We all hate it, there’s no denying it. Packing can be time consuming and tedious, but there’s one room, more than any other, that can drive you insane…. The Kitchen! There’s so many breakable, perishable, and larger items that knowing where to start can be the hardest part. Fine China? Mixer? Pots and Pans? The list goes on.  We at Blackhawk Moving & Storage recommend that you let us do the packing for you, but we realize that some folks would prefer to do it themselves.  If you choose to go it alone, we’d like to give you some helpful tips to make packing your kitchen a little easier.

Packing Supplies

 Before you get started packing any room it’s important that you have all the supplies you need for the job.  When packing the kitchen, we recommend that you have the following:

  • Cartons

1.5, 3.0, 4.5, and Dish Packs

  • Packing Paper

For padding the inside of the cartons and wrapping dishes

  • Sealable Bags

For small pieces like screws, utensils, corks, etc.

  • Packing Tape

For securing the cartons

  • Felt Tip Pens

For labelling the cartons

Before you get started

Once you have all your supplies, you’ll need to start assembling your cartons. Always be sure to reinforce the bottom of your cartons with packing tape.  We recommend using at least 3 strips of tape, 1 down the middle of the carton and then one on each side overlapping the original strip.  Once you have your cartons assembled, you’ll need to pad the inside with crushed up packing paper.  Be sure to give enough padding to keep the dishes secure, but be careful not to overdo it. You’ll need room for the actual dishes! Whenever you complete a layer of dishes or cookware in the carton, always add a layer of crushed paper.  You never want to stack dishes or appliances directly on top of each other.

Dishes

Place the dish on the paper at an angle, fold the 3 corners over the dish and then role the dish up in the remaining paper.  We in the moving industry like to call this the “Burrito Technique.”  It never hurts to use extra paper too.  When packing dishes in the carton, always place the dish on it’s side.  When dishes are placed flat in the carton, they are more prone to breaking.

Bowls

When packing bowls, wrap them in paper in the same fashion as you would dishes.  If you have sets of bowls and want to keep them together, when wrapping the first bowl pull the corners of paper over, then rest the second bowl inside the first, and then wrap them up together as you would normally. When packing bowls in a carton, place them on their sides like you would with dishes.

Cups

When packing cups always wrap them individually.  Wrap them the same way as you would dishes and bowls.  When packing them in a carton, always pack them upside down.

Small Appliances

When packing appliances like toasters always wrap them individually, and use extra paper if needed. When packing them in a carton, always be sure to add a layer of crushed paper between the appliance and the lower layer of dishes.  This will help to keep everything safe during transport.

When you’re done packing

Once you’ve finished packing a carton, be sure to top off any excess space in the box with some more packing paper, and then secure the carton with some packing tape.  After the carton is secured, be sure to clearly label the carton with the name of the room, contents, the word FRAGILE, and an arrows pointing to the top of the carton. This will let the movers know where the carton came from, and to be extra careful with it.

 

For more helpful moving tips, be sure to check out this video, and to get a free quote on your next move, go to:

www.blackhawkmoving.com