How to Pack Clothes for Moving | How-to | Long Distance USA Movers

How to Pack Clothes for Moving Without Losing Your Mind

It can quickly turn out that packing all your wardrobe is the most time-consuming thing you have ever attempted to do if you don’t have any tricks on how to pack clothes for moving to a new home. Take a look at some crucial steps for packing clothes for moving if you want to learn something new.

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Learn the best way to pack clothes for a move to a new home

How to Pack Clothes for Moving and Where to Start?

Have you ever tried some of the packing strategies for moving your whole wardrobe? This is probably the last thing on your mind if you have anxiety about moving to another state, but it is just as important as anything else. This is something that just sounds straightforward, but it isn’t because none of us know how many things we have in our wardrobe. Take a look at some of our tips if you want to find out the best way to pack for moving when it comes to clothes.

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Packing clothing is stressful, but you need to start as soon as possible to avoid stress on the move-in day

How to Sort Your Clothes?

The first thing you should do is to go through all the stuff you want to bring with you before getting all supplies and thinking about different packing methods. One of the easiest ways to keep things as tidy as possible is to sort wardrobe pieces into groups. Rely on one of these categories as you prepare to dig through your garments.

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Sort by Season

Sorting wardrobe by season not only encourages you to keep everything organized during a relocation, but it also helps you to avoid the buildup of clutter after the move. For example, you would only need to unpack cold-weather items if you are moving in winter. Summer, fall, and spring garments can stay packed and probably stored in a storage unit. Or you can think of some creative storage ideas to keep the closet clutter-free.

Sort by Material

Do you like to arrange your wardrobe according to materials? Try separating them into several different types of materials. For example, cotton pieces, silk items, linen materials, denim products, wool items, etc. This will definitely make it much simpler to do laundry in the future.

Sort by Type

Try to sort the wardrobe by different types of items. This means packing trousers with trousers, tops with tops, shorts with shorts, and so on. This will make it easier to find those clothing items when you relocate and make the unpacking more effective if you are thinking about how to unpack after a move.

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Sort your stuff by some of these categories

What Is the Best Way to Pack Clothes for Moving? A Step-by-Step Guide

How to move clothes? It’s good to know how to pack clothes for a move, whether your wardrobe is overflowing on the shelves or you don’t have that much stuff. Do not panic if it seems confusing. No matter how many pieces you have, we’ve collected the best way to pack clothes when moving across country.

Step 1 - Consider Decluttering, Donate or Sell Clothes

Be realistic with yourself about what you shouldn’t bring. In the last year or two, if you haven’t worn an item, what are the odds that you’ll ever wear it again? That’s why you should sell or donate unwanted items and save some money. If you think some things are in perfect condition, ask friends or family how to have a successful garage sale. Surely some of them have already done it and can help you out. You can also throw a packing party.

Step 2 - Wash Your Wardrobe Before Packing It

We strongly recommend cleaning everything before packing your clothing. It would just make all of your clothing smelly if you store dirty stuff with clean garments. Not to mention, you should expect lots of mildew issues if some things are wet. Making sure that everything is thoroughly cleaned and dry will prevent this from being an issue when relocating garments to a new home. Try to wash your wardrobe even if you are relocating last minute, especially if you want to leave your stuff for a while in a storage unit.

Step 3 - Leave the Pieces You'll Wear Soon

Think in advance and leave your traveling outfits, underwear, and socks ready to wear for the last few days. Also, before you begin unpacking after relocation, you’ll need something for the first day in your new home. You should have something to wear before you start unpacking and something to sleep in because unpacking your dresser would not be your priority in all that chaos.

Step 4 - Pack Off-Season Clothing First

The reality is that after the relocation, off-season garments will not be worn for a few months, so the simplest solution is to put them away. Be sure to store them properly after the move, and there would not be a need to unpack them right when you move in. Just don’t forget to put labels for moving boxes, so you know what is where.

Step 5 - Don’t Mix Wardrobe With Shoes

To avoid tarnishing, shoes should be separated from the clothing during the packaging process. It’s easier to use shoeboxes, a plastic bag, or a shower cap if you don’t have so many shoeboxes. You should also stuff your shoes with socks or paper to maintain their shape.

Step 6 - Use Vacuum Sealing and Garment Bags

This is a fantastic idea that will help you save some space. It is particularly good for storing hats, jackets, winter stuff, and larger pieces. Generally, with all the off-season things you won’t be wearing too soon, you should do this first and then move on to something else. Moving bags for clothes are the perfect choice for items that are pricey and delicate (tuxedos, dresses, gowns). The risk of expensive stuff getting dusty or damp during your relocation is minimized by these soft-sided suitcases. Your closet will stay clean, safe, and wrinkle-free with the garment carrier.

How Do You Move Hanging Clothes?

We all have certain pieces that are wrinkle-prone and require a bit more effort. It’s a real headache to have to iron those things when you relocate, so you can buy some of those tall closet boxes if you want to keep your stuff wrinkle-free. These are a little more costly but worth the expense altogether. Additionally, for safety, you can even use plastic wrap.

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We all have wrinkle-prone shirts. Place them in a wardrobe box, and they will remain wrinkle-free

Should I Keep Clothes in Drawers?

This is something that is not only up to you but depends a great deal on the company that transports your things. Some require that the drawers are empty so that during transport, nothing falls out. A lot of seasoned packers, though, recommend that the drawers can be kept full. If you do want to keep them full, make sure you fill them up to the top and wrap each one with plastic wrap. Then tie or wrap the whole piece of furniture together so that the drawers do not fall out during the transportation.

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You can keep your drawers full if the company allows it

What Supplies Do You Need?

Wondering how many boxes and other cheap moving supplies you should use for the relocation? Well, it all depends on the amount of wardrobe you have. Here are some of the essential things you should get on time:

  • Plastic containers
  • Wardrobe boxes
  • Suitcases
  • Plastic wraps
  • Vacuum bags
  • Garbage bags
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You can get different supplies. Just make sure that everything is packed correctly.

How Should I Pack Before Moving? – Clothing Bundles, Duffle Bags, Wrapping, and Rolling Method

Wondering what is the fastest way to pack for a move? We also gathered some moving hacks that will speed up the process. In fact, some of these techniques can be carried out at the last minute, even if you don’t have a lot of time. Here are some tips we’ve prepared for you.

Clothing Bundles

The bundle packing strategy is probably just the right option for you if you choose to organize bigger items to ease the unpacking process. The point is to fold layers of large pieces over each other. For example, the largest jacket should be at the bottom, and to create a bundle, tie it around the other items until the jacket is full. Place it inside a cardboard box with other bundles, and the heaviest one should be on the bottom.

Moving Wardrobe Using Suitcases or Duffle Bags

It is still a good idea to use suitcases for long distance moving. Transporting suitcases makes the task smoother because you don’t have to lift or carry them around like boxes. During transportation, they will act as an ideal storage place for anything you want. These carriers are perfect when you’re relocating folded stuff and shoes.

Rolling the clothes is the easiest method to fill duffle bags, based on how spacious they are. You should put the least used things at the bottom and place the essential ones at the top so that when you want them, you can pull them out quickly. Try wrapping your garments in a bundle roll to get the best out of the room in your duffle bag.

Wrap It up

Select the best sized boxes for moving if you are going to use them as your main storage since they can get too heavy when they are overpacked. It is possible to bundle up and wrap hanging pieces that are not wrinkle-prone with garbage bags and then put them in a box if they do not need to be transported while hanging. For protection from dust and dirt, you can use plastic garbage bags. This is another perfect opportunity for boxes to be misplaced. Just remember to mark each one and write down what’s inside.

Army Rolling Method

Not only does the army rolling technique saves space, but it also prevents objects from wrinkling. During the move, this will hold it all in place. You can still do a more casual roll, of course, which means wrapping the object as securely as possible and putting it inside a box or bag. If you want to see how to army roll your wardrobe, watch the video below.

How Long Before Moving Should You Start Packing? Also, Is It Worth Paying for Packing When Moving?

It should not be overly stressful and confusing to figure out how to pack clothing for relocation and the best way to move clothes after these tips we just showed you. It’s quite sufficient to prepare for it several weeks in advance and pack effectively in a couple of days. A packing service could add a new expense to your moving expenses checklist, but it could also give you some time to do other things like finding the best hiking towns or the best outdoor towns around your new town.

Although now you know how to pack clothes when moving, still the easiest way to do it is to rely on a respectable long-distance moving company and their packing service. It will help you reduce your stress and remind you about the most commonly forgotten things to pack. Choosing long-distance movers whose long distance moving services include storage services or even auto transport is essential to avoid making common moving mistakes. Your journey will be much simpler with the right professionals that will take care of your belongings when relocating.

Michael Vaughan

Moving through the Bay Area, Michael works as a freelance writer in the moving and transportation industry.


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