Ask anyone who has moved before, and they will tell you the same thing: the kitchen is the hardest room to pack. Between fragile glassware, oddly shaped appliances, half-used pantry items, and that junk drawer everyone pretends does not exist, the kitchen demands more time, more supplies, and more patience than any other space in the house. If you are gearing up for a household move to the Twin Cities, here is a zone-by-zone strategy to get your kitchen boxed up without breaking a single dish.
Zone 1: Cabinets and Dishware
Start with the items you use least, like holiday platters, serving bowls, and specialty bakeware. Wrap each piece individually in packing paper, then add a layer of bubble wrap for extra protection. Stack plates vertically in sturdy, double-walled boxes, the way you would file records. This position distributes pressure more evenly and reduces the chance of cracking.
For everyday dishes, wait until the final week before the move to pack them. In the meantime, simplify meals and use paper plates and disposable utensils. It sounds basic, but it saves you from packing and unpacking the same plates twice.
Pro Tip: Place a layer of crumpled packing paper at the bottom and top of every dish box and fill all gaps. If you can hear items shifting when you gently shake the box, add more cushioning. A snug box is a safe box.
Zone 2: Glassware and Stemware
Glasses and wine stems are among the most breakable items in your kitchen. Wrap each glass individually — start by stuffing the interior with crumpled paper, then wrap the outside with two sheets of packing paper. Use cell dividers inside your boxes if available, or create your own by cutting cardboard strips into a grid pattern.
Zone 3: Pots, Pans, and Bakeware
Cookware is heavy and bulky, which makes box selection important. Use medium-sized boxes and resist the temptation to fill them to the brim — a box too heavy to lift safely is a box that gets dropped. Nest smaller pots inside larger ones with a layer of packing paper between each to prevent scratching. Lids can be wrapped in paper and placed along the sides of the box.
Cast iron skillets deserve individual wrapping and their own box or a very secure spot at the bottom of a heavy-duty container. If you are a Minnesota home cook with a well-seasoned Lodge skillet, protect that seasoning — wrap it in a towel before boxing it up.
Zone 4: Small Appliances
Blenders, stand mixers, toasters, and coffee makers each have removable parts that you should pack separately. If you still have the original box, use it. Otherwise, wrap the base in bubble wrap and pack accessories such as blades, attachments, and cords in labeled zip-lock bags, taping them to the appliance so nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
Pro Tip: Take a quick photo of your appliance setup before disconnecting anything. When you are unpacking in your new kitchen in Plymouth, Maple Grove, or St. Paul, that picture is worth a thousand instruction manuals.
Zone 5: Pantry and Refrigerator
This is the perfect time to purge. Toss expired spices, half-empty condiment bottles, and that mystery bag in the back of the freezer. Donate unexpired, non-perishable items to a local Twin Cities food shelf. For items you are keeping, transport dry goods in sealed plastic bins to prevent spills. Perishables should travel in a cooler with ice packs and be the last items loaded and the first items unloaded.
The Junk Drawer and Odds and Ends
Every kitchen has one. Dump the drawer into a zip-lock bag, sort quickly — keep, toss, donate — and pack what survives into a small labeled box. Scissors, tape, a pen, and a basic tool kit should go into your essentials bag, not into a sealed box on the truck.
Need Help Packing Your Twin Cities Kitchen?
Metcalf Moving & Storage offers professional packing services that take the stress out of your kitchen and every other room. With over a century of experience serving Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Rochester, we know how to protect what matters most. Get your free quote today and let our team handle the heavy lifting.