Are closets full of beautiful clothing deserve to be treated better than just being tossed in a box, right? Nobody wants to spend their first days in a new home ironing, sorting, and reorganizing an entire wardrobe. And when it comes to packing, what goes into the box is what will come back out. So for all the tips and tricks for the best ways to pack clothes, we’ve got what you need. Have a look.
Sell or donate whatever you don’t wear.
Sell or donate whatever you don’t wear.
There’s no use carting around a bunch of clothing that you don’t wear, especially when there might be someone out there who could use it. So before you start heaping piles of clothing into boxes or bags, go through and clear out anything you haven’t worn in a while. Sort them into piles of clothes you’ll donate, and clothes that are lightly worn and still in a style that could be sold on consignment. Paring down to the pieces that you love will make room in your new closet for some new items for your new home, right?
Clean your clothes before moving.
Plan in advance to make a trip to the dry cleaners for all of your suits and/or delicates that are in need of a cleaning. Send anything that has been sitting in a drawer or hanging out in the closet for too long through the wash, and make sure everything is dry. Really, fully dry. Packing dirty or damp clothes with your clean pieces is just a recipe for disaster!
The best way to pack hanging clothes for moving.
The easiest way to transport and then unpack hanging clothes is to keep them on their hangers! Ask your movers about wardrobe boxes. (they have a hanging bar installed at the top). Just take your clean clothes out of the closet and hang them in the appropriate-sized box. The box can then be closed up and sealed, then transported upright on the truck. Clothing stays organized and wrinkle-free! Your movers may also have other perfectly sized packing supplies to make the process that much easier.
Keep your boxes organized by drawers.
For the rest of your folded clothing, use packing paper to keep things organized. A medium-sized box is usually a good size. Even though clothing isn’t super heavy, a large box can still get heavy or unwieldy for your movers! Line the bottom of the box with packing paper to keep everything clean, then put in something that can withstand some compression. Think t-shirts, athletic clothes, or pajamas. Then add another layer of packing paper to designate a new drawer or category of clothing.
Pack the box full, but not too full. Overstuffed boxes won’t stack well on the dolly or the truck, while partially empty boxes might be at risk of collapse. Move on to another box if you run out of the room!
To fold or to roll?
Nobody can quite seem to agree on the best way to pack clothes for moving: fold the shirts, or roll them? There are pros and cons to both it seems. Rolling takes a bit more time, but when done well can keep your shirts wrinkle-free and take up less space. Folding is quick and easy but can lead to those lovely creases right down the middle of your garment. Folding also (theoretically) takes up more space because garments can’t be tucked in together in the same way. But when it comes down to it… whatever your preference, just keep things organized!
Use small boxes or bags to contain smaller items.
Socks, underwear, and other smaller items aren’t exactly easy to fold and stack. So with these items, you can revert to the easy way to pack clothes for moving: toss them in a bag! Using gallon-sized plastic bags will keep your socks in one place. Then you can toss them in with your t-shirts or other boxed clothing. Small boxes might be more appropriate for some small items, like a belt or hat collection. Then, have a look at our blog for tips on how to pack your shoes
Moving takes time, there’s no way around it. But you’ll save yourself a ton of effort and lots of wrinkled clothes if you pack things properly right off the bat! Let FlatRate deliver wardrobe boxes and any other supplies you might need for moving day. Or? Let our Packing Team do most of the work!