How to Pack a Kitchen for a Move Without Breaking Anything
A practical order of work for packing a UK kitchen: what to pack first, how to handle cupboard contents, appliances and food, and what to keep for last.
The kitchen is the most time-consuming room to pack, because it contains hundreds of small, awkward and breakable items. People tend to leave it until the last day and then lose a whole afternoon to it. Working in a deliberate order makes it manageable, and you can stay fed while doing it.
Start with a cull
Before you wrap anything, go through every cupboard and drawer and ask whether it is worth moving.
- Out-of-date food and spices. Bin them.
- Duplicates and unused gadgets. Donate or sell.
- Chipped crockery and mismatched lids. Recycle where possible.
- Plastic containers without lids.
Cooking oils, half-open packets and sauces will be unpopular with movers, and some are on the list of things movers will not carry. Plan to use up what you can in the last weeks.
Packing order
Two to three weeks before
Pack items you do not use daily: serving dishes, special-occasion glasses, baking tins, small appliances you rarely touch, cookbooks and decorative items.
One week before
Pack most crockery and glassware, leaving a minimal set. Cutlery can be wrapped in bundles with elastic bands. Pans can be nested with paper between them.
Two days before
Defrost the freezer if it is going with you, see moving appliances. Pack non-perishable food and the contents of cupboards.
Last day
Keep a "kitchen survival" box, with a kettle, mugs, tea and coffee, a few plates and cutlery, a sharp knife, tea towel, washing-up liquid, bin bags and cleaning cloths. Pack this last and unload it first. It joins the first night essentials box.
How to pack each category
Plates, bowls and glasses
Follow the techniques in how to pack fragile items: wrap individually, plates on edge, padding top and bottom.
Pans and cookware
Heavy but robust. Put the heaviest at the bottom, with lids on the side or wrapped separately. Use pans to hold smaller items, with paper in between.
Knives and sharp items
Wrap each blade in thick paper or a tea towel and secure with tape. Label the package so no one is surprised when it is unpacked.
Small appliances
Original boxes are best. Wrap cables separately and tape them to the item so they do not get lost. Remove glass jugs and trays and wrap them separately.
Food and liquids
- Tape or seal open packets and place them in sealed bags.
- Stand bottles upright and seal lids with tape or cling film.
- Put jars in a small box, filled with padding, and keep them away from lighter items.
- Do not pack alcohol or oil alongside paper goods unless sealed.
Labelling
Mark each box with the room and a brief description, for example "Kitchen: glasses, FRAGILE". Add a number so you can check that nothing is missing. See how to label boxes for moving.
Common mistakes
- Packing everything on the last day.
- Heavy items in large boxes.
- Leaving liquids unsealed.
- Forgetting to separate the kettle and a set of mugs.
- Mixing sharp items with soft packaging without marking.
Time estimates
A typical family kitchen takes between four and eight hours to pack by one person, depending on how much you own and how much you cull. If that sounds like too much, a part-packing service just for the kitchen is a popular compromise, covered in packing service cost.
A worked example: a family kitchen over a week
Suppose you have a typical kitchen with about eight cupboards, three drawers and a pantry shelf. On Monday you clear the top shelves and the cookbooks, on Wednesday the bakeware and serving dishes, on Friday the spare glass and crockery and the spare appliances. At the weekend you pack the pans and pantry food, leaving a box with a kettle, two mugs per person, a pan, a plate and cutlery each, and basic cleaning materials. By moving day the kitchen is still usable, but only a handful of items are left to pack in the final hour. Compare that to a single-day panic where glasses, plates and bowls are thrown into boxes and half the contents arrive broken.
What goes where
| Item | Box type | Packing note |
|---|---|---|
| Glasses and stemware | Small, strong, with dividers if possible | Wrap each one, stand upright, mark the box |
| Plates | Medium | On edge, with paper between |
| Pans and pots | Medium | Heavy items at the bottom, lids separate |
| Tins and jars | Small | Do not overfill |
| Dry food | Medium | Seal, use bags, keep light |
| Cutlery | Wrap in bundles | Place in a drawer tray or a small box |
Dealing with the fridge and freezer
Plan your meals a week or so ahead to use what you have. Frozen items that are still frozen can often go in a cool box for a short journey, but do not rely on this for a long trip. Empty and clean the appliance, see moving appliances.
Unpacking efficiently
Open the kitchen survival box first, then the boxes for glasses, plates and pans. Do not unpack the entire kitchen on the first night. A kettle, a clean surface and a few cups are enough. Unpack by zone: coffee station, cooking area, then everything else.
Rental and shared kitchens
If you are leaving a shared kitchen, check what belongs to whom before you start packing. Put your name on boxes, and photograph shared cupboards to avoid disputes.
Frequently asked questions
How many boxes does a kitchen need?
Often 15 to 25 for a family kitchen, though a small flat kitchen might be 6 to 10.
Can I leave plates in cupboards?
Not safely. Items shift and break in transit, so box and pad them.
What should I do with the contents of my fridge?
Use up perishables in the week before, then transfer remaining chilled items to a cool bag for the day.
Should I wash everything before packing?
Wash and dry crockery that is going into storage or will be unpacked later, as dust and residue attract pests. For items going straight to a new kitchen, a quick wipe is usually enough.