How to Pack Clothes When You Move

Sorting and packing clothes is one of those jobs you can do well in advance of moving day.

To pack clothes for moving you will need:

• Wardrobe boxes
• Suitcases
• Cardboard boxes
• Vacuum bags
• Stretch film
• Packing tape

Here we share some tips to make packing clothes for a home move easier and quicker.

What to Do Before Packing Clothes For Moving

Sorting your clothes

Before you start packing go through your clothes and decide what is worth keeping and what is not.

As with decluttering any room in the home, the fewer items you have to pack and move, the cheaper and quicker your move will be.

Use this list to decide if you really need all the clothes you have.

#1 No longer relevant clothes

If you are lucky enough to be moving to a much warmer climate then you can seriously reduce the amount of winter wear you have.

If the pieces are still in good overall condition, you’d better donate them to charity or give them to good friends.

#2 No longer fashionable clothes

Sometimes fashion trends change too quickly for you to keep up, so you will most likely have items in your wardrobe that will be outdated or that you won’t wear anymore.

You may also like to read: How to Pack a Bedroom When Moving Home. In this guide, we share comprehensive packing instructions for every item commonly found in a bedroom.

#3 No longer wanted clothes

In addition to fast-changing fashion trends, personal tastes tend to change too.

So, if you own some pieces that are still fashionable but you don’t like them for one reason or another, then they can go in the donation pile.

#4 No longer wearable clothes

Should you find some clothes that are too worn out or even damaged to be worn again, then they can be cut up to make cleaning rags or used as packing materials for fragile items.

You may also like to read: The Epic Guide to Decluttering for a Home Move. In this guide, we share tips to make decluttering every room in the home easier, and also look at how to emotionally detach yourself from your possessions to make decluttering easier.

Pre-packing and moving day clothes

Now that you have decluttered your clothing you can separate out the seasonal clothing that you will not be needing between now and the date of your move.

Because you have some dirty jobs ahead, like packing the loft and garage, you may want to keep back some old clothes that would otherwise be recycled.

You can then use these as work clothes which will save your better clothes from damage and will save you time doing washing.

Remember to keep aside your clothes for moving day, opt for your most comfortable set of clothes that will give you enough freedom of movement and will keep you safe during those chaotic hours.

You may also like to read: What Clothes to Wear on Moving Day. In this guide, we explain why what you wear on moving day matters to keep you comfortable and safe.

What is the Best Way to Pack Clothes for Moving?

You have sorted out your entire wardrobe, you have reduced the number of your garments to their absolute minimum, and have pre-packed the pieces which you won’t wear until after the relocation.

Now it’s time to begin the clothes packing marathon, so here we explain your options for packing clothes for moving.

You may also like to read: How to Pack Shoes for Moving. In this guide, we share the best way to pack your shoes to ensure they arrive at your new home safely.

#1 Wardrobe boxes

Your best bet is to use special wardrobe boxes for your best pieces of clothing.

They are tall, convenient, and have a dedicated rack inside where you can hang your formal clothes, expensive suits, boutique dresses, etc.

Besides the higher price, the only other disadvantage of using such wardrobe boxes is that they will take up more space in the moving vehicle than ordinary packing boxes.

But for expensive clothing, they are the best option for keeping them in pristine condition during the move.

#2 Standard cardboard boxes

Since most pieces of clothes are not particularly heavy, you can opt for medium to large size packing boxes. And if you can afford to purchase brand-new moving containers, then you have nothing to worry about.

However, if you decide to find cheap or free moving boxes, then make sure they are clean, sturdy, and in good overall condition.

You may also like to read: Where to Get Free Moving Boxes. In this guide, we suggest places that you may be able to find some good quality moving boxes for free.

#3 Suitcases

A good way to have your clothes safely packed and protected during the move is to use all the suitcases you own.

You will be paying to move the suitcases anyway so you may as well make use of them.

#4 Vacuum Bags

Vacuum bags are ideal for seasonal or bulky clothing.

The advantage is that if you are putting your seasonal clothing into the loft for example then they can be left in the bags and just stored as they are.

The sealed bags should however be put into boxes as the bags may otherwise get ripped when being loaded or unloaded.

#5 Leave clothes on hangers

An easy way to move clothes on hanger is to bundle them inside strong bin bags.

Group together 4 or 5 hangers, tie them together at the neck, and then slip them into a strong bin liner.

Tie the bin bag through the hangers.

When you get to your new home they can just be hung straight back up and you can still use the bin liner.

#6 Leave clothes in drawers

If you have drawers of light clothing then there is no need to pack these into boxes.

Just cling film the clothes into the drawer and slip the drawer back into the chest.

#7 Clothes packing tips

Before you pack clothes in a moving box, or any other moving container for that matter, don’t forget to place a clean sheet of packing paper on the bottom as an extra level of protection for your garments.

Another good trick when packing clothes when moving house is to use casual pieces of clothing as space fillers.

Soft fabrics are ideal for protecting fragile and breakable household items, as well as for immobilizing already packed boxes as an additional safety feature.

You may also like to read: Alternative Packing Materials For Moving Home. In this guide, we look at items commonly found in the home that you can use as packing materials to save money on your packing costs.

#8 Bundling technique

Another excellent trick to pack clothes efficiently is to use the bundle technique – it will save you time, and space and will prevent wrinkles.

The first step is to place a large piece of clothing on your bed (a jacket, for example), then place smaller items on top of it such as sweaters, dresses, skirts, trousers, and shirts, and finally lay a pre-made pouch of smaller wardrobe items such as socks or underwear on the very top of the bundle.

Slowly, wrap all the layers in one big tight bundle and secure it with pieces of string.

#9 What size box for clothes?

Put hats into separate medium to large-size boxes, pack various smaller clothes accessories in smaller packing boxes, use clean soft paper as padding whenever necessary, and remember to place heavier pieces of clothing first inside a box, and then lay your lighter clothes on top of them.

#10 Label the boxes

After you’re done packing up your clothes, it’s important to label the boxes properly, so that you know the most important boxes to unpack first and what is in each box just in case the weather changes and you need to retrieve an item quickly

You may also like to read: How to Label Moving Boxes – An Easy and Foolproof Way. In this guide, we share a really effective but simple way to label your moving boxes so that you know which room they go into at your new home and the order of importance in which they should be unpacked.

Don’t forget to visit our home moving blog which is packed with useful tips and guides on every aspect of your home move to make it cheaper and easier.

---