How to Pack a Kitchen for a Kelowna Move (Tote Guide)
Updated: 2 days ago
The fastest way to pack a kitchen for a Kelowna move is to sort everything into three piles (use now, pack now, don't move), pack the heavy and rarely used items first, and put dishes and pans into sturdy snap-lid moving totes instead of cardboard boxes. Most kitchens take one to two evenings to pack with this method, and they come out the other side with no broken plates and no soggy box bottoms.
The kitchen is the hardest room in almost every home, whether you're moving across Glenmore, over the bridge to West Kelowna, or up to Lake Country. This guide walks through the order to pack it in, how to protect dishes and glasses inside a tote, and how to keep a working kitchen right up to move day.
Why the kitchen takes the longest to pack
A kitchen holds more small, breakable, oddly shaped things than any other room. Plates, glasses, mugs, pots, lids, cutlery, small appliances, spices and half-used pantry items all need different handling. It's also the one room you keep using until the last day, so you can't just empty it a week early.
That's why it pays to start the kitchen in stages instead of trying to do it in one night. The method below spreads the work out and keeps the heavy lifting low.
Step 1: Sort before you pack
Before a single dish goes into a tote, open every cupboard and drawer and sort the contents into three groups.
Use now
The basics you'll need until move day: one pot, one pan, a cutting board, a knife, a plate, bowl, mug and set of cutlery per person, dish soap and a tea towel. Leave these out and pack them last.
Pack now
Everything you won't touch in the next week or two: the roasting pan, the stand mixer, holiday platters, extra glasses, the bread maker, the backup coffee mugs. These go into totes first.
Don't move
Expired spices, mismatched plastic containers with no lids, chipped dishes and gadgets you haven't used in a year. Donate, recycle or toss them now. Every item you skip is one less thing to wrap, carry and unpack.
Step 2: Pack the kitchen in the right order
Work from the least-used spaces to the most-used ones:
Top cupboards and above-the-fridge cabinets (platters, vases, seasonal dishes)
Small appliances you can live without for a week
Cookbooks and serving pieces
Extra dishes and glassware (leave your use-now set out)
Pantry items you plan to keep
Everyday dishes, pots and the coffee maker on the final day
Label each tote by room and contents as you close it, for example "Kitchen: glasses" or "Kitchen: pots and pans." Write each label on a card and slide it into the clear plastic label sleeve on the side of the tote.
Step 3: Pack dishes, glasses and pans in totes
Plastic moving totes give breakables a big advantage over cardboard: rigid walls, a snap lid that won't cave in, and a shape that stacks square on a dolly. A few habits make them even safer.
Plates and bowls
Wrap each plate in packing paper or a tea towel and stand plates on their edge, like records in a crate, rather than stacking them flat. Edges handle pressure far better than the middle of a plate. Line the bottom of the tote with a folded towel first.
Glasses and mugs
Wrap each glass on its own and stuff a little paper inside it. Pack glasses upright in a layer, fill the gaps with dish towels or oven mitts, then add a light layer of wrapped mugs on top. Keep glassware totes light so nobody is tempted to throw a heavy tote on top of them.
Pots, pans and small appliances
Nest pots inside each other with a sheet of paper between them, and wrap lids separately. Small appliances pack well in their own tote with the cords tied up and taped to the appliance. Heavy items go on the bottom, light items on top, and aim for a weight one person can lift comfortably.
Knives
Wrap knives in a thick layer of paper or a towel, tape the bundle closed, and write "knives" on it so whoever unpacks it knows to be careful.
Pantry, fridge and freezer
Start eating down the freezer and pantry about two weeks out. Plan meals around what you already have so there's less to move. Tape the tops of open bottles and jars, put them in a sealed bag, and pack them upright. Our 102L totes have solid plastic bottoms and snap-on lids, so a small spill won't soak through the bottom like it would in a cardboard box.
Empty, clean and defrost the fridge the day before the move if it's coming with you, and keep perishables in a cooler for the drive. Bin Ready doesn't transport belongings, so plan for the cooler to ride with you in your vehicle or moving truck.
Keep a "first night" kitchen tote
Pack one tote last and unpack it first. Put in a pot, a pan, a knife, a cutting board, plates and cutlery for everyone, mugs, coffee or tea, dish soap, a sponge, paper towel, garbage bags and a few easy meals. On the first night in your new place in Rutland, the Mission or Peachland, you'll be able to make dinner and coffee without digging through twenty totes.
How many totes does a kitchen need?
A typical kitchen fills 8 to 12 totes. A small apartment kitchen may need only 6, while a large family kitchen with a full pantry can need 15 or more. For whole-home counts by room, see our guide How Many Moving Totes Do I Need?.
Bin Ready packages start at $99 for 14 days (Start), with the Apartment package at $149, the Home package at $189 with 40 totes, and the Family package at $249. Every order includes a dolly, free drop-off and free pickup of the empty totes.
Kelowna move-day tips for the kitchen
Moving into a condo? Book the elevator early and keep totes stacked on the dolly in the hallway.
Fall rain is common in the Okanagan, so closed snap-lid totes help keep rain off dishes during loading.
Roll stacks of totes out to your truck or SUV with the dolly instead of carrying them one at a time.
Unpack the kitchen first at your new home. Everything else feels easier once you can make a meal.
Find more checklists on our Moving Tips page and more guides on the Bin Ready blog.
Kitchen packing FAQ
How early should I start packing my kitchen?
Start one to two weeks before your move with the cupboards you rarely use. Leave a small use-now set of dishes and cookware out and pack it the night before or the morning of the move.
Can I pack dishes in plastic totes without bubble wrap?
Yes. Wrap each dish in packing paper, newsprint or tea towels, stand plates on edge, and fill gaps with soft kitchen linens. The rigid walls and snap lid of a tote do a lot of the protecting.
How heavy should a kitchen tote be?
Keep each tote light enough for one person to lift comfortably. Put pots and appliances on the bottom and lighter items on top, and use the dolly to roll stacks to your vehicle.
Do you deliver totes to West Kelowna, Lake Country and Vernon?
Yes. We drop off and pick up the empty totes for free across Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland, Vernon and Penticton. See all the details on our FAQ page.
Book your moving totes
Ready to pack your kitchen the easy way? Book your Bin Ready tote rental online, or call or text (250) 826-6990.
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