When you're relocating to a new city or neighborhood, what's the first room you plan to pack up? Chances are it's not the kitchen. With so many small gadgets, appliances, utensils and dishware to keep track of, it's hard to work up the energy and concentration to get everything in its rightful order. 

And let's not forget that as humans, we still need to eat during the moving process, so having to pack, unpack, and repack the kitchen items you need to make meals can quickly become a nuisance. 

The solution? Planning how (vs. when) to pack your kitchen for a move is a good starting point. This allows you to create some order to the chaos that often accompanies moving to a new home. 

AAA Movers Top 5 Kitchen Packing Tips

To help you get a better handle on packing your kitchen before a move, here's a few ideas to help get you started. 

1.) Take a Quick Inventory: Take a moment to step into your kitchen area and start doing a mental scan of the space. Consider which items you can stand to miss for the next few days. For instance, your toaster, food processor, or Tupperware collection might not need to see the light of day until you arrive at your new home. Next, look at the types of kitchen tools you'll need in the coming days (e.g. plates, glasses, utensils, etc.). 

• AAA Movers Pro Tip: Make a quick list of all these items and be sure to categorize them as essential vs. nonessential, so you remember and can get ready for kitchen packing tip #2.

2.) Keep Essentials Together: Organizing your kitchen gear is no small task, but if you break down what you use on a daily basis vs. what you use sparingly, you can easily separate your essentials from your non-essential items. After you make your list, categorize these items even more by their commonalities. For example, you may decide to store dishware and utensils in the same box (essentials) while you place your waffle maker with your toaster and coffee maker in another (nonessential). This is a good way to keep all parts and attachments together.  

• AAA Movers Pro Tip: Be sure to mark your boxes "essential" or "non-essential" and include a few extra details on what objects are contained within each box (e.g. kitchen knives, spatulas, pizza cutter, etc.)

3.) Out with the Old: While packing your kitchen, you're going to come across a few items that are either broken, damaged, or a duplicate. This is a great time to cut through the clutter and start fresh in your new home. 

• AAA Movers Pro Tip: Plan a day to visit your local donation center to drop off duplicate items you don't need or even appliances you know you'll never use. Make sure to pile everything neatly and do a swift run through of the kitchen to ensure you didn't miss anything. 
• Follow the same process for items you want to throw out. Make a neat pile and plan a time to properly recycle these items according to your local Minnesota community guidelines (this applies to household hazard waste products, too!) 

4.) Clear a Space: While packing your kitchen, make sure to keep your essential boxes nearby and easy to access. You might even decide to keep your essentials "unboxed" until the last night before the move. 

• AAA Movers Pro Tip: Try to keep the nonessential boxes outside of the kitchen, as this just takes up space. You might consider stacking your boxes, too. When doing so, remember to keep the most "daily used" items at the top, within arm's reach—just be careful with weight distribution.

5.) Call the Pros: During all the planning and packing, make sure you call the pros, so you never need to worry about the heavy lifting. At AAA Movers, our team of certified professional movers have the experience and skill to help you transport your belongings to their new home. Our mission is to go the extra mile for you, which is why we offer incredible storage options, supplies, and resources for your local or long-distance Minnesota move! 

• AAA Movers Pro Tip: Start with a free moving quote! Just fill out our online form to tell us a bit more about your upcoming move. A member of our team will get back to you with all the helpful details and price options you need to feel confident about the planning process and ensure you have everything you need to make your move fun and seamless. 

Ready to Plan Your Minnesota Move?

Trust our team of professionals to remove the hassle of any upcoming move. Just request a free quote to get the process started. We're proud to be the Twin Cities top moving company and can't wait to help you start the next chapter in your new community with professional moving services designed to accommodate your schedule and budget. Contact us to learn more!