What’s the Best Way to Pack Your Clothes?

One item that we all have a lot of is our clothing. And if you’ve lived in one place for a long time, you’ll likely have a lot to pack for your big move. However, in the grand scheme of any movingexperience, clothes are the easiest and lightest items to pack. Also, you really don’t have to worry about breaking or damaging anything during the actual move. That said, you will have a lot of organizing to do before you pack and this starts by assessing your items. Prior to the packing process, you’ll have to figure out which items you should get rid of, donate, or  keep. Then, the packing can begin! Check out some of our tips to learn more this as we discuss how to pack effectively and efficiently for your upcoming move.

Packing Clothes for Your Move

#1 Assess your stuff:

Out of all of the items to pack for your move, clothing can be the hardest! Why? Many people have a ton, and if you have a  family, you’ll have a lot of clothes to go through. While this part is time-consuming, it is a critical step to making sure that you don’t move with pieces that are outdated, too big or small, worn out, torn or simply not your style anymore. If you have a family, you’ll want to start by going from room-to-room and literally combing through their items as you assess every single piece. While it is super time-consuming, this does help to ensure that you won’t move with pieces that you no longer need. During this process, place the clothing in three separate piles: one for donation, one to keep and the other will include the items that you will get rid of. Give yourself ample time before moving day to properly weed through all of your clothing.

#2 Gather your items for donation and those to get rid of:

Now that you have your separate piles, you can get the items that aren’t moving with you out of the house. Start by loading up the donating items in one bag and those to throw out in another. If you are donating to a family member or friend, you’ll want to potentially separate your items by sizing and/or gender. If you are donating to Goodwill or Salvation Army, you might have to divide it based on type (women’s clothing, men’s, kids, etc). Mark your bag or box by writing ‘donation’ on them, which can help ensure that they won’t get mixed up with your other items. Then, add your items that you want to get rid of in another bag. This is typically pieces that are ripped, stained and/or have holes. Look into passing these pieces onto a textile recycling center where they will be properly disposed.

#3 Have a yard sale:

If you have time and it’s a nice time of year, you can also try to sell some of your items before you move. However, this does take some planning as you’ll need to advertise in advance for your sale and have all of your items (not just your clothes) ready for yard sale day. You’ll also have to commit to a weekend sale, which for some, could be a great way to get rid of your stuff and make some money.

#4 Pack your clothing:

After your sale or donation, you’ll know exactly what items will be coming with you, meaning it’s also time to pack up your clothes! While books and fragile items typically require specific boxes for packing and placement; packing clothing offers a lot more flexibility. This starts by folding all of your clothing (as best as possible), which, by the way, will also help you with your post-moving day sanity! During this step, try to keep your packing organized per family member and by season. This will allow you to only have to unpack what you and your family need immediately where you can then store the rest of your belongings or set them aside. After the folding process, consider what packing sources you have for your clothing. Items such as suitcases, storage containers, wardrobe boxes, and of course, small-to-medium-sized boxes are great for holding your clothes. If your dresser isn’t too heavy, you can even keep some items in there, then tape the section where the slots are located to prevent them from opening up during the move. You can also pack your clothing in garbage bags or vacuum-sealed bags, which is a great lightweight and portable option for moving day.

#5 Label everything:

When packing your clothing, and especially if you have a big family, you’ll want to label every item. This is why packing every family member’s items separately is key. You can also make things easier for yourself by labeling your seasonal boxes and/or bags because you can likely store them and not have to unpack them right away.

#6 Treat your delicate clothing differently:

However, if you have an old family heirloom such as your Grandmother’s wedding dress (or your own), you will want to make sure that you pack those pieces differently (and separately) from your other pieces of clothing. For those pieces, you should always place them in a vacuum-sealed bag. Make sure that they are sealed tightly and placed on your moving van with care. If you are nervous about them being transported along with your other household items, you might want to personally handle and carry it with you in your car to your new home.

You never really know how much clothing you have until you actually move. A major item in the moving process is packing, and it’s important to give yourself ample time during the packing process to sort and organize your clothing. Trust us, this will make the unpacking process so much easier! And if you find that you have too many pieces of clothing that you don’t want to donate or get rid of, you can always opt for a storage container to safely store your belongings.