Creating A Lovely Home

Moving locally means you don't have to worry about emptying out the fridge and pantry completely, since you can bring most of your food with you. The key is knowing what to bring and how to bring it to ensure that both quality and food safety is assured. The following tips can help you move your food the correct way.

#1: Sort everything

While you can move everything in a local move, that doesn't mean that you should. Take the time to go through your pantry, fridge, and freezer and get rid of anything that is badly out of date, looks questionable (such as busted-open or leaking packages), or that you know you aren't likely to ever eat. Unopened food items that are in date can be donated, while everything else should be thrown away.

#2: Plan ahead

You won't be able to move things still packed in the fridge in most cases. In fact, many movers require that freezers and fridges be unplugged and defrosted. This isn't a major issue with most newer, frost-free models. If you don't have a frost-free model, though, you may need to store things at a friend's or family member's house so you can spend a few days defrosting the freezer. If this isn't an option, call your local butchers. Many have or can refer you to someplace with rental freezers. They will store your food onsite.

#3: Pack properly

Most food items can be packed in boxes. Some movers will take pantry items if they are sealed in plastic tubs, while others will require that you move food yourself. Fridge and freezer foods can be packed in cardboard boxes with ice packs or placed in coolers for the move. In fact, you can store the packed food in the still-plugged-in fridge until right before the move.

#4: Load last

Your fridge or freezer should be the last thing on the truck and the first thing off. Discuss this with the movers ahead of time so they know that you will need to have the fridge or freezer operational as soon as possible. Then, you can move your food into the freezer or fridge before it even begins to cool down. Keep in mind, if frozen food has thawed, you will need to cook it immediately before serving or refreezing to ensure it is safe.

For more help with moving food, talk to a local mover.