The pantry is one of the most overlooked rooms when it comes to packing for a move. Between opened bags of flour, half-used spice jars, and that collection of tins you’ve been meaning to use up, a well-organised approach to your pantry saves you time,wastage, and prevents a mess in the back of the truck. Here’s how to pack your pantry properly for your next move.
2-3 Weeks Before: Eat Down Your Pantry
Start a “use it up” approach a few weeks before moving day. Rather than paying to transport food you’re never going to eat, plan meals around what’s already in your cupboard. Pasta, rice, tinned goods, and half-used condiments are a great place to start. This is also the ideal time to check expiry dates and toss anything past its best.
Make a donation pile. Unopened, non-perishable items you know you won’t use before the move (extra tins, sealed packets, spices you never got around to trying) can go to a local food bank or charity.
What NOT to Pack (and Why)
Some pantry items simply aren’t worth moving, especially for longer or interstate relocations:
- Perishables and refrigerated items: these won’t survive transit and should be eaten, given away, or binned before moving day.
- Frozen food: unless you have a very short local move with proper insulated transport, frozen goods will thaw en route.
- Opened items close to expiry: half-used flour, opened cereal, stale crackers.
- Aerosols and pressurised cans (cooking spray, some cleaning products): these can be hazardous in a hot truck and many removalists won’t transport them.
- Alcohol: check with your removalist, as many moving companies have restrictions on transporting alcohol, particularly across state lines.
Packing Supplies You’ll Need
- Small to medium boxes (pantry items get heavy fast avoid oversized boxes)
- Packing tape and a tape gun
- Zip-lock bags or resealable containers for opened items
- Plastic wrap or cling film
- Bubble wrap or packing paper for jars and bottles
- Labels and a marker
- Sturdy garbage bags as a backup liner for boxes carrying liquids
How to Pack Different Pantry Items
Opened bags and boxes (flour, sugar, cereal, pasta): Seal the original bag tightly with tape or a bag clip, then place inside a zip-lock bag or airtight container to prevent spills and keep pests out. Loose or leaking bags are one of the most common pantry-packing mistakes.
Spice jars and small bottles: Wrap individually in packing paper and pack upright in a small box, filling gaps with paper or tea towels so nothing shifts. Grouping spices together also makes unpacking much faster.
Glass jars (sauces, preserves, oils): Wrap each jar in bubble wrap or a sheet of packing paper, and consider double-bagging anything with a loose or worn lid. Line the base of the box with a garbage bag in case of leaks, and pack heavier jars at the bottom.
Tinned and canned goods: These are heavy, so pack them in small boxes only (never mix with lighter items in a large box) and pack tins on their sides to save space, stacking snugly so they can’t roll around.
Oils and liquids: Tighten lids fully, wrap the neck of the bottle in cling film before screwing the lid back on for extra leak protection, and always pack upright.
Small appliances (toaster, kettle, mixer): Wrap cords separately, pad with towels or packing paper, and box these separately from food items so breakables aren’t crushed under tins.
Labelling Your Pantry Boxes
Label every box clearly with “PANTRY,” the room it’s headed to, and a note if it’s fragile or contains liquids (“THIS SIDE UP”). If you’re using our pre-packing and unpacking service, clear labeling also means our team can place boxes directly in your new kitchen rather than a general storage pile, saving you a big chunk of unpacking time.
Moving Day Tips for Pantry Boxes
- Keep pantry boxes light. It’s tempting to fill a big box with tins, but an overloaded box is a back injury waiting to happen and more likely to split in transit.
- Load pantry boxes upright and avoid stacking anything heavy on top of boxes containing jars or bottles.
- Pack a “moving day essentials” box separately with kettle, tea, coffee, snacks, and a couple of plates and cutlery so you’re not digging through boxes on your first night.
- If your move involves an overnight stop or storage gap, check whether our storage facilities suit food items for longer storage periods, it’s usually best to consume or donate pantry stock rather than store it, as pests and temperature fluctuations are a real risk.
Unpacking Your Pantry
Wipe down shelves in your new kitchen before unpacking, group similar items together as you go (baking, tins, spices, snacks), and check nothing leaked or was damaged in transit before it goes back on the shelf.
Frequently Asked Questions About Packing a Pantry for a Move
Start eating down your pantry 2-3 weeks before moving day, but leave actual packing until the last few days since it’s one of the rooms you’ll use right up until moving day.
Generally yes for sealed, non-perishable food, though some interstate moves (particularly to Western Australia and Tasmania) have biosecurity restrictions on certain food items, so it’s worth checking before you pack.
Perishables, frozen food, opened items close to expiry, and anything in badly sealed or cracked containers are best tossed, donated, or used up rather than packed.
Wrap each jar individually in packing paper and pack upright in a small, well-padded box, or use a dedicated spice organiser box if you have a large collection.
Most removalists will move sealed, non-perishable pantry items without issue, but check with your moving company about restrictions on alcohol, aerosols, and perishables before packing day.
Reusable plastic bins, laundry baskets, and even your own suitcases can work as substitutes for boxes just to make sure liquids are double-bagged and heavier items aren’t overloaded into anything without a sturdy base.
Yes, for interstate or long-distance moves, it’s best to fully empty perishables and frozen goods, and only pack sealed, shelf-stable pantry items that can handle a longer time in transit.
Pack tins in small, sturdy boxes only, laid on their sides and packed tightly so they don’t shift, since a box overloaded with tins is one of the heaviest and most likely to split.
Need help with the rest of your move, not just the pantry? Get a free quote from Butler’s Removals & Storage for your local or long-distance move.
