When we try to pack for a move, the biggest issue is how to keep clothes from wrinkling while they’re packed and when we set them in a closet. Ironing is boring but necessary most of the time. Still, there are ways to keep your laundry wrinkle-free while packing for cross-country moving.
To Start, Wash All of the Clothes You Intend to Bring
Before packing anything, make sure the clothing you want to bring is washed. This is one of the relocation tips we tend to overlook or consider redundant. However, packing and bringing clean clothing items is an opportunity to move efficiently, declutter your closet and have a fresh set of outfits for the first week of your arrival to the new house.
Wash the Heavier Fabric First
Heavier fabrics like denim and wool should be washed separately from lightweight cotton fabrics since they take longer to dry. While those are drying out, take the opportunity to put other stuff into the washer, too. Separating lighter from heavier materials causes fewer wrinkles in the process since lightweight fabrics get suffocated under the heavier ones, and the wrinkles become imprinted into them. The question “why are my clothes always wrinkled” seems to have a logical answer now.
Use Appropriate Drying Cycles on Your Dryer
If you wonder, “why are my clothes so wrinkled after drying,” know that most dryers have various cycles, like gentler types of drying and more heat-intensive ones. Don’t forget to neatly put away every item afterward because folding and hanging items right after tumble drying is excellent wrinkle prevention.
Air Fluff Cycles Won’t Completely Dry Clothes, but Won’t Wrinkle Them Either
The gentlest types of drying cycles are air-drying ones. They don’t damage things, and there aren’t any deep-set wrinkles in the fabric after tumbling, but you’d have to hang up your laundry on a clothesline or some hangers so they could dry completely. This type of drying is good for your items, but avoid them with last-minute moving and moving out for the first time.
Use Permanent Press Cycles on Your Dryer to Prevent Wrinkling
The permanent press drying cycle is the most recommended one when asked how to prevent wrinkles in clothes. This cycle dries every kind of fabric entirely and has a cool-off period, so they don’t come out too steamy, but it isn’t faultless, and you may need to get an iron afterward. Of course, you can skip the cool-off period and air-dry your stuff instead.
A Real Simple Solution for How to Keep Clothes from Wrinkling is Hanging Them Up
If you don’t have a dryer but use the old-fashioned clothesline, that’s great. Getting everything out from the washing machine as soon as the cycle ends and hanging it up is one of the better ways to prevent wrinkles. However, before hanging, give every item a good shake to get the excess water out and straighten it a bit more.
Use Hangers for Air Drying Your Shirts
One of the most common hacks for your stuff being neat and not getting wrinkled is putting them on hangers to air dry. You can then put those hangers outside if it’s sunny and warm, or just hang them up around the house. This method may take a while because of the amount of water still in the stuff, but it’s more environmentally friendly than a gas or electric dryer.
To add to the question of “how do I stop my clothes from wrinkling,” one important thing to note is that you shouldn’t hang wet clothing inside a wardrobe or closet. Damp environments are a breeding ground for bacteria, and cramming shirts or pants filled with water together can damage your things. You can watch the video below on how to air-dry laundry at home.
The Best Tips on How to Pack Clothes Wrinkle-Free
Most relocation hacks involve methods for packing clothing, and we’re here to provide more packing tips for you to manage your laundry with ease. For example, did you know that rolling your wardrobe is the best way to avoid getting wrinkles? Rolling instead of folding isn’t only great for how to keep clothes wrinkle-free but for space-saving, too. Make sure to iron the laundry before rolling it so it stays crisp. With the roll method, you don’t need to get additional packing materials, thus saving your relocation budget.
Take note of the best time of the year to move. Say you’re relocating in winter and have an ample winter wardrobe, which is harder to iron and pack. However, if you relocate in summer, there’s an option to pack your winter stuff into a few separate boxes and ship it with a long-distance moving company across the country. In summer, you’ll have plenty of time to store winter items in a storage facility that you’d get by hiring cross-country moving services.
Hangers Are Your Greatest Packing Friends
An excellent method on how to keep shirts from wrinkling is to pack them while they’re on hangers. You can simply get a large-volume trash bag, gather all your stuff on hangers together, pull up the trash bag from the bottom, and wrap the top around the necks of the hangers. This way, you can pack them into a relocation truck like they’re regular cargo.
Hire Cross-Country Movers to Help You Pack
You may think long-distance moving services are only helpful for furniture and household items, but they’re incredibly helpful when you need your clothing packed as well. With all kinds of long-distance moving, you can expect to get excellent services for everything you wear, too. A team of movers is trained to pack stuff with care and attention, and there’s nothing to worry about when you book them.
If you hire long-distance movers, your only question will be, how do you keep your shirt from wrinkling when sitting? And to that, we also have a solution – iron it before wearing, and then make sure the shirt’s comfy and not too tight. Avoid tucking it into the pants, and pull and straighten it before taking a seat.
Blake Shaw
Bostonian and residential moving and packing expert. Blake Shaw enjoys bar-hopping, music, and writing insightful content.
