What is the best way to unpack your kitchen after a move?
Moving is stressful and time consuming. Unpacking and setting up a new kitchen can be particularly overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be though – below are some tips so that you can unpack and set up your kitchen like a pro!
Organizing supplies you’ll need:
- High quality box cutter
- Post-it’s
- Sharpie
- Label Maker
- X- large clear recycling bags
Open all the boxes and identify what’s inside
Chances are your boxes are labeled “kitchen.” Gather all the boxes and using your box cutter, open them and take out the top layers of packing paper so you can see what’s inside. Unpack boxes that have larger items like pots and pans on the spot and get rid of the boxes. To keep empty boxes organized, break them down, and using one of the larger boxes, create what we call a “box of boxes” – one large box to put all the flattened out boxes into.
Map out your kitchen
Use post-its and a sharpie to map out your kitchen before putting things away. Here are the most common categories.
- Dishes
- Glasses
- Mugs
- Coffees & Teas
- Vitamins
- Pots and pans
- Serving dishes and platters
- Bowls
- Baking
- Cutlery
- Oils & vinegars
- Spices
- Kitchen gadgets
- Small appliances
- Large appliances
- Vitamins
- Junk drawer
- Paper plates, plastic cups etc.
- Entertaining (large bowls and platters)
- Holiday
- Pantry
Unpack and Sort
Use the kitchen counter and your dining table as staging areas to sort items into categories. This will help you figure out which drawers and cabinets to put them in. Use the categories above as a guide. We recommend using a tablecloth or spreading out packing paper on your dining table to protect it.
Put things away
After you’ve unpacked, sorted and mapped out your kitchen, begin to put things away. Every home is different so you may need to adjust the shelves or purchase additional organizing supplies to customize the space for your needs.
Products we recommend to organize your kitchen
There are a few of our go-to products for kitchen organization. You can get them at the Container Store.
The Home Edit by iDesign 9″ Lazy Susan
iDESIGN Linus X-Large Pantry Bin Clear
Expandable Bamboo Silverware Tray
Stackable Bamboo Drawer Organizers
Do you have any tips on how to unpack the kitchen? Are there products you swear by in organizing your kitchen? Leave a comment and let us know!