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 like your favorite air fryer or trusted coffee maker 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 for packing small kitchen appliances.
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 to have adequate supplies for the job.
Here's what you'll need to get!
Boxes
When packing small appliances, selecting boxes as close as possible to the product's original packaging size is best. If you saved the boxes your appliances came in, those are ideal, but regular, small-sized moving boxes also work well.
Keep in mind that it's always best to pack heavier items in smaller boxes and lighter, bulkier items in larger boxes.
Remember that the more fragile the item, the more critical it is to make sure it's packed correctly, and keep in mind that while it's in transport, the boxes can get stacked, lifted, and shifted, so use extra diligence in the amount of packing material, and box sizes.
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 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 containing small appliances as fragile so you or your movers know how to handle those items carefully.
How to Pack Small Kitchen Appliances: 5 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.
It doesn't matter what type of small kitchen appliances you're packing; they all require the same general steps.
1. Wipe Each Item Down
It's always a good idea to thoroughly clean and dry your small appliances before 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.
2. 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.
3. Determine Which Size of Box Is Best
It's best to use small boxes when packing smaller, heavier items 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 damage 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 close to each appliance's original packaging size. However, you won't have to worry about breakage if you need to pack a few appliances in the same small box.
4. Prepare & Wrap Each Appliance
Begin wrapping 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.
It's also good to tape the door shut to prevent jostling during transport for appliances with doors, such as toaster ovens and air fryers.
5. Situate Appliances, Seal the Box, & Label
Before you pack your items, it's best to line the inside of each box with 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.
Are you 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.
Consider Getting Insurance
Transporting valuable items comes with risk, so adding insurance is always recommended if you want to keep them protected. Moving companies must offer different coverage levels, from total protection to released value, to keep your items safer.
You can also inquire with your renters or homeowners insurance to see their coverage options or check with a third-party provider specializing in insurance specifically for moving.
What About Storage Options?
If you need to store any of your valuables during the move, climate-controlled storage units are another great option.
They're designed to keep the room temperature consistent, which can help prevent moisture and temperature damage to vulnerable items, including:
● Leather or wood
● Specialized collections
● Artwork
● Electronics
● Magazines or comic books
Tips for Decluttering Before a Move
Moving is a challenge, even if it's in the best circumstances and fully planned. Knowing what items are the most important and which ones can be let go of can simplify the process and save you money with the move.
A few expert tips to help you downsize before the move are:
● Go through the biggest items first because these will be the costliest to move.
● Give yourself as much time as possible and start going through things at least three months before the move date to decide what you want to keep.
● Get your items organized and downsize them by category.
● Have a set plan like a garage sale, selling items online, or making donations for unwanted items.
How to Stay On Task When Moving
Aside from decluttering and trying to make the move, staying on task can be hard, so we always recommend doing one room at a time.
Start with the most infrequently used rooms first because they can be used to store packed and unpacked boxes.
Don't avoid leaving the more challenging items for the last, and when the truck is loaded, keep the boxes and itemized organized by which room they belong in because this can make the process easier for the movers.
Seattle & Tacoma’s Source for Comprehensive Moving Services
Whether you're getting ready for a move in the Seattle/Tacoma area or 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!