How to Move Refrigerated Items to Your New House?

• Written by Black Label Hosting
• December 6, 2024
• 3 minutes

Everything is ready for your move…

Everything is packed and ready but you just realised that your fridge is still full! 

No matter how good your planning is, it’s common to forget a few things while moving. 

Research says that moving is more stressful than a divorce. 

But what can you do with all the food in your fridge? You certainly can’t eat it all!

Don’t panic. Here is what you can do to prevent your food from spoiling when you’re moving house.

Make a Checklist 

To start with, you need to make a checklist to avoid such things in the future. 

Plan weeks ahead and try to empty out your pantry. 

That way, your move can be organised, and you can freshly stock your pantry in your new home. 

Take a complete inventory of everything in your fridge and freezer. 

Categorise the food separately into perishables, cooking supplies, expired food and frozen food. 

With the list in hand, it is easier for you to figure out a game plan. 

Prepare a Game Plan

If you still have time ahead of your move, plan your meals so that you use up everything beforehand. 

• Throw away all the expired food from your refrigerator and freezer. 
• Use up the raw food and the leftovers. They cannot possibly survive the move. 
• Do not restock the fridge. 
• In case you have plenty left consider giving it away to your friends and family. 
• On the other hand, if you have plenty, you could consider having a party to use up everything. But in an already stressful time, this might end up bringing you more pressure.
• Alternatively, you could also donate unopened food to the local food bank or charities.

Save Some for the D-Day

Moving is hard work and exhausting. 

Prepare some sandwiches beforehand and have some snacks, juice and water handy to maintain your energy levels. 

You don’t know when you’ll be able to stop for a meal during the move.

Can I Move My Food to My New Home?

According to the Australian government regulations, frozen food should be stored at -15℃ or colder at all times, and refrigerated food should be no more than 5℃. 

Do not leave your frozen food left out for more than 4 hours. 

It’s not safe to consume after that without the risk of food poisoning. 

Additionally, it is not a good idea to refreeze any frozen food left outside for more than 2 hours. 

What if your fridge and freezer are full on a moving day? 

Taking the food out of a refrigerator is not a good idea even for a short period. 

If you keep food in the fridge, by the time you plug it back in at the new house, the food will probably be ruined.

Not to mention the carnage that’s likely to occur to everything inside the fridge during the move.

Use an Esky or Cooler

An esky can keep your food frozen for a long time until you have your refrigerator back up and running. 

Frozen food has to follow the regulations to maintain its integrity. Your mover can help you with this. 

• Maintain the temperature of the esky below 4℃ to prevent bacterial growth. 
• Your esky should be packed tight with food, for it to work efficiently. If there is less food, layer your food with ice blocks. 
• Use half a litre of ice blocks for one litre of the esky. 
• Make sure everything is in a sealed box or a ziplock bag.

Conclusion

In the weeks leading to the move, prepare a game plan for the food in your pantry. 

The best course of action when it comes to refrigerated items is to use them before the move. 

If that is not possible, get a cooler or an Esky, and prioritise getting the fridge installed at the new house first so you can pack everything back into the fridge.