Packing a Kitchen for a Move: Plates, Pots and Gas Rings

The kitchen is the room that takes longest to pack, because it has the most small things in it. Every cupboard hides something: a blender, a stack of plates, a half bag of rice, a tin of royco. If you leave it to the last morning, you will still be wrapping cups when the truck arrives.

Start four or five days before. Here is the order that works.

What to gather first

You will need cartons that are small and strong, old newspapers or plain paper, cloth, bubble wrap if you can find it, tape, a marker and a few plastic bags.

Do not use a big carton for heavy things. A box of pots that you cannot lift is a box that will be dropped. Plates and glasses go in smaller cartons, and the weight should stay manageable for one person.

Day one: things you rarely use

Begin with what you will not miss this week: serving dishes, party glasses, spare pots, the blender you use at Christmas, the extra tray.

Wrap each piece, pack the carton, tape it and write "Kitchen" and a number on the side. Our guide on labelling and numbering boxes explains the system if you have not used one.

Plates, bowls and glasses

1. Line the bottom of the carton with crumpled paper.
2. Wrap each plate on its own, then stand the plates on their edge, not flat. Edges take pressure better than faces.
3. Put a layer of paper between each row.
4. Wrap glasses and cups one by one, and stuff paper inside each so it cannot be crushed.
5. Fill every gap with paper until the carton does not rattle when you shake it gently.
6. Mark the top "Fragile" and write which side is up.

Heavier plates go at the bottom, lighter bowls on top. Keep cutlery wrapped in cloth, bundle each type together and tie it with a band.

Pots, pans and flasks

Nest pots inside one another with a cloth or paper between them to avoid scratches. Put the lids in a separate bundle. Heavy items such as a cast iron pot go in a small carton by themselves.

Flasks, kettles and jugs need padding inside and outside. Take the plug off the kettle cable and tape the cable to the body.

Small appliances

For blenders, microwaves, rice cookers and toasters, use the original box if you still have it. If not, wrap the appliance in a towel and pack it in a snug carton with cloth around the sides.

Wind each cable and tape it to its appliance, or put cables in a bag labelled with the appliance name. Detach loose parts (jug, blades, trays) and pack them separately so they cannot slide into the glass. Our article on packing fragile items for same-day bulk move has more on padding.

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Choose your vehicle, propose your price, and verified drivers in Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan accept or send a counter-offer.

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Food and cleaning supplies

Use up what you can in the last week. Give away or eat the things that will not last the trip.

• Seal rice, beans, garri and flour in strong bags, and then in a carton or bucket.
• Keep oil, sauces and anything that can leak upright, with the lid taped, in a plastic bag.
• Do not pack open food. Throw it away.
• Keep cleaning products away from food cartons.

Pack a small bag of what you need on the first night: a pot, a knife, a few plates, tea, sugar, a lighter and a bottle of water.

The big items

The fridge needs emptying, defrosting and drying the day before. Follow our guide on moving a fridge or freezer for that part.

For a gas cooker and cylinder, close the valve, disconnect only if you know how, and follow the manufacturer's guidance. Our gas cooker and cylinder checklist goes through it step by step.

On moving day

Keep the kitchen cartons together, and tell the driver which ones are fragile. Load the heavy cartons low and the fragile ones on top, in a place where nothing can slide onto them.

At the new place, unpack the first-night bag first. Then do the plates and pots, and leave the rarely used items for the weekend.

How to do this on Sphere

1. Choose a pickup van for a small kitchen, or a truck for a full house.
2. Add the pickup and drop-off, and note the floor and the stairs.
3. Describe the load, and mention the fridge, cooker and how many fragile cartons you have.
4. Propose your price. Nearby verified drivers accept it or send a counter-offer, and you choose.
5. Agree loading and offloading help with the driver before you accept an offer.

For a whole-house move, see house moving in Lagos.