Need to know how to store kitchen appliances? Kitchen appliance storage is straightforward—you just need time, patience, and the right materials and technique. Follow our step-by-step process on storage for kitchen appliances to ensure the longevity of your treasures.
Step 1: Create a detailed inventory of your kitchen appliances
Step 2: Locate as much original packaging as possible
Step 3: Check the manufacturer’s instructions
Step 4: Purchase high-quality packing materials and storage supplies
Step 5: Drain, clean and thoroughly dry your appliances
Step 6: Wrap and pack small kitchen appliances
Step 7: Prepare and wrap large kitchen appliances
Step 8: Label each box in detail
Step 9: Load and secure your appliances in your moving truck
Step 10: Use correct packing methods to store appliances in your storage unit.
Step 1: Create A Detailed Inventory of Your Kitchen Appliances
The sum of your kitchen parts can be quite expensive, especially when you include large appliances like fridges and dishwashers. With that in mind, it’s worth drawing up a detailed inventory of your kitchen appliances to help you keep strict control over these assets. You should make two copies of this inventory, and keep one copy with you and one inside your storage space. That way you can be sure that what went in, comes back out.
You can also use this opportunity to declutter your kitchen. We’ve all collected appliances we don’t use over the years. Now is the time to get rid of that pasta maker or rice cooker that has never been opened.
Step 2: Locate as Much Original Packaging as Possible
The best way to store kitchen appliances is to place them in their original packaging. The packaging in which your appliances were sold was specifically designed to protect the items during transit and storage. As such, the original packaging will be perfectly sized to limit movement, and the styrofoam inserts will protect the most delicate parts of the item. So, collect as much original packaging as possible.
Step 3: Check the Manufacturer’s Instructions
You should also try to find the manufacturer’s instructions that came with the appliance. These instructions will often include advice on transit and storage. If you can’t locate these, you may be able to contact the manufacturer and ask for a copy to be mailed to you, or download a copy online.
Step 4: Purchase High-Quality Packing Materials and Storage Supplies
You’ll need high-quality packing materials to protect any kitchen appliances for which you no longer have the original packaging. Use recycled materials, like old boxes, newspapers and towels simply won’t protect your appliances properly. Instead, purchase the following:
- New storage boxes
- Bubble wrap
- Packing paper or packing peanuts
- Packing tape and a tape gun
- Zip ties
- Resealable plastic bags.
You can also invest in some Kent Electronics-Paks. These are specifically designed to safely house electronic items, making them perfect for any of your powered appliances.
Step 5: Drain, Clean and Thoroughly Dry Your Appliances
Packing your kitchen appliances for storage is about much more than just putting them in a box. You need to prepare your appliances for their stay in storage. The most important thing in knowing how to store kitchen appliances is understanding that each item must be drained, and then thoroughly cleaned and dried.
You should wash and disinfect each part of your appliances at least 24 hours before you plan on packing them. This will give you enough time to dry each piece. If you store your items either dirty or wet, they will be susceptible to mould, mildew and other damage.
Step 6: Wrap and Pack Small Kitchen Appliances
To wrap and pack small kitchen appliances, follow this process:
- Lay a sheet of bubble wrap down on a flat surface
- Stuff any hollow sections of the appliance with bubble wrap or packing paper
- Wind bubble wrap around the outside of the appliance, taking particular care with any brittle or fragile sections of the appliance
- Use packing tape to securely fasten the bubble wrap
- Fill each box with a thick layer of bubble wrap
- Place the item inside the box, and use more bubble wrap or packing paper to fill in any excess space
- Use tape to close the top of the box, and reinforce the base of each box
- Place each box in a resealable plastic bag
- Place smaller boxes inside a larger moving box, ensuring the larger boxes are only filled to the point where the top flaps can be comfortably closed and taped shut.
Step 7: Prepare and Wrap Large Kitchen Appliances
Large kitchen appliances (such as fridges and freezers) should be dismantled as much as possible. For instance, be sure to remove shelves and drawers from fridges and freezers. Once this is done, the appliance should be encased in a layer of bubble wrap and then in a heavy-duty moving blanket or doona. You can use some rope to keep the bundle together. Always remember to only move large items with a moving trolley and ensure they stay the right-way-up during transit and storage.
Step 8: Label Each Box in Detail
You need to label each box with specific detail, or it will be impossible to find anything during storage or when you’re unpacking. It’s not enough to merely write ‘Kitchen’ on the box because you’ll end up with a lot of boxes that say ‘Kitchen’, and you’ll have no idea what’s inside them.
Instead, you should include the contents of the box, for example ‘Kitchen – Electric Appliances’ or ‘Kitchen – Baking Appliances.’ You should also affix coloured stickers to your boxes, and have this colour coded system correspond to your itinerary. That way you’ll be able to tell at a glance exactly where your appliances are.
Step 9: Load and Secure Your Appliances in Your Moving Truck
The journey from your home to your storage unit is the most perilous stage of the entire process. The most significant danger your items will face is movement and impact as a result of being bumped around the back of the truck. Your packing methods will limit this as much as possible, but you also need to be smart about the way you load the goods into the truck. So, make sure you:
- Secure each box and prevent it from sliding around the truck
- Stack lighter items on top, and never have heavy boxes resting on top of delicate appliances
- Ensure appliance boxes are far enough away from heavy boxes, that if the heavy boxes topple, over your appliances won’t be damaged.
Step 10: Use Correct Packing Methods to Store Appliances in Your Storage Unit
You’ve correctly packed and transported your appliances; now you need to pack them into your storage unit intelligently. You need to protect against the dangers of a storage unit, with the biggest threat being moisture. The dampest parts of a storage space are the walls on the floor. So, make sure you lay some wooden pallets on the ground and stack appliances well away from the walls.
You also need to be careful that there is nothing substantial placed on top, or near your appliance boxes.
There it is. Ten easy steps and you’re an expert on how to store kitchen appliances. If you follow these steps and give careful attention to every stage, your appliances will come out of storage in perfect condition, and ready for duty in their new home.