Of all the rooms in your home that you must pack before a move, your kitchen is probably the most challenging to tackle. Not only do you need to pack a substantial collection of fragile dishes and breakable items, but you probably also have several small appliances that require careful attention too. To help you successfully pack and transport your kitchen items, the professional movers and packers at Ed’s Moving & Storage share a few helpful tips below.
Essential Packing Supplies for Small Kitchen Appliances
When it comes to packing small kitchen appliances, you don’t need any special packing materials beyond what you’ll use for the remainder of your household items. However, it’s important to consider how many appliances you need to pack so you have adequate supplies on hand for the job. Here’s what you’ll need to get:
● Boxes. When packing small appliances, it’s best to select boxes that are as close as possible to the product’s original packaging size. If you saved the boxes that your appliances came in, those are ideal, but using regular, small-sized moving boxes works well too. Keep in mind that it’s always best to pack heavier items in smaller boxes and lighter, bulkier items in larger boxes.
● Protective packing material. Whether you opt for packing paper, newspaper, wrapping paper, or bubble wrap, make sure you have plenty of material on hand for wrapping your appliances and filling in any gaps inside each box.
● Tape. Purchase enough packing tape to both secure the protective materials around each appliance and seal each box. It’s always a good idea to double tape the bottom of kitchen boxes for extra reinforcement.
● Rubber bands or twist ties. Use rubber bands or twist ties to secure appliance cords and keep them from getting tangled or damaged. Tape can also work for this job.
● Markers. Make sure you label each box that contains small appliances as fragile, so you or your movers know to handle those items carefully.
How to Pack Small Kitchen Appliances: Complete the Job in 5 Steps
It doesn’t matter what type of small kitchen appliances you’re packing, they all require the same general steps. If you’re not planning to opt for full packing services from your residential movers, here’s how to get the job done and properly protect your items:
Wipe Each Item Down
It’s always a good idea to thoroughly clean and dry your small appliances prior to wrapping and packing them. Performing a cleaning will ensure you don’t transport grease, crumbs, and other stuck-on kitchen debris to your new home. If you don’t have time to deep clean each appliance, a quick wipe down with a damp cloth will also suffice. However, you may need to do some additional cleaning when you unpack in your new home.
Detach Removable or Loose Parts
Small kitchen appliances have plenty of moving parts that can make them fit awkwardly inside your boxes. Rather than trying to situate those items in one piece inside each box, simply detach any removable or loose parts, such as:
● Microwave trays
● Food processor containers and blades
● Blender containers
● Trays inside toaster ovens and air fryers
● Coffee pots
When you detach appliance components, make sure to situate them next to the appliance they belong to and wrap them up together. That way, you’ll know which items belong together when it’s time to arrange them inside each box. Even better, when you unpack, you won’t waste time trying to locate missing pieces.
Determine Which Size of Box Is Best
When packing smaller, heavier items, it’s best to use small boxes since they’re less likely to break. Packing multiple small appliances inside one large box is never a good idea since the substantial weight can break the bottom of the box. Moreover, fragile items may jostle and break during transport if they have extra space to move around.
Ideally, you should select boxes that are close to the size of each appliance’s original packaging. However, if you need to pack a couple of appliances in the same small box, you typically won’t have to worry about breakage.
Prepare and Wrap Each Appliance
Begin the wrapping process by bundling up each appliance’s cord and securing it with a rubber band, twist tie, or packing tape. To keep the cords contained, you can also use an additional piece of packing tape to adhere each cord to its corresponding appliance. For appliances that have doors, such as toaster ovens and air fryers, it’s also a good idea to tape the door shut to prevent jostling during transport.
Situate Appliances, Seal the Box, and Label
Before you pack your items, it’s best to line the inside of each box with some type of protective packing material for extra cushioning. You can use packing paper or bubble wrap, but if you don’t have any extra on hand, you can also use towels or other household linens.
After lining each box, situate your appliances inside so that they fit snugly, but not too tightly. When the boxes are filled, stuff any remaining gaps with additional packing material to prevent shifting during transport.
When all the items are appropriately packed and protected, tape up the box, and label it “fragile” so you and your movers know to take extra care during loading and unloading.
Not sure you have the time or desire to pack your small appliances properly? Not to worry! At Ed’s Moving & Storage, we offer comprehensive moving services, which include full packing services, loading, transport, and unloading. When you work with our team, we ensure your belongings are safely packed, so you don’t have to worry about damage during transport.
Ed’s Moving & Storage: Your Seattle & Tacoma Source for Comprehensive Moving Services
Whether you’re getting ready for a move in the Seattle/Tacoma area or you’re moving across the country, our team at Ed’s Moving & Storage is here to help. We specialize in a wide variety of moving services, including appliance moving, full packing services, storage solutions, move plans, and more, and have proudly served Washington residents since 1965. To learn more about our services or request a quick moving quote, give our Tacoma office a call today at 253-581-2446 or send us a message with any questions, and we’ll be in touch!