Moving day is fast approaching, and you have almost packed your entire house. Your bedrooms and bathrooms are done, and everything but the furniture is boxed up in the living room and dining room, so the last thing to do is the kitchen.

You can pack up almost everything except the big and small appliances you still need, but as the last day approaches, even these have to get ready. Kitchen appliances tend to be the hardest to pack because they often have multiple parts and cords hanging out, and some of the components are glass, too, so that has to be handled differently. For the big appliances like fridges, stoves and microwaves, you don’t even want to think about it.

What is the best way to handle these bulky machines when relocating? Here are five tips on how to pack kitchen appliances for moving

1. Clean All Appliances Before You Pack Them

This is a pro tip that you may not have thought of, but for appliances big and small, cleaning them first will make their arrival at your new home much better. Give them a good wash with soap and water, using a cloth for the big ones and the sink for smaller components.

Ensure not to wet any electrical parts; the towel dries them completely after washing. Appliances tend to get dirty with food spills and daily usage, so having them in pristine condition when they enter your new place will be a great way to start.

2. Use Original Boxes

If you have bought new appliances in your current home, they will have arrived in their packing boxes. Those with the foresight and the space kept them to reuse and got the first prize in the smarts contest.

This is the best way to move big appliances because they were originally transported in packaging made exactly for them, and they are the most secure for transport. If you didn’t keep them or are taking appliances you didn’t originally buy, you will have to move on to the next option.

3. Storage Containers

The biggest issue with moving has to transporting heavy appliances and bulky furniture. Getting them out of the house is just the first hurdle, but the loading and unloading in a truck or moving van takes a toll on the body. It is hardly worth the hassle, but there is a better way. Storage containers.

Renting a portable storage container like The Storage Box makes life so much easier because they are dropped off right at your front door, and then you can carry them into the ground-level container and get them ready for transport. Moving trucks and pickups require you to lift up and in, but these storage containers make this unnecessary. You can load up the big appliances first and then fill the container with the rest of your furniture and house boxes for one big trip.

The best part is that at your new home, the container will be dropped off and can stay as long as you need it to move everything at your leisure. A storage container makes sense for any move but is a no-brainer-brainer for appliances.

4. Gather Your Packing Material

For smaller appliances, you are going to need a variety of packing mediums like:

  • Bubble wrap
  • Packing paper
  • Rubber bands
  • Packing tape
  • Smaller boxes
  • Bathroom towels
  • Twist ties (for hanging cords)

Pack things tight, as many smaller appliances have breakable and sharp parts. Fill in the voids of your boxes with towels or clothes if you need to.

Larger appliances need bubble wrap as well as corrugated cardboard. You can get this in a roll, wrap it around fridges and stoves, or get moving blankets and tape them securely on all sides. Any leftover cardboard should be placed on the floor, so you don’t scuff or scratch it as you move these heavy appliances.

5. Pack Small Appliances With All Their Pieces

Moving is like using a dryer; you tend to lose things along the way. While it won’t be a missing sock, it could be a lid to a blender or a rack for a toaster oven that disappears.

Wrap smaller pieces independently but put all components in the same box, so they travel together to their destination. It makes unpacking much easier, and you won’t have to do a scavenger hunt to make a smoothie.

Nobody enjoys packing up their home when moving, but it’s a necessary evil. Handle it like a pro by using these five tips and see how easy packing kitchen appliances for moving can be. You will be able to better transport these items to your new home and get them in place without any damage, and then once you are done, save those boxes because you never know when you, or someone you know, will be moving their kitchen appliances and will need your help and advice.