How to Pack a Kitchen for Moving (Without the Stress)

Ask anyone who's moved: the kitchen is the worst room to pack. It's full of heavy, fragile, awkward stuff, and it's the last thing you use before you leave and the first thing you want after you arrive. Here's how to tackle it calmly and quickly.

Start with what you never use

A week or two out, pack the things you only reach for on holidays — the punch bowl, the extra baking dishes, the appliances collecting dust in the back of a cabinet. This clears space and gives you an easy win before the crunch.

Pack dishes on their edge

Plates survive far better standing vertically, like records, than stacked flat. Cushion the bottom of the tote, wrap each plate in packing paper or a dish towel, and line them up on edge. Heavier plates on the bottom, lighter on top.

Glasses and stemware

• Wrap each glass individually — bundling two together is how chips happen.
• Stuff paper inside tall glasses and stemware for support.
• Keep glasses upright, never on their side, and don't overpack the tote.

Keep totes light and labeled

It's tempting to fill one big tote with everything, but a kitchen tote gets heavy fast. Use more totes, fill them only about three-quarters full, and label each by the room it's going to. Our reusable totes seal without tape and stack securely on the included dolly, so a stack of dish-filled totes won't crush the one underneath the way cardboard does.

Handle the tricky stuff

• Knives: wrap blades in a towel and tape, then label clearly.
• Pots and pans: nest them with paper between, lids packed flat alongside.
• Spices and oils: seal lids with tape and bag them in case of leaks.
• Small appliances: pack with their cords and any loose parts together.

Pack an “open first” kitchen box

Set aside one tote with the essentials you'll want on night one: a few plates, cups, utensils, a pan, dish soap, paper towels, and the coffee maker. Label it clearly and load it last so it comes off first.

Make it easier

Sturdy, stackable totes make a fragile-heavy room like the kitchen far less nerve-wracking than flimsy boxes. Reserve your totes and we'll deliver them to your door — and if you're not sure how many you need, start with our sizing guide.