Preparing your Fridge and Perishables for a Move
Once the kitchen wares have been squared away, and the pantry successfully packed, there’s only one thing left for you to worry about: moving the fridge!
Most removal companies will not transport a fridge that has just been unplugged, but we at MiniMovers can provide this service for short-distance moves. Nevertheless, you will need to empty your fridge before it can be transported. Unsecured items inside your fridge may slosh around and break.
When you arrive at your new home, the removalists will carry your fridge to its designated place but instruct you not to plug it back on until a certain amount of time. This is to allow the gas buildup to settle and prevent oil from the compressor from flowing into the cooling pipes.
However, if the travel time will take more than a couple of hours, it’s best to defrost your fridge because melted frost can damage its inner workings. Your best course of action is to schedule cleaning out your fridge at the most convenient time possible.
If feasible, stop grocery shopping and try to consume as many perishables as you can a week or two before your house move. This will lessen the amount of perishables that could go to waste. Remember that your fridge needs to be fully defrosted, dry and empty before it can be safely moved.
If you have kids inside the household or simply would still like to enjoy homemade meals rather than the unsavoury fast-food delivery, create a meal plan for two weeks. This will give you a good approximation of the amount of food items you will need to purchase on your last shopping trip.
Now, time to defrost your fridge before the move…
- Check your schedule. For thorough cleaning and thawing, defrosting is ideally done overnight. If you have a frost-free fridge, it will only take a couple of hours for your fridge to drain.
- Turn off your refrigerator’s power and unplug it.
- Empty all the food items inside your fridge and check which of these you can still save. Toss what can’t and move on.
- Remove all detachable shelves.
- Leave towels surrounding your refrigerator and secure the area from puddles. Tell your household to avoid the fridge to prevent anyone from possibly slipping.
- In the morning, remove the water from the water collecting tray.
- Dip a clean washcloth in a mixture of water and mild soap. Use this to wipe down the entire fridge and detachable trays. Repeat this step with another clean washcloth dipped in cold water.
- Wipe down the fridge and trays with a dry cloth. Keep the fridge door open for at least 1 hour to allow thorough drying.
- Once everything is completely dry, you can now return the detachable shelves into the fridge. And since you’re moving… don’t turn the fridge back on!
If you need to save some perishables from your fridge, pack them inside an esky half an hour before the move. Purchase some ice before cleaning out your fridge to keep your perishables fresher for longer. You can also ask the removalists to load the esky inside the moving truck. If you are looking for a packing tip on how to pack fragile items, MiniMovers made a guide for you. Click this link.