How To Pack Clothes For Moving & Other Hacks For Packing Clothing
Would you believe that moving is third on the list of most stressful life events, right after death and divorce? Part of what makes moving so stressful is the number of tasks involved—tasks like packing up a closet full of clothes.
Packing clothes is one of the most intensive and tiresome parts of the moving process, but it doesn’t have to be. With more than a decade of moving experience, the trained movers at College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving® are happy to provide you with these expert packing tips, focusing mainly on how to pack clothes for moving. We will also share some moving packing hacks to help you along.
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Pack Clothes for Moving
Some people like to hurry clothes packing by bundling them up and forcing them into boxes. Doing this just gives you musty, wrinkled clothes at the end of the journey. Packing clothes efficiently involves some careful preparation and planning.
What you will need:
- Moving boxes
- Moving labels
- Wardrobe boxes
- Suitcases and bags
- Bubble wrap, vacuum bags, or garbage bags
- Sealing tape in a tape dispenser
College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving offers all of the moving materials you’ll need to pack including boxes, industrial tape, packing peanuts and bubble wrap, paper pads, and more. Our HUNKS will be glad to bring along everything you need for your move when you call, or you can just buy what you need if you prefer to pack yourself.
Before You Pack Your Clothing …
1. Sort Your Clothes to Make Packing Easier
You can sort your clothing in many ways. For example, you can lay them out by item so that your pants, shirts, coats, tops, and dresses all go together. You can also sort them by season so that your summer clothing goes in one group and winter clothing goes in the other. Be sure to separate clothing for every member of the family.
At this point, you will also want to put aside anything that is valuable, delicate, or expensive. These clothing items will need some extra TLC such as extra damage protection, gentle handling, or special packaging.
Moving is also the perfect time to declutter your life. Pick out anything that you don't want or need, and donate any gently-worn clothing to charity.
You can read our guide on what to donate for more information on what items can be donated. If you still have clothes that are fresh and trendy, you can sell them on Facebook Marketplace or to local consignment shops to make some extra money. If you still have clothing (or other junk items) to get rid of, reach out to us and our team of professional movers can dispose of your items without any hassle.
2. Clean Your Clothes Before and After Moving
Wash or dry-clean all your clothes before moving. You don't want to open up a box of sweaty, possibly mildewy clothing after they have spent days clamped in plastic wrap. Your last load of laundry and wet towels should be done the day before moving to ensure all clothing and towels are clean and dry before they go in the truck.
3. Put Aside What You Will Wear for Moving Day and Pack all Others Early
Put aside what you will wear on moving day as well as enough socks, undergarments, cold-weather clothing, shoes, towels, and everything else you may need if your move will take a few days. Even for local moves, have a few changes of clothing just in case. Pack away everything else as early as a week before moving day.
How to Pack Clothes for Moving
During moving week, packing will kick into high gear. Remember to pack appropriately depending on how far you are moving and the method of moving. Moving out of state is very different from moving a few blocks to a new apartment building, for example.
If you opt to rent a truck, you will need to know how to pack a moving truck. This includes planning for maximal use of space and correctly positioning your items in the truck. If you don't know the basics of how to pack a moving truck, you might consider hiring professional movers to help. That way, you will avoid costly damages to your possessions.
1. Use Wardrobe Boxes to Pack Hanging Clothes
Hanging clothes can be packed easily by using wardrobe boxes to hang them as they are. Wardrobe boxes are equipped with a hanging bar directly inside so that you can keep your clothing on the hangers and place them straight into the box. This allows your clothing to hang just as it does in a closet during the move, keeping wrinkles away and making the transition to your new closet a breeze.
2. Pack Folded Clothes in Suitcases and Cardboard Boxes
Your folded clothes can go into moving boxes. Use only small to medium-sized boxes because clothing can be heavy. When packing, make sure to pack everything tightly using one of these methods:
- Flat fold — this is the traditional way of folding along the item's natural contours. Pack every item individually and be sure to pack them tightly into the box to save space
- Military roll — the roll is the most economical and popular way of packing for moving. It helps to maximize space and minimizes wrinkling during moving.
- The KonMari Method — Marie Kondo has revolutionized packing and tidying. Watch how she does it in this video
When using cardboard boxes for packing clothes, line it all around with packing paper and be sure to cover the top with it as well. This will help keep cardboard fibers off your clothing. Secure each box with packing tape and mark its contents with a permanent marker for easy unpacking.
3. Use Your Sheets or Plastic Wrap
Did you know that your sheets are great for packing? All you need to do is layer up folded clothing on top of a sheet and tie it all up, then cover it with a garbage bag. This method is very useful for packing bulky items such as jackets and towels. Sheets can also be used to cover and protect clothing in drawers or secure hanging clothes in wardrobe boxes.
4. Leave Clothing in Drawers
If you are short on boxes and moving yourself, socks, undergarments, and lots of other clothing items can stay in their drawers. This method is best for short distance moves. Simply remove the drawers from their cabinets, carry the drawer with contents in them, then replace the drawer once the cabinet has been put in the truck.
Additional Packing Tips for Moving
These additional packing hacks are our expert tips collected from years of helping people pack for moving.
- Start your packing early. Don't wait until the day before to start packing clothes for the move. Some sorting, cleaning, and light packing can be done in the days leading up to moving day.
- Pack shoes apart from clothes. Get shoeboxes to pack each pair separately, then pack these boxes in a separate cardboard box. Make sure the shoes are clean before packing.
- Store any clothes you don't need but aren't ready to part with. If you can't bring yourself to give away or sell clothing items with sentimental value, consider placing them in storage.
- Vacuum seal off-season clothing. Unpacking will probably take you weeks at your new home. Off-season clothing and anything else you're not likely to unpack soon can be vacuum-packed to protect it for long-term storage.
- Be extra careful with delicate and expensive clothing. You might want to bring these with you in the car, packed securely in their own boxes. These items include silks, chiffons, needlework, lace, sequins, wedding dresses, and anything with attachments and jewels.
- Don't pack jewelry with clothing. It can get lost quite easily in this manner.
Get Help From the Best: Let College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving, Move You
Like other major life stressors, moving requires a helping hand to make everything easier. The team at College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving is always happy to lend heart and muscle to help you pack, move, and settle down at your new home.
Let us help with all of your moving needs, and tell us how our Honest, Uniformed, Nice, Knowledgeable, and Service-oriented team members can make your moving stress-free and fun.