This phrase is informal and best used in casual conversation or writing. When they moved houses, they took everything but the kitchen sink.
Pro Tip 2/3
Exaggeration
The phrase is used to exaggerate for a humorous or dramatic effect—it's not literal. For a weekend trip, he packed everything but the kitchen sink!
Pro Tip 3/3
Figurative Speech
Remember it's a figure of speech meaning that someone has included more items than necessary. Her purse was so heavy; it had everything but the kitchen sink inside.