How to organize and pack your pantry for a move
To pack your pantry for a move has historically consisted of half-full cardboard boxes, clothes scattered, and much stress. These are among the last spots in the house that get attention before a move. After all, you need access to them because you have to eat between packing up your belongings and tidying up rooms. As you pack up the rest of your belongings, you begin to wonder if you should leave some items behind. Sure, you wasted cash on all those frozen veggies, but you do not think they will survive the trip to your new house. If you are doubtful of what food items you should transport on your move, read this article. We can help you decide what to save, what to give away, and how to pack it all quite right.
Ways to pack your pantry for a move
Firstly, you should avoid grocery shopping. This first step requires some planning on your part. Be kind to yourself, and make packing easy by only eating what is in your pantry for a couple of weeks leading up to the move. That way, your food will be enough by moving day to make packing much simpler. Budget grocery shopping into your moving costs. That way you’ll know you can afford it.
The second essential step is to declutter. Just as with every other room in your apartment, you need to declutter your pantry before packing it up. Even if you are planning on paying for packing services NH, this part will be up to you. Look for stale items, expired, or long-term inhabitants of your pantry shelves. If food has been sitting in your pantry for longer than a few months without being used, surely you will not eat it in the future. Toss out anything that is not good and consider donating the rest. Either give it to friends or family members or check out non-profits in your area that could benefit from donated food.
Before you pack your pantry for a move choose the food you can move
Only bring food items that will remain edible and stay inside their containers during the trek to your new place. In most cases, unopened items fit these criteria best. However, you will find a few exceptions included on the list. Canned goods of all sizes should travel great. Before you pack them for your move, check expiration dates and discard cans that have a fast-approaching or expired use-by date. Pack everything else in. A few weeks before your move, visit local grocery stores to look for free boxes. Many stores have extras that they may be willing to give away.
Make sure you use small or medium boxes so you or your movers can lift them easily. Moreover, boxes from the grocery store fit canned goods snuggly, meaning they will not shift in transit. Before you load these on the moving truck, consider the cost of moving them. Call movers Somersworth NH, and check out their offers. It may be more expensive to move canned goods than buy new ones when you get where you are going.
The food you should give away before you move
You should eat, throw out, or donate any foods not included on the list above. That includes food stored in glass jars and anything that requires refrigeration or freezing. Of course, if you are only moving a short distance, you may be able to recover some items that fit into those categories. But for the most part, you’ll need to find a national non-profit organization to donate to. They create sustainable ways to reduce food waste to fight hunger. Donating food items to a community you have called home is a great cause. All you have to do is:
- Set aside food you want to donate
- Notify your representative
- And leave the rest to them
Your agent will arrange for the collection of your donated food. But they will also make arrangements to pick up the food and transfer them to a local food bank. Remember that the cost of your move is based on the weight and distance your goods are traveling. So, by donating some of your food items, you are not only helping the community, you are helping yourself too. Furthermore, get some storage services if you are out of space.
Ways for packing a no-spill pantry box
Once you know what is in your pantry you are going to pack. Therefore, begin with preparing your boxes. Plastic boxes with snapping lids are best for food storage. Because cans can become too heavy for cardboard, and plastic will deter insect infestation. Keep your pantry box as tidily packed as possible to avoid finding a mess when you arrive. Stack the heaviest items on the bottom. Then line up any squared-off or boxed items tightly against each other.
Use zip-lock bags to seal open containers of food or ingredients. If you find it useful, use dividers made of plastic or a cut-up cardboard box to keep everything upright and secure. Mark the box as fragile so there is no confusion with Preferred Movers NH when they load it up. As long as items are in your pantry box and everything is sealed, it should be safe to transport with the rest of the boxes. But it is a good idea to double-check with your moving company on what can and cannot be put on the truck.
It is crucial to donate your pantry goods
Finally, there is the question of what to do with any food you can not choose to take with you. Some places would be happy to take the extra food off your hands and get it onto the plates of those in need. Food donation is one of the most crucial types of local charity. Whether you have a few boxes or an entire pantry full of non-perishables, consider donating what you do not need or cannot take to your new house.
Make sure to stay organized during a move. Everyone has something left in their pantry when they move, even if you did your best to cook up leftovers. Therefore, knowing when to pack your pantry for a move is a crucial part of the relocation. With the right approach, you can get to your new home with the maximum number of safely packed non-perishable groceries and a good feeling that will give the extra to those who can benefit most from it.