If you wish to have a neat and organized relocation, you have to know how to pack clothes for moving. Depending on how big your closet is, clothing can take up much space in the relocation truck if not packed right, and the unpacking will also be painful. Time is also an important factor when relocating, so you don’t want to waste it. To make moving cross country or interstate moving less stressful, try the tips in our guide.
Clothing isn’t exactly fragile, and nothing will break when moving across the country (except perhaps some breakable parts on your Halloween costume,) so it might sound tempting to just throw everything in a box, seal it up, and call that the best way to move clothes. We bet it does. But if you skip the proper packing of clothes for moving, you’ll find yourself crying in the corner of your new home once you arrive. Okay, you won’t, but it will be very difficult to unpack, wash, iron, and sort everything. So, how can you save space in the relocation truck and your precious time? Try doing the following things.
The First Step of Proper Packing of Your Clothing Is Getting Organized
There is no successful move without a good moving to-do list. You won’t know where to start, what you require, or how to do something if you didn’t do good research. This guide is a good start – your clothing items will be packed right, so you’ll have one less worry on your mind. There are many ways to get organized, so choose your favorite. You can write everything down, download an app, or take photos of your belongings so that you know how to arrange them in your new home. One of the most important tips for moving out of state or to another city is to start doing this on time.
When Should I Start Packing for a Move?
This key question mostly depends on how many items you are relocating. If you’re moving from apartment to house and you have a lot of things, it’s best to start packing as soon as you’re completely sure that you’re relocating. If you only have a few things, a week before the day of the move will be enough. One tip applies every time – no matter how far your relocation day is, you can always wrap up your off-season wardrobe and everything that you know you won’t be wearing. It’s an important tip on packing clothes – it will save you a bunch of time later, your closet will become more clear, and it will help you with the most commonly forgotten things to pack.
What Should You Not Pack When Moving?
Once you start going through your wardrobe, you’ll surely notice some stuff that you haven’t worn in more than a year. It might be because you don’t like them anymore, they’re too small or big, or you simply forgot about them. Those aren’t the things you need for your first apartment, and they shouldn’t go with you to another home. Separate all of those stuff from the ones that you like to wear and decide what you want to do with it. If the pieces are nice and still wearable, you can sell them online. If you don’t have time for that, donating is a great option. If you wouldn’t wear them anymore, and you think that nobody else would, then just throw them in the trash. Getting rid of unnecessary items will save you a lot of space, and it’s one of the most important moving tips. This also applies to shoes, bags, hats, or whatever there is in your closet.
Wash Everything Before Cross Country Moving or Moving Interstate
No matter if you’re going on a long trip because you’re planning on moving state to state or you have to drive only an hour away from your current home, the best way to pack clothes is when they’re clean. Relocating is very stressful and demanding, so when you arrive at your new place, you really don’t want another task on your list of things to do after moving. You’ll be tired and exhausted, so try to wash and iron everything before packing. It will be much easier to fold every piece, and it will be ready for wearing as soon as you relocate.
Get More Supplies Than You Think You Need
You’ve set aside the things you won’t wear this season and got rid of stuff you don’t want to wear anymore? Great! Now it’s time to focus on the rest of the clothes.
First, make a list of the packing materials for moving you will need, and multiply it by two. Or maybe even three. You will require:
- Boxes – look up where to get free moving boxes or buy new ones.
- Wardrobe boxes
- Sturdy storage containers
- Moving bags for clothes – you can take sealable ones for vacuuming or regular garbage bags.
- Packing paper for moving
- Tape – regular and in different colors
Having extra supplies will help you avoid moving stress – you’ll prevent realizing in the middle of packing that you’re out of the supply you require.
Why Should You Consider Getting All of This to Pack Your Clothing?
You might think that this is too many unnecessary things and that you only require a package and a tape. You can use only that, of course, but then your move will be less organized. Using wardrobe boxes can be a crucial thing when looking for the best way to pack clothes when moving. If you’re moving out for the first time and you didn’t have contact with any of this, here’s a short explanation. A wardrobe box is a tall cardboard package that has a rack inside where you can leave the hangers. You’ll need packing paper to put it on the bottom of the box before placing any wardrobe inside so you don’t risk your wardrobe getting dirty. You’ll require more than one tape to secure the cardboard, and the ones in color are for labeling.
Tips on How to Pack Clothes for Moving
The best way to pack clothes for a move is always the way that saves money and time, especially if your moving budget is limited and you’re looking for the cheapest way to move out of state. That’s why you have to know how to use all the resources you have and to wrap up everything so that it takes as little space as possible. Start by using your suitcases and luggage bags. Roll each item, don’t fold it – it will save you much space. Here’s an extra tip – take your delicate and breakable pieces and pack them among your clothes; it will secure them from breaking.
After you finish packing the suitcases, you can take the boxes. Put papers on the bottom and start placing things inside. Try to sort them out so you can easily unpack. Take some smaller storage containers and put your socks and undergarments inside.
Now You Know How to Pack Clothes for Moving, but What About Shoes?
It’s recommended to separate shoes from clothes: both should be washed and dried, but putting them together will cause wrinkling. It would be best to take the packing paper and wrap each shoe, and then to wrap them together. You can put them all together in a big and sturdy shopping bag or in a separate storage container if you’re packing boots or some other heavier shoes.
What Is the Fastest Way to Pack for a Move? Bags Play a Crucial Role
What’s proven to be the fastest method on how to pack clothes when moving is to put everything on hangers, no matter if you used to store those items like that or not. Then, depending on the thickness of the materials hanging, grab a few hangers and put them together. Take a big garbage bag (thirty gallons will do) and cover the clothing. Firmly tie the handles on the top of the hangers and put the bag with a wardrobe in a box. This moving hack really saves a lot of time because you’ll skip all the rolling.
If You Use This Method With a Wardrobe Box, You’ll Have Zero Wrinkles
If you decide to buy wardrobe boxes for your local moving or long-distance moving adventure, you can put these bags inside and hang them on the rack. This method will save you from any possible wrinkles, and there will be no ironing once you move in. Just take down the garbage bag and put everything in your new closet.
Don’t Forget to Label Everything
Once you learn how to pack clothes for a move, you must also learn how to label the packages, so you don’t have to open each one when searching for something. You can use color-coding with the tapes or write down on each one of them what’s inside. If you plan on getting long-distance moving services, you should make sure that the label is seen from the side and on the top of the package so that the movers can know where to take the box. For example, if you color-coded blue for the bathroom, the color should be seen on each side of the package – it’s one of the crucial packing tips for moving.
Leave a Bag With Clothes You’ll Need During the Move
Don’t wrap up everything you own when learning how to move clothes, especially if you’re getting cross country moving services. You will need something to wear on that day, something to sleep in, and some wardrobe to change until the unpacking day comes. Take a bag and fill it with your essentials. There should be your toiletries, chargers, keys, paper tissues, etc.
Is Learning How to Pack Clothing Too Much Work? Movers Can Do This for You
The ultimate tip for saving time and space is that someone else does all of this for you. Professional cross country movers have all the supplies and skills to make your move as painless as possible. This is not the cheapest option, but it is the fastest one. Getting services from reputable long-distance movers will save you from all the moving scams, and you can also use their high-profile storage unit in case you require it. Getting all work done with one long-distance moving company will also mean that you can get auto shipping services if you don’t plan to drive to your new destination, and also moving insurance for all of your high-value items. Take a look at your moving expenses checklist and call your state to state movers for a fast and stress-free relocation.
Eva Johnson
Digital nomad born in New York but currently living online, Eva knows everything there is to know about packing and moving.
