How to Pack Clothes for Moving?

Whether we’re talking about an interstate or cross country move, there’s no difference. Your garments should be properly packed, folded, and organized in such a way to not occupy too many boxes. Let’s find out how you can sort what you’re gonna take with you, and what supplies and techniques to apply in order to leave enough room to pack other valuables and household belongings.

How to Pack Clothes for Moving – Two Basic Steps

Perhaps the essential part of preparing clothes for transport is keeping track of all the pieces you own. How can you achieve that?

If you start sorting your garments early enough before moving, you will save time, money, and nerves. Furthermore, this little tip will make the unpacking process way easier and provide you with all the necessary clothing items you might need at a particular moment.

Step 1 – Don’t Pack Clothes You Don’t Need

Decluttering is the most efficient method of downsizing your possessions. It should be done before the relocation, and your wardrobe can be a perfect starting point. You should leave behind (or put in storage) the following pieces:

• Thick clothes if you’re moving to a hot, tropical climate all year round. Or lighter pieces if your future destination features colder winters.
• The outfit that you don’t like anymore
• Pieces that you or your children have outgrown

All this wardrobe excess can be sold, tossed, or donated. Some of it can be used as a material for packing fragile items, especially old socks, towels, and other pieces with cushioning properties.

Step 2 – Choose What to Wear During the Relocation

Sometimes, in a hurry, you can forget to put aside what you will be wearing during the move and prepare an additional change of apparel. It should be tailored to the weather forecast and your comfort. Your personal move-in box should contain some towels, pajamas, underwear, and toiletries for the first night after moving into your new home.

Use Boxes, Bags and Other Supplies To Pack Clothing

Depending on your available packing supplies and type of garments you’re preparing for transport, there are several useful tips on how to pack clothing without wrinkles. By employing these methods (some of which include cheap moving supplies), you’ll keep your stuff sorted, organized, and protected.

Wardrobe and packing boxes are specially designed for this purpose, but if you don’t have them, don’t worry. There are plenty of home-made solutions that can be up to the task.

Move a Dresser Without Emptying It

Do you know what’s so great about your dresser? You don’t need to empty it when moving. If it contains lighter items, such as underwear, socks, and pajamas, everything you need is a plastic or cover sheet over it, and it can be moved like any other package.

However, check this option with your long-distance movers before the big day to make sure it’s doable.

Hang Clothes in Wardrobe Boxes

Perhaps the best way to transport your clothing without wrinkles, dust, and dirt is by using a wardrobe box. These tall boxes are so simple to use that stowing your items will be a piece of cake. Take hangers with clothes out of the closet, hang them on the metal rod in the wardrobe box, your new mobile closet, and the packing is over.

Use Garbage or Vacuum Bags

Every household has garbage or vacuum bags, and they can be perfect for covering your belongings and keeping them from getting dirty. Punch a hole in the bottom of the bag, pull the hanger with the item on it through the hole, tie a knot on the opposite side, and that’s it. You can place several hangers in one bag, which can be especially handy if you want to organize your clothing by color, material, or season.

Vacuum-sealed bags can shrink and take less space, but they can’t protect your garment from damage, nor stack on top of each other, due to the possibility of slipping.

Packing Breakables in Soft Clothes

If you place your fragile stuff, such as glasses, bottles, or dishes, together with some pieces of clothes, you can kill two birds with one stone. What does that mean?

You can save some money that would otherwise go to buying cushioning materials, as well as make more space in other boxes. But most importantly, this little hack will protect your breakables during a long, bumpy ride.

Find Smaller Regular Moving Boxes

If you’ve ever packed books, you probably know that it’s easier to handle them if they are placed in smaller packages. The same goes for your garments. If you choose bigger boxes, you run the risk of the box’s bottom cracking wide open due to the weight of the items inside.

What About Packing Your Shoes?

As an indispensable part of any outfit, don’t forget your shoes. Of course, you can’t pack them in the same box with delicate pieces of clothing. The best option is a shoebox which can be placed in a larger box. If you don’t have shoeboxes, just stuff your shoes with paper or socks to prevent them from losing their shape during the transport.

Additional Step Related to Jewelry, Hats and Delicate Clothing

When packing clothes, you can easily overlook some smaller stuff, more sensitive and delicate than garments. Here are additional tips on how to pack these things properly and bring them to your new address intact:

• Jewelry shouldn’t be packed with clothing – it can get tangled or flared, but it can also tear your garments
• Delicate pieces of clothing should be separated from the rest with paper towels
• If you have hats, just pack them in large, separate packages
• Make sure to place only clean and dry pieces in boxes, since dirty and wet items can easily ruin your other pieces with stains or odors

Pack Properly and Enjoy Stress-Free Moving

How to prepare clothes for moving really shouldn’t be one of those questions that make you stressed and agitated. With our tips, this process can be a child’s play (even literally, if you include your kids in it). The decluttering part, including sorting and organizing, might be tedious work, but it will make packing and unpacking that much easier.