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How to Pack Clothes for Moving: 4 Tips & Tricks

woman holding white clothes

Most people worry about the furniture when they move, but clothes can be just as tiresome to deal with. You have to sort, organize, label, fold, and pack. If you have a lot of clothes, it can be a lot of stress to deal with. Let’s check out some of the best tools and methods you can use to make packing your clothes as easy as possible.

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Before You Start

old clothes on hanger
Image Credit: meaandcolors, Pixabay

Packing clothes isn’t a high-stress situation, but it can be frustrating. It gets worse if you leave your clothes to pack last, so you should get an early start on sorting and packing. This will free up space in the house to maneuver furniture and other items, plus give you peace of mind. Let’s go over the main prep work you’ll need to do.

Keep, Sell, or Donate

Go over your closet with a fine-toothed comb and sort everything into three piles: keep, sell, or donate. Lightly used clothing that’s still in wearable condition can be donated, trendy clothes can be sold, and then your “keep” pile is coming with you. The main question to ask yourself is whether you’ll use the clothes. If not, sell or donate it.


Packing Methods

As a rule of thumb, hanging clothes in closets and wardrobes are easier to transport than non-hanging clothes in dressers. Hanging clothes are easily organized and transported in wardrobe boxes, while non-hanging clothes need to be sorted and packed into boxes. Another low-cost way of moving them is to simply tape your drawers shut and move them with the clothing inside. For best results, you can mix and match these methods to get everything moved safely.

You Will Need:
  • Cardboard boxes
  • Packing or duct tape
  • Marker for labeling
  • Hangers
  • Wardrobe box
  • Suitcase or duffel bag for moving bags
  • Trash bags (optional and low cost)

The 4 Tips & Tricks to Packing Clothes for Moving

1. Fold or Hang Your Clothes

folding clothes
Image Credit: Sarah Brown, Unsplash

Once everything is sorted and you know what you’re keeping, it’s time to get them ready for transport. Non-hanging clothes need to be rolled or folded up, then you can pack them into cardboard boxes for labeling. Smaller boxes are preferable, so you don’t load them with too much clothing. Excessive weight can make smaller and flimsier boxes fail. Tape them shut with packing tape, and we can move on.

Another method for transporting lots of clothes at once is to simply toss them in trash bags. This is very effective if you don’t care about wrinkles and saves you on packing supplies.

Hanging clothes should be transported in a wardrobe or wardrobe box. Hang everything up in the box and firmly shut it. If the doors on your wardrobe swing open, tape them shut for the time being. If your car has handles in the back seat, you can also use these to transport a few pieces of hanging clothing.


2. Pack a Moving Bag

Pick out a day or two of outfits and pack them in a suitcase or duffel bag, which will serve as your moving bag. Throw your phone charger, a bottle of water, and other necessities so you have them handy. The moving bag is essential during this process, so you don’t have to go through a thousand boxes for a few major items.


3. Vacuum Seal Clothing for Storage

For clothes that hold sentimental value or may be useful later, you can store them in compression or vacuum sealed bags. Simply fold or roll them up and seal the bags, then set them aside to be stored. This is the best way to store clothes when you want them to remain in good condition for a long time.


4. Leave Clothes in Dressers

black dresser
Image Credit: ErikaWittlieb, Pixabay

If you don’t want to pull your neatly sorted clothes out of your dressers, consider leaving them be. Using duct tape to hold the drawers shut can be a great way to save on boxes and vacuum bags. Simply move the dressers as normal and you won’t have to worry about them anymore. The dresser will be heavier than if you had removed your clothes, so keep that in mind.

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Conclusion

Moving can be a pain, especially if you don’t have a plan for dealing with your clothes. Luckily, there are numerous ways you can make packing your clothes easy and hassle-free. The first step is to get rid of stuff you don’t need, so get to selling and donating!

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Featured Image Credit: violetblue, Shutterstock

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