A kitchen remodel can be a long process that benefits from a good deal of preparation. Unfortunately, you or your contractor can’t simply dive in and demo the cabinets, redo the countertops, or replace the flooring. At least, that isn’t the most time and money efficient way to do it. After the planning and scheduling, the kitchen needs to be cleared out and made ready for renovation. We’ve outlined 10 steps on how to pack up a kitchen for remodel so you can get it started in a timely manner.

Most of these steps involve unloading everything in your kitchen and packing it away. But, storage can be a daunting task. You’ve got to figure out the best way to store silverware, how to keep dishes intact, what to tuck away and what to keep accessible, etc.

Here’s a video below with seven storage hacks to help you pack up for your kitchen renovation. These tips will give you peace of mind as you prep your kitchen for a beautiful makeover.

How to Pack Up a Kitchen for Remodel – Step-By-Step Guide

1. Clear everything off floors and countertops.

The first step is to clear everything off your kitchen floor and countertops. For now, put it all in one place and we’ll go back to sort everything later.

If you have anything out that normally goes in a cabinet, just put it back in the cabinet. We’ll empty those later as well.

2. Remove pictures and decorations from the walls.

This step is especially important if you’re planning to do any new painting. Regardless, a lot of dust and dirt may accumulate on your paintings and decorations so it’s best to remove them to keep them out of harm’s way.

3. Wrap your utensils in plastic wrap.

The best way to store utensils is to keep them all in your silverware organizer and wrap it with plastic wrap. The next best option is to store them in gallon-sized bags, but they can easily be punctured and can be hard to move around safely.

Be extra careful with the knives, though. Those should go in a separate container to prevent injury.

4. Convert to disposable plastic dishware during your remodel.

If you’re going to be remodeling your kitchen, you don’t want to be in and out a lot. With ceramic dishware to wash, you will be. So instead, buy disposable plastic utensils, bowls, and plates, and other dishes you’ll need and pack your dishes away for now.

5. Gather boxes and masking tape to begin storing your belongings.

Now it’s time to pack up your things. You’ll likely need several boxes, along with tape and garbage bags to help store the less fragile items.

6. Sort everything that you use on a daily basis and keep it handy.

Make sure that you keep the frequently used items readily available. This could be your coffee maker, juicer, toaster oven…whatever you find yourself using on a daily basis, move it into a corner of your room. You won’t need to box these up since they’ll be used often.

7. Empty food from cabinets.

If you’re installing cabinets, there’s quite a bit more for you to unload. Start with all the dry food: spices, canned fruits, vegetables, soups, and the like. Find a place for your food and put it all in that one place.

8. Empty dishware from cabinets.

Now for the more fragile items: dishware. Like you did with the food, find a place for your dishware and empty it all into boxes. Place newspaper in between the dishes to cushion them so that they will not break or scratch each other. Don’t place too many dishes in one box so that it’s easy to pick up and move.

If you didn’t watch the video, be sure to check it out! There are many great tips in there, like layering your ceramic plates with disposable plates to keep them protected.

9. Empty everything else from cabinets (and anything on top of them).

Whatever else you have left in your cabinets, take these things out as well. If you find something that you don’t use frequently, tuck it away in a box.

10. Move everything that you bagged or boxed up to a storage area. This is just for temporary storage.

If you haven’t already, move all your boxes into a storage area, where you can easily access your things to unpack once the new kitchen is renovated.

How do you set up a temporary kitchen in a remodel?

While your kitchen is being remodeled, you’ll need a space where you can wash and dry dishes and cook some food. If the weather is nice, it could be outside. In that case, get a table and chairs and invest in a portable propane grill from Amazon so you can enjoy some home-cooked meals outdoors during the remodel.

Whether you cook meals or eat out, always save the leftovers in your refrigerator!

Keep a microwave handy so that you can heat up the food. Depending on the meal, this could last you several days! You’ll be able to save a lot of time cooking if you eat leftovers.

If you’re doing the renovation right, you won’t have a lot of dishes. But for the occasional pan or measuring cup, find another sink in your home and convert it to a kitchen sink for now. Set up the space with some soap, drying towels, and a drying rack to make washing the dishes easy.

In a pinch, your bathroom sink can work as a temporary kitchen sink.

How to Survive a Kitchen Remodel

Create a list.

Rather than worry about “remodeling your kitchen,” think of the renovation on a much smaller scale to make it more manageable. Break it into pieces like ‘Demoing the cabinets,’ ‘painting the walls,’ ‘removing the floor tiles,’ ‘finding a contractor to install countertops,’ etc.

Your list will feel a lot more manageable if you break it down, and you can just go down the list one thing at a time. Before you know it, you’ll be finishing up your remodel.

Remember, planning is your friend!

Be prepared for setbacks.

Setbacks happen in any home improvement project and they can be devastating if you’re not prepared for them. So, be flexible with your timeline and set aside an additional 20% of your budget for emergencies.

Research contractors thoroughly.

It may be tempting to go with the first contractor you find. You’ve been stressing out about the research process and you found a good candidate in just 15 minutes. Look for a few options so you can compare their rates and get a feel for the quality of their work.

After you’ve identified five or more contractors, call them and ask them what their availability is. Also ask for their advice on what you should consider when remodeling a kitchen.

From there, decide on three or more that you feel comfortable with and have them come to your house and prepare an estimate.

Then you can compare their rates, experience, and reviews to decide on the best fit for your project.

Take a mini-vacation.

Once you’ve got the contractors rolling on their portion of the renovation, take a few days to decompress. Let them get to work and make some progress while you take some time for yourself.

There are a lot of moving parts to a remodel and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. So, don’t be afraid to give yourself a break.

Since you can’t use your kitchen, if it’s in your budget, you may as well take a short trip somewhere!

Reach out for help.

If you’ve never done a kitchen renovation before, some of the nuances may be entirely unclear to you – and you might be missing out on valuable tips and tricks to speed up the entire process. Ask around to your friends, colleagues, family, neighbors… see if any of them have recently conducted a kitchen remodel, and get their take on it.

Here are a few helpful questions that you can ask to gain some insight on how to successfully remodel your kitchen.

How was the whole process? 

Did you do any part of the renovation yourself? Which part?

What was the most difficult part of the renovation? How did you deal with it?

How did you manage your stress?

What surprises did you run into along the way?

What would you do differently?

What would you do the same? 

You can also ask your contractor about their experiences helping clients with kitchen remodeling. It could give you some much-needed peace of mind as you jump into your project.

That wraps up our guide on packing up your kitchen for a remodel. We hope you enjoyed it!

Check out our comprehensive small kitchen remodeling guide for more guidance, tips, and tricks on how to remodel your kitchen! Several of our tips apply to any remodeling project. Good luck!

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