How to Pack Knives for Moving: 7 Helpful Steps
Ensure a safe move and pack your knives carefully and safely
If you’re preparing to move, you’ve probably looked around your current kitchen and wondered, “Where do I even start?” A great starting point is learning how to pack knives for moving. If you pack by yourself, the kitchen is one of the most difficult and labor-intensive areas to pack. You must pack many things carefully—like small appliances, silverware, mugs, and glasses— but knives are a whole other story.
Packing knives safely will prevent them from causing any injury or damage during transit, plus it’ll ensure you’ll be able to use your tools to make a homemade meal in your new home. Here are a few tips on packing knives for your move.
Clean Knives and Gather Supplies
Before you start the packing process, ensure you have the required materials and moving supplies to make packing your sharp knives safer and more effective. Collect the essential supplies listed above.
Additionally, make sure your knives are clean and dry. This prep step will make unpacking them much easier since they can go directly in your new kitchen drawers. Making sure they’re dry protects them from rusting during the move.
Group Your Knives by Type and Size
There are several ways to pack your kitchen knives. If you have many individual knives, start by sorting them and grouping similar knives according to their type and size.
Pack your butter knives together.
Group all steak and bread knives, plus those used to chop vegetables.
Set aside any chef’s knives, carving knives, or any large knives.
If you have any other knives that don’t fall into any other category, such as antique knives, keep them separate.
Roll and Wrap Each Knife Individually
Photo: Ninel Roshchina / iStock / Getty ImagesStart by placing two to three clean sheets of packing paper on the counter, and spread out each group of knives, leaving a gap of two to three inches between each knife.
Take the packing paper and roll it over the first knife, wrap it completely, and repeat the process with each knife in the row. Ensure that all the knives are wrapped individually within the packing paper and that knives aren’t touching each other.
Butter knives: Pack them in bundles of four.
Chef’s knives: Place larger and sharper knives in an extra layer or two of packing paper. Wrap them in a clean cloth or towel for additional protection.
Butcher knives: After wrapping extra-large knives in packing papers, lay them on their sides and put the blades inside a folded piece of cardboard. Tape the carton tightly, then tape that end shut, folding the flaps over for more protection.
When you finish wrapping all of the knives, you should have something that resembles a roll of knives in the packing paper, with each knife individually wrapped up.
Secure Each Knife With Packing Tape
Wrap the knife rolls and bundles with an additional layer of bubble wrap for an extra level of protection and secure with packing tape. This method will help prevent any heavy objects from damaging your knives during the move and prevent the knives from sliding out, moving around too much, or damaging fragile items.
Use Bubble Wrap
Bubble wrap gives an additional layer of protection. Knives can easily tear through paper wrapping, but bubble wrap helps ensure that doesn’t happen. Plus, it keeps your hands safe when you’re reaching into boxes when unpacking in your new home. Bubble wrap also holds your knives in place, preventing them from sliding out of the packaging materials.
Use a Moving Box to Transport Knives
Using smaller boxes to pack your knives is a great way to decrease the chance of injury incidents and eliminate the possibility of damaging other kitchen items.
Before packing the block or rolls of knives, line the moving box with crumpled packing paper or a layer of bubble wrap to provide extra cushioning.
Then, carefully place the wrapped and secured knives or the wrapped knife block in the bottom of the box.
You can pack similar kitchen items such as silverware and cutlery in the same box.
Remember to fill the excess space with tissue or tea towels to prevent the knives from sliding around in the box. Don't forget to label the boxes so you and the movers know that the box contains sharp objects.
Pack Your Knife Block
Photo: photo_chaz / iStock / Getty ImagesIf your knives come with a knife block, don’t forget to pack that. It’s best not to keep the knives in the block as they can easily slide out during transport. Your knife block should be easy to package by wrapping it in a layer of packing paper and bubble wrap and packing it away with the rest of your kitchen belongings.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire Professional Movers?
The cost to hire movers depends on the distance of your move, the size of your home, and the cost of living in your area. You can expect to pay anywhere from $880 to $2,570 for local moves. In contrast, long-distance moves across several states or cross-country start at about $2,700 and can exceed $10,000, depending on the mileage, logistics, and any additional services required.
It is important to note that the fees stated above do not include the cost of hiring professional packers. While the average cost for professional packing is $1,000, your actual out-of-pocket expenses depend on the type and number of items needing packing. If you don’t have the budget for it, packing is a simple DIY to tackle. You’ll just have to purchase packing supplies, which cost $20 to $50.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
If you’re hesitant to pack knives yourself, you can hire a local moving company and get a quote on packing service costs. If you’ve already secured a mover for your home, you can ask if they can tack on packing services so you don’t have to hire two separate companies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can pack kitchen knives in a suitcase. Keep in mind that you will not be able to use a suitcase packed with knives as a carry-on on an airplane, as airlines classify knives as weapons. It’s best not to leave knives loose or uncovered to avoid injury to bag handlers or inspectors. Consider wrapping the knives in packing paper, bubble wrap, or a blanket or towel to prevent damage or harm to others.
There are several suggestions and best practices for knife storage, the first being that all knives should be cleaned, rinsed, sanitized, and dried before storing to maintain the quality and sharpness of the blade. As for storage options, there are typically three:
Knife blocks: A wooden block with slats for knives that sits on your countertop.
Knife strips: Usually magnetic, this strip can be mounted on a wall for knives to stick to. This type of storage is ideal for smaller kitchens or for those who don’t have extra countertop or storage space.
Drawer docks: This type of knife storage fits inside a small drawer and has slots for each knife.
It is helpful for safety reasons to pack knives in their own box and clearly label them. This way, movers can take extra caution when moving these boxes and pack them in the moving truck accordingly. Plus, it will remind you to use extra caution when unpacking that box in your new kitchen.
If you use extra sharp knives like sushi knives or cleavers, you should take extra caution when packing them. These knives are often much more expensive and sharp than steak knives or butter knives, so you want to ensure they don’t get damaged during the move.
To take extra caution, wrap these knives in a few additional layers of packing paper and bubble wrap. You may also want to consider packing these in smaller boxes that you can wrap more, too. Then, put them in the bigger moving boxes for safe transport.
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