat surface (counter, dining table, coffee table) as your “wrapping and packing HQ.” Keep your empty boxes, tape, and paper nearby so that they don’t get lost in the shuffle. Bring over kitchenware items in batches, wrap them securely, box them up, and set them aside. Try to fill and tape up one box at a time so you don’t lose track of what you’re doing.

• Wrap wisely. Use 2-3 sheets of newsprint and roll items diagonally and fold in the sides (similar to folding a burrito). This way, there will be ample cushioning of your fragile items without wayward paper edges taking up extra space. 

• Use paper to add extra cushioning. Fold or roll the packing paper to act as a cushion—or “bumper”—in the bottom of a box before putting items in. Then, when you’re filling the boxes with your wrapped items, make sure all the negative spaces get filled with extra paper to act as cushioning. Negative space gives your fragile items a chance to move and shift, which makes it easier for them to get damaged. 

• Pay extra attention to sharp items. It’s best to wrap knives and food processor blades in thicker towels wrapped with tape. Alternatively, you could purchase a knife roll or make your own knife covers out of cardboard.

Do yourself a favor: Separate and disassemble the parts of your appliances. Wrap them securely, and keep all parts together. 

A few examples: Remove the workbowls of your food processor or stand mixer and wrap them separately. Detach the blending shaft of your immersion blender or the whisks on your hand mixer. Your coffee maker carafe should be wrapped separately from the main body, as should the glass plate in your microwave. 

This extra work will help keep your appliances (or their components) from being damaged in transit.

You’re going to want some things on night one, when you’re probably too exhausted to lift another finger. Pack a first-night box with an ice cream scoop, a roll of paper towels, some flatware and plates (maybe that plate your kiddo won’t eat without?), some water and cups, and a corkscrew (hey, you’ve earned it). 

Clearly label your first-night box, load in on the truck last, and unload and unpack it first. Thank us later.  

Unclear box labeling makes everything harder. If all of your kitchen boxes only say “kitchen,” then it’s difficult to prioritize what should be unpacked first. You could waste precious time searching for an ice cream scoop and only uncovering your fat separator (which is useful—just not on night one). 

Clearly labeling boxes’ contents will help you move things to the correct rooms and prioritize which boxes to empty. 

Clear labels also keep you safe: Even with the extra secure wrapping of knives and blades we mentioned above, labeling these items’ boxes “SHARP” will help you make sure you know to be cautious when unpacking. 

It may sound silly, but it’s easy to forget to check some important spots in your kitchen to make sure you’re not leaving anything behind. Make sure to empty your dishwasher. Don’t leave anything in your oven. Check that cabinet above the fridge that you swear you never once used. 

This way, you can breathe easy knowing you got every last bit of your stuff, and the new residents won’t find anything unexpected.