Moving? Packing Pots and Pans

Packing is the one aspect of moving that most of us despise. It is also the aspect that takes up most of the time involved with a move. And while we're busy trying to figure out how to find enough time to get our packing finished, it also begins to dawn on us that some things that some things are more difficult to pack than others.

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A good example of packing and the phenomenon of "this is harder than it looks" is trying to get pots and pans from the kitchen ready for the big move. This article provides the basics of getting yours ready quickly, safely and easily.

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Here are the basic pots and pans packing tips:

Pots and Pans Packing Tip 1: Get the right materials together.

Fortunately, the first step isn't difficult. Here's what you'll need:

Medium-sized, sturdy moving boxes acking paper, kraft paper, or in a pinch, newspaper Packing tape Dark colored, wide-tipped marker Biodegradable packing peanuts (optional)
Pots and Pans Packing Tip 2: Prepare your moving boxes.

Take each box and tape the bottom both lengthwise and crosswise along its seam, forming a cross. And while this may seem like a ridiculous reminder, be certain that you have the bottom of the box fully taped and secured before you start putting things in- you'd be surprised by the number of people, under the stress of the move, who forget to do this!

Next you'll want to prepare the inside of the box. Take the paper and form very loose "balls"- making them too tight will reduce their ability to absorb impact and will also exhaust your paper supply very quickly. You want to be sure that you have at least 1 - 2 inches of paper plus biodegradable packing peanuts to create a cushioning layer at the bottom of each box.

Pots and Pans Packing Tip 3: Loading the pots and lids.

The first thing to keep in mind when loading the pots and lids into the boxes is that pots get nested together in groups of 3, and the lids for the same 3 pots get nested together as well. Then you'll place the group of 3 pots and the group of 3 lids together in the same box. This way, when you're unpacking, you won't have to tear through all the kitchen boxes to get a single pot and lid that match.

When nesting the pots together, it's usually easiest to start with the largest pot, wrapping it in about 3 sheets of paper and taping the corners of the paper to one another inside the pot. Once the first pot is secure, load the second pot into the first, wrapping and taping it the same way. The third and final pot of the group should follow the same procedure.

If you have biodegradable packing peanuts, put a single layer between each pot.

When labeling the box, try following these additional guidelines:

Mark the room on the box first, with "KITCH" for "kitchen" and a number for each box (professional packers would take care of this for you). Label the box on at least 2 sides (all 4 is best) and the top so you can always quickly identify what's inside when moving and unpacking. This saves lots of time during the move. List the contents on the sides as well to avoid confusion later. Mark "Fragile" on boxes containing glass or delicate items. Use a dark, broad-tipped marker for labeling the boxes. Use block print in letters large enough to read from 6 feet away. Keep one single kitchen box as an "Open Me First" box containing the things you'll want to use within 24 hours of arriving at your destination. Be sure to mark it with "Open Me First" in big red letters.If you follow this simple three-step system, you should be in great shape for your pots and pans during your move!

Moving? Packing Pots and Pans

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