Room by room
How to pack a kitchen for moving
5 min read
The kitchen is the slowest room in any house to pack and the one where things break. It's also the room where rigid bins beat cardboard by the widest margin: no bottoms falling out, no tape, no soggy boxes on a wet driveway.
Plan on 6 to 10 bins for an average kitchen, more if you cook seriously.
Pack in this order
- Rarely used: serving platters, specialty appliances, holiday dishes.
- Pantry and dry goods.
- Everyday dishes and glassware.
- Pots, pans and utensils.
- Coffee maker, kettle and the last few plates — the night before.
Plates go on edge, never stacked flat
Stand plates vertically like records in a dish rack, with a tea towel or sheet of paper between each one. Flat stacks concentrate weight on the bottom plate and that's where cracks start.
Fill the gaps with dish cloths so nothing shifts when the bin is carried.
Need the bins?
Reusable moving bins delivered across Hamilton & Burlington — $5 per bin the first week, $1.50 each extra week, delivery and pickup included.
Glassware and stemware
- Wrap each glass individually — packing paper, tea towels or socks all work.
- Stand glasses upright, never on their sides.
- Keep stemware in its own bin with soft items packed around the stems.
- Don't overfill: the lid should close flat without pressing down.
Snap-on lids mean you can stack a bin of glassware safely under other bins — but keep the glass bin on top anyway.
Pantry, spices and liquids
- Tape lids on oils, vinegars and syrups, then bag them.
- Group spices in a small container or bag so they don't roll loose.
- Use up or give away anything opened and perishable in the last week.
- Heavy cans go in the bottom of a partly filled bin, never a full one.
Knives, appliances and the essentials bin
- Sheath knives in a folded tea towel and tape it closed, blade side labelled.
- Tape appliance cords to their bodies so nothing dangles.
- Keep one open bin for the coffee setup, a pan, a few plates and cutlery.
Common questions
How many bins does a kitchen take?
Plan on 6 to 10 bins for a typical kitchen. Add a couple more if you have a lot of small appliances, bakeware or a deep pantry.
Should dishes be packed flat or on edge?
On edge. Standing plates vertically with padding between them spreads the load and prevents the cracks you get from flat stacks.
Are plastic bins better than boxes for kitchen items?
Yes for heavy, fragile loads. Rigid walls don't bulge or collapse, the lids keep dust and rain out, and you can stack a loaded bin without crushing what's underneath.
Book your moving bins
Delivered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays across Hamilton and Burlington. Pack at your own pace, then request pickup when you're done.
Keep reading
Planning
Moving packing checklist: what to do each week
A four-week plan that turns packing from a panic into a routine.
Technique
How to pack fragile items so nothing breaks
The three-layer rule: cushion the base, isolate each item, fill every gap.
Planning
Apartment moving guide for Hamilton and Burlington
Elevators, stairwells and tight parking — planning a building move properly.