Guide To Packing & Moving Home & Kitchen Appliances

If you’ve invested in good quality appliances, you’ll want to bring them with you to your new home.

Packing them up for safe transport will take some time if you’re doing it yourself, but it’s well worth the effort to have them arrive safe and sound.

That being said, evaluate your small appliances and kitchen appliances as you plan before the packing process begins. You may want to sell or give away to avoid the effort when moving long distance or internationally or using Ottawa’s best movers (Cassidy’s) 😀!

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General Tips to Pack Appliances for Moving

Whether you’re planning on using a U-haul or hiring professional movers, here are some general packing tips for appliances:

Disconnection and reconnection. You should be aware that any appliances connected to a gas line or your plumbing system will need to be disconnected by a professional first, and the supply line is properly sealed off.

You’ll need to make arrangements in advance to do this with licensed professionals – unfortunately, your Barrhaven movers can’t do this for you (if you’re moving with Cassidy’s, we can arrange this for you if you need us to). You’ll also need to make arrangements to connect them at your new home.

Life without appliances. Many of your appliances will be out of commission for a few days before your move, so you may want to make plans for take-out meals or even doing laundry at a friend’s house.

Start early. Most appliances will need to be left open for a few days for quick moves and longer if they’re being stored in a sea can or shipping container. Is it too late to start moving early? Don’t worry, there are many tips on how to pack in a hurry.

Gather your supplies. You’ll need lots of material to pack and move. Prepping your appliances for moving is no different. Gather the necessary packing materials for all your packing needs before you get started so that you don’t lose momentum just because you’re missing a box.

Packing materials such as packing paper, packing tape, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, boxes (buy more boxes than you think you’ll need), permanent marker, and a system for when you seal and label your packed boxes.

If you’re not sure if you want to bother moving your appliances or not, check this guide.

1. Refrigerators

Preparing a refrigerator for moving involves a lot of steps, so we’ve made it a separate post. Refrigerators require specific appliance tools such as a fridge dolly, and it’s not like you keep the original boxes, so you’ll need to make sure it’s disconnected, protected, and treated with care along with your fragile items.

You will use a very different approach when you pack kitchen appliances – so make sure to read our packing tips carefully to find the best way to pack a large appliance like this and be ready for your upcoming move.

2. Stove and Oven

Stoves are easily damaged during moves, especially if they have glass cooktops. Therefore, it’s important to review what your manual says about moving your stove before you start. Generally, these steps should work:

• Remove any pots or pans from the pull-out drawer below the oven and pack them separately.
• Do a heavy-duty cleaning of the entire stove, including the oven. Follow the guidelines in your manual. Don’t forget to pull the stove out and clean anything that may have fallen down the sides (learn how to do this without scratching your floors below). This is partly so you start life at your new home with a nice clean stove, and also for safety during moving, as grease can cause slips – not to mention it can get on your other belongings. Remember, grease does go rancid.
• Remove the racks from the oven, along with any other removable parts like drip pans. Pack those separately.
• Ensure all dials are set to the off position and tape them in place. You can also tape crumpled newspaper to the display for extra protection. If you’re concerned about your glass cooktop, you can place bubble wrap topped with more crumpled paper onto the glass for an extra cushion. The extra paper padding may give you some extra peace of mind, but it should still be treated like a fragile item.
• If your stove is connected to a gas line, have it disconnected and sealed.
• If your stove uses an electric plug, unplug it. Use tape to secure the plug to the back of the stove.
• Keep the oven door shut with a strap or bungee cord. Tape may leave residue on some finishes.
• If your stove has a stainless steel finish, use a protectant and wrap it in a blanket or heavy-duty plastic. When our top Stittsville movers move appliances, we like to wrap the entire unit with moving pads to provide better protection.

If you have an electric range, check that there’s a plug with the proper voltage at your new home. Be aware that different stoves have different requirements, so don’t just look at the “big outlet” and assume everything’s OK.

3. Dishwasher

• Ensure your dishwasher is clean by running it through a wash cycle while empty. You Won’t be able to use it for a few days before your move.
• Like any appliance that uses water, you’ll need to leave the door open for at least48 hours in advance. This allows any water left in the bottom to evaporate.
• Have a plumber disconnect the water for you and ensure water can’t escape. Set aside the hoses to ensure any water can dry out.
• Wrap the hoses in some old towels and packing paper and pack them separately along with any other racks and holders.
• Secure the electrical plug to the back of the dishwasher with tape.
• A moving pad on the outside of the dishwasher will protect the finish.

4. Microwave Ovens

• Remove the glass tray, ensure it’s clean, and then wrap it well in paper or bubble wrap before packing separately.
• Coil the electrical cord and tape it to the back of the unit.
• Put the microwave in a well-padded box. If it’s especially large, you may want to wrap it in moving pads as our speedy Gatineau movers do. Add packing peanuts if needed, but make the microwave oven the only thing in your packed box.

If you don’t have the original boxes, pack small appliances in a box on their own, filling in remaining gaps and empty spaces with crumpled paper, seal and label the box as fragile.

When positioning your microwave in your new home, be sure the exhaust vent isn’t blocked.

5. Washing Machine

Again, like any appliance that uses water, you’ll need to leave it empty with the door open to allow it to dry out thoroughly before moving. This includes the hoses.

• Have a professional plumber disconnect the hoses and ensure the water supply is secured. Set aside the hoses so they can dry out.
• Once the hoses have had enough time to dry, wrap them in old towels or paper and pack them separately. Some people like to put them inside the washer, but that will add to the overall weight.
• When moving a washer, the most important part is to secure the drum. If it’s not secured, it will move around and very likely become damaged. This is especially important for front-loading washers. Please consult the manual to see what they recommend, but many require special parts, which you should have from when you bought the washer, or you may need to purchase some.
• Other types may have screws you need to tighten.
• Coil the electrical cord and tape it to the back of the machine.
• Strap or tape the lid closed.
• To protect the finish on the main body, use moving pads or an old blanket if you’re moving it on your own.

A plumber may need to connect your washing machine to your new home.

6. Clothes Dryer

• Clean the lint screen.
• Unplug the dryer.
• Disconnect the dryer venting system.
• Tape the electrical cord to the back of the dryer.

Again, before plugging in your clothes dryer in your new home, be sure that your electrical supply can handle the requirements. You’ll also want to be sure that the dryer vents are nice and clean: if they’re full of lint, your dryer won’t work as efficiently. It can also be a potential fire hazard if the vent gets completely blocked.

Remember, for total security, you can wrap your appliances or have a professional mover do it for you. A wrapped appliance means peace of mind, and when you have multiple appliances to handle, it makes sure everything can get there safely.

7. Barbecue

Barbecues are heavy, greasy and dirty, but can be moved.

• If your barbecue is connected to a gas line, a professional will need to disconnect it.
• If your barbecue is propane, disconnect the propane tank. Unfortunately, propane is a hazardous material. Like all professional movers, Cassidy’s can’t move a propane tank for you (although you can move it in your vehicle). You can read more about hazardous materials and why we can’t move them here.
• Ensure all dials are set to the off position.
• Give the entire barbecue the cleaning of its life- that means all the caked-on grease, the grease traps, the grill, the covers – everything.
• Remove any grilles, rocks and other loose parts and pack those separately. Some barbecues have removable sections at the sides.
• Tape the lid closed, and do the same for any doors that can’t be removed. This may not be your most heavy appliance, but it will take more care and attention to prepare, pack, and save time on your moving day.

8. Small Appliances

Most small appliances can be simply unplugged, cleaned, disassembled, and packed in a padded box. For complex items like expensive coffee makers and milk steamers, you may want to consult the owner’s manual. In addition, you may want to consult this article on moving your electronics – it has a lot of advice that applies to small appliances as well.

Pack small kitchen appliances with care. Don’t skimp on packing paper or bubble wrap because typically, these appliances end up in medium-sized boxes with other items. Wrap and secure the cords with twist ties, and pay attention to what you are packing in the same box.

Give it a little shake before taping it closed, it will see much more than just a little shake on moving day. When all your boxes are stacked together on a moving day, you won’t know if you’re holding a box with the coffee maker or just a box of shoes.

Pack kitchen appliances as though the boxes will be treated the exact same way, but make sure to use your permanent marker to write “FRAGILE” on the box.

9. Stand Mixers

When packing small but heavy appliances, like stand mixers, you’ll require extra planning. Typically, you can pack small kitchen appliances in a box with some protection, which will be fine. These mixers may be a small appliance, but packing them can be a challenge. Unlike other small appliances, they can be cumbersome.

• Use packing tape to reinforce the bottom of your box. Don’t just place the packing tape down the seam; also make a bix “X” from corner to corner to help with the weight.
• Typically, it is taller than it is wide so that a small box won’t be tall enough. Instead of using bigger boxes and packing them full of brown wrapping paper, use two small boxes prepared the same way.
• Place a layer of packing paper in the bottom of the first box, place the stand mixer inside, using packing tape on the adjustable arm to make sure it doesn’t slide, and wrap the mixer in a towel- keep the bowl attached and fill the box with more packing paper. Keep the mixer upright. Packing the box with your kitchen towels is a great way to save space and keep it in place.
• Now, add packing paper to the second box. Crumpled paper is fine, and you just want to keep it in place.
• Finally, put the two boxes together. Flip your empty box on top of the box with the mixer and tape the two boxes together very well. You should have tape on all four sides and tap the seam between the two boxes shut. Be sure to mark it as both fragile and heavy.

10. Storing Your Appliances?

If your appliances are going into storage, mould and mildew are the enemies. They both thrive in damp, dark, enclosed spaces.

Thoroughly clean your appliances and leave them out to dry for a whole week to prevent mould and mildew.

Pack small appliances with packing paper – inside the microwave or the coffee pot, for example. A small appliance can be easily overlooked, and packing paper is cheap added insurance.

When we put items into storage for our customers, we leave the doors open an inch or so to allow airflow. If you’re very concerned, placing a pouch of silica crystals in the appliance is an extra step you can take.

11. Watch Your Floors!

If you’re pulling kitchen appliances out of position, one of the main dangers is scratching floors, especially if they’re vinyl or hardwood. Some appliances have scratch-resistant pads on their feet, but if they don’t or if you want to be extra careful, here’s how to move heavy items safely.

• Clean your floors first – this removes grit that can be trapped under the appliance’s legs and dragged, leaving a nice ugly gouge for the next homeowner.
• Don’t pivot the appliance back and forth.
• Create a sliding pad using an old carpet remnant (soft side down) – if it’s a thin carpet, you may need plywood on top to prevent the feet from poking through.
• Get someone to lift the front of the appliance up while you slide the pad under. Then lift and slide the appliance forward on top of the pad. Watch your back: use a dolly when working with heavy appliances, and there are even refrigerator dollies available for rent. You may need several people.

You can also try a special appliance moving tool – they’re often available for rent.

Move Your Appliances With Cassidy’s

Whether you’re looking for a reliable mover or even full packing services, Cassidy’s has you covered! We put the stress on moving to bed. Our trained and experienced movers will treat your home and belongings with care.

Request a quote today and see why the people of Ottawa trust Cassidy’s with their local or long-distance move!