Planning an interstate move requires multiple logistical considerations to determine the best way to get all your belongings safely to your new home. As the heart of any home, the kitchen is likely the last room you’ll pack, since you and your family will need to use it until the last minute. You might find packing your kitchen is also the most complicated part of getting ready for your long-distance move, thanks to all the fragile items like plates, stemware and mugs.

To ensure you don’t arrive at your destination with boxes of broken stoneware, ceramic and glass, follow these tips for packing dishes for a cross-country move.

1. Be Generous With Your Packing Supplies

The kitchen is the last place you want to skimp on high-quality packing supplies like paper, boxes and tape. For example, wrap similarly sized bowls and plates individually before putting them in a packing crate. (Pro tip: Stacking dishes vertically, with each one supporting the other, makes breakage less likely.) As you go, liberally use packing paper as cushioning between layers of dishes. Ball up paper to stuff any gaps in the box until it’s full – you don’t want any movement when you jostle the box. Don’t forget to tape your box shut at the top and bottom and clearly label it as “Kitchen – fragile.”

2. Use Paper Instead of Bubble Wrap

While bubble wrap may be fun to play with, packing paper is more flexible and easier to use. It’s also less of a hassle to recycle, as bubble wrap requires several extra steps to keep it out of landfills and avoid clogging recycling machinery. When you unpack dishes at your new destination, you can dispose of paper and cardboard at the city’s municipal recycling facility with less effort.

3. Pack Carefully

Once you’ve packed dishes for your cross-country move, you will need to be careful with loading all fragile items to ensure they don’t break in transit. A professional long-distance moving company can take the stress and worry out of this process for you by strategically placing fragile items so they don’t shift around during the journey. If you decide to load your car or truck yourself, take your time and be deliberate instead of trying to rush through the project.

Bonus Kitchen Packing Tips for Your Cross-Country Move

With a strategy in place and a few easy-to-implement hacks, packing and moving your kitchen across state lines won’t seem so overwhelming.

  • Systematically go through each cupboard and drawer in your kitchen, and group similar items together. You’ll thank yourself when you are unpacking at your new home.
  • Use large, empty vessels like your stockpot, slow cooker, rice cooker and even your blender for storing items. These are the perfect location for keeping spices organized and safe during a move.
  • Slide oven mitts and potholders onto knives to create makeshift sheaths. This tip has the added benefit of packing your potholders, too!
  • Wrap your utensil organizer with plastic cling wrap to ensure your knives, forks and spoons all stay in place.
  • Packing a toaster? Be sure to secure it in a grocery bag before packing it. No matter how much you clean this appliance, there will almost always be stray crumbs. This bag will ensure the crumbs don’t get into the box and anything else you pack with your toaster.

Get Professional Help With Your Long-Distance Move

If you are moving from the metropolitan Atlanta area to anywhere else in the country, Fox Moving and Storage has all your needs covered. Count on us to professionally pack and safely transport your belongings to your new home. We even have the expertise to move sensitive items like electronics without damaging them, and we’ll haul away anything you’ve decided not to keep with our junk removal service. To request a free quote for your interstate move, reach out to us today!