How to Pack Small Appliances for Moving - Expert Packing Tips

From air fryers to virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa, packing away small appliances for a move can seem like a daunting task. After all, items that are fragile and irregularly shaped require careful handling during packing, right? In reality, packing small appliances is straightforward. You just need to follow a few how-tos.

Prepare Your Packing Materials 

One thing to know about packing small appliances is you’ll need plenty of moving boxes and a whole lot of packing paper. Packing appliances in their original boxes is ideal. If those aren’t available, small or medium-sized boxes will do. The goal is to have the boxes packed as snugly to the appliance(s) as possible to save space and prevent damage during transit. Regarding packing paper, plan on using a few sheets for each item — and plenty more to stuff the boxes. Grab packing tape and a marker while you’re at it. 

Gather and Sort Your Appliances

First, gather all the small appliances you plan to move. These may include toaster oven, coffee maker, air fryer, electric can opener, microwave oven, blender, crock pot and rice cooker. Radios, small lamps, clocks, digital home assistants and speakers follow the same rules of thumb. If it plugs into the wall and is smaller than your average TV, the tips listed here should work. 

Once you gather your appliances, decide which ones you’re likely to need shortly after arriving at your new home. Set them aside to pack and label separately for easier identification while unpacking. Planning ensures you’ll have access to your favorite gear once you arrive. 

Clean and Disassemble Your Small Appliances

Once you have all your appliances gathered and sorted, give them a once over with a damp cloth or disinfectant wipe. Some appliances may require a deeper clean, such as blenders or toasters. Why take the extra step? Cleaning your appliances prevents you from dragging crumbs and grime into your new home  

Next, remove any removable parts, as they tend to be fragile and may make the appliance too large to properly pack. Just remember to keep them together. A good strategy is to wrap the parts in a separate box and label them clearly. Next, wrap the appliance — parts and all — together. If you kept the user manuals, keep them with the appliances during the packing process — it’ll make reassembling items much easier. 

Granted, some appliances have non-removable parts such as microwave doors. In those cases, use packing tape to keep all non-removable moving parts secured before packing the appliance. 

The 5 Steps to Packing Small Appliances for Moving

1. Secure Power Cords 

Wind up and secure power cords with packing tape, rubber bands or zip ties. Wrap cords separately so they don’t scratch the appliance. Remember to attach any separately wrapped, removable parts to the appliance using packing tape. That way, everything will be together when you unpack. 

2. Wrap the Appliances with Packing Paper or Paper Pads

Once all pieces are in place, wrap each appliance in two or three sheets of packing paper. Alternatively, you can use a paper pad to wrap your appliances. Paper pads are multilayered paper wraps that are used to protect large fragile items. Don’t forget to secure the packing paper or paper pad with tape so that it doesn’t slip off during the move. 

3. Line the Bottom of a Box with Packing Paper 

Line the bottom of a box with crumpled packing paper before placing the wrapped appliance inside. Then, place the wrapped appliance in the box. 

4. Fill in Gaps with More Packing Paper

Remember you want the appliance to fit in the box as snugly as possible, so fill any gaps with more packing paper. Any space is an invitation for your appliance to jostle around the move, which could damage its fragile working parts. 

If you must pack more than one appliance in a box, separate each appliance with packing paper and place the heaviest appliance on the bottom. Stuff crumpled packing paper into any gaps you see to keep the appliance securely in place. Note that appliances should remain in an upright position when possible.  

5. Close, Seal and Label the Box

Once the box is filled, close and seal it with packing tape, sealing it tightly so it won’t pop open on the moving truck. Then, use a permanent marker to label the box on the side for easy identification when you start to unpack. You may also want to write “FRAGILE” on the side to let your movers know not to place heavy boxes on top of it. 

Bonus Small Appliance Packing Tips

To save space, you can pack some fragile appliances like clocks and radios with soft items like towels or linens. These items act like a cushion to prevent damage to the appliances in transit. 

When packing appliances like blenders and irons, ensure everything has been emptied of water or other liquids. Give these appliances ample time to dry before packing them away. The last thing you want is a moldy appliance in your new home. 

Always remember to take batteries out of appliances before packing them away since changes in temperature and weather can corrode batteries and damage your appliances. 

Check Out Other Packing Guides From United Van Lines

Did you find our small appliance packing guide helpful? United Van Lines has many more just like it, covering everything from how to pack books to mirrors. 

Browse our selection of packing guides and packing videos to help make your move a breeze.