If you’re not sure how to pack clothes for moving, don’t worry, this guide has you covered. Assessing your inventory, getting the necessary supplies, and sorting your wardrobe are only some of the things you can do to make the process more manageable. We also added some of our best tips and tricks, which will enable you to move your closet like a true professional in no time.
How to Pack Clothes for Moving in the Best Possible Way
Whatever your reasons for relocating may be, there are several things you can do to prepare your wardrobe for transportation. Doing inventory will help you get rid of the pieces you don’t wear while sorting the closet makes the whole process less complicated. If you still feel like you can’t handle everything on your own, consider getting some professional assistance.
Assessing the Inventory Is the First Step in Learning How to Pack Clothes for Moving
How long before moving should you start packing? Well, that mostly depends on the number of things you own, so before you learn how to pack clothes for a move, you should focus on assessing your wardrobe’s size. To get the best picture, place all of your clothing on the bed. If it’s already covered by the time you get halfway through your closet, you might have to start earlier than you expect.
You Might Need to Declutter Your Closet
Now that you’ve gone through your whole wardrobe, there were probably at least several pieces you even forgot you owned. While this is by no means a bad thing, if you’re planning on living in Downtown Denver, your new place is likely going to have a significantly smaller storage capacity. The good news is that relocating is a perfect opportunity to declutter your wardrobe, and there are plenty of ways to do it as well:
- Sell – You can try to sell some of the things you haven’t used in a while online on Craigslist and Amazon or by organizing a garage sale.
- Give away – If your belongings are in good shape, and you’re not actively using them, maybe some of your friends and family could take them off your hands. You can also find local charity organizations where you can donate clothes in Denver.
- Throw out – Letting go of useless things is crucial for learning how to move efficiently. If you have anything that’s damaged beyond repair, like the old underwear or ripped jeans you completely forgot about, it might be better to simply leave them behind.
Get a Lot of Boxes and Bags
After assessing the size of your closet, you should be able to predict how many supplies you’ll need. This also makes planning a relocation expenses checklist significantly more straightforward, as you won’t have to worry about overspending on boxes and other materials. You’ll still require some supplies, though, so remember to add the following items when making your relocation to-do list:
- Cardboard boxes – These are most often used for folded clothing, and you can find them almost anywhere. Wardrobe boxes may also come in handy when securing delicate pieces. You can get these from better-supplied retailers like Amazon and local Denver moving companies. Depending on what you have in your closet, you should also consider getting a hatbox and proper shoeboxes.
- Duffel bags – If you’re not sure how to move clothes, you can always get one of these. In case you already have a duffel bag in your closet, use it to transport shoes and carefully rolled-up pieces.
- Compression or vacuum bags – Besides protecting your wardrobe from moisture and damage caused by moths, using these will save a lot of storage space.
- Plastic wrap or thrash bags – While you may not see it at first, a trash bag is a top choice for securing your hanging wardrobe.
Can You Get New Boxes and Other Materials for Free?
If you have too many things that have to be packed that you can’t keep the count, you probably want to look for some free alternatives. You can start by throwing a going-away party and see if your contacts have any leftovers you could use. Bookstores, grocery stores, and large retailers are also excellent places to look for some free materials, but remember to ask for permission before taking anything.
If you’re going to search online, take a look at Freecycle. This global community is dedicated to reducing waste by reusing all kinds of goods, so you have a good chance of finding plenty of useful stuff there. Wherever you get your free supplies, make sure you only take new or clean and undamaged materials, or your wardrobe may end up with stains that are hard to remove.
Sorting the Wardrobe Makes Packing Clothes for Moving a Lot More Organized
Now that you’ve gathered all the materials and went over several packing methods, you should decide how you’re going to sort the wardrobe. Being organized will not only help you keep track of everything throughout the move, but it will also make unpacking significantly easier. If you’re not sure how to pack clothes when moving, there are several organized approaches you can take:
- Sorting by materials – Some prefer to box things up by materials, dividing the wardrobe into items made of cotton, linen, denim, wool, silk, cashmere, and leather, among other types.
- Sorting by season – This option makes unpacking a lot easier, as you often won’t have to do most of the off-season belongings right away. Have the containers stored away and empty them when the need arises.
- Sorting by type – Most prefer this method, as it makes finding a particular item a lot easier. You can divide the wardrobe into groups like pants, shorts, shirts, underwear, socks, dresses, and so on.
- Sorting by each person – If you’re relocating with family, keeping each person’s wardrobe separate will help avoid any mixups, making unpacking easier for everyone.
Whatever option you choose, remember to properly label each container with both the type of wardrobe and the person it belongs to.
Where to Start Packing When You Are Moving?
Many people are unsure where to start, but most would agree that seasonal items are probably the first thing you should box up. If you’re relocating during summer, you won’t need your jacket and winter footwear, and vice versa. Delicate pieces are up next, not because you don’t want to wear them, but because they take the longest to prepare. You should also remember to do your laundry before you start boxing up anything. The best takeout in Denver is very delicious, but it also leaves some nasty stains that are hard to remove, and you don’t want to mix dirty pieces with the clean ones.
What Is the Best Way to Pack Clothes for Moving?
Wardrobe comes in all shapes and sizes, so there’s no single best way to pack clothes when moving. The good news is that these next few tips will help you prepare everything, no matter what kind of items you have in your closet.
How to Pack Clothing Without Taking It off the Hangers
If most of your closet wardrobe is on hangers, you could lose a lot of time taking it off and folding it individually. Fortunately, there are a couple of ways you can make the process a lot quicker and easier. Wrapping up several hanging pieces with a large trash bag is an excellent low-cost option. After you slip your clothing inside the bag, secure it by tying its strings around the hangers’ hooks.
Wardrobe boxes are an excellent option for transporting high-end, delicate pieces without having to take them off of hangars. However, while even some cheap movers in Denver have these, they can cost up to $50. The good thing is that you can learn how to make one at home for significantly less money.
Folding Is the Best Way to Pack Clothes for a Move for Non-Hanging Wardrobe
Everything that’s not kept on a hanger should be folded neatly before being placed in a box. This will keep all the pieces smooth and without wrinkles and allow you to fit each container with a lot more clothing than to just stuff it without any order. There are several ways you can fold your non-hanging wardrobe, including:
- The flat fold – This is the simplest and the most traditional form of folding. Take a shirt and lay it face down on a flat surface like the table or a bed. Fold both sides towards the middle, but not all the way in, and smooth out the wrinkles. Finally, take the bottom side and fold it over the top part and smooth it out. For bottoms like pants, you’ll have to fold one leg over the other, after which you’ll fold in thirds.
- The military roll – Likely the most popular form of folding, the army method is excellent for keeping your wardrobe from getting wrinkled in transport. Lay a shirt face down, and take an inch off the bottom and flip it inside out. After you place the sleeves onto the shirt, fold one side to the middle and then the other over the first side. Start rolling as tightly as you can, and once you reach the pouch on the bottom, use it to tuck in the roll.
- The KonMari method – This option is similar to a regular flat fold. If we take a shirt, for example, fold both sides till they meet in the middle. After folding the bottom over the top, fold again, but this time do it in thirds. When folded correctly, the pieces should be able to stand upright on their own.
Secure Your Shoes for Transport With These Next Few Tips
Footwear is an essential part of any outfit, so now that you’ve packed most of your closet, you should also learn how to pack shoes for relocation. First, you’ll need to pad each shoe with crumpled-up paper, as this is the main thing that will keep its shape during transportation. Next up, wrap each pair in paper or plastic, and place it in a padded shoebox. If you don’t have the original packaging, use a container that’s similar in size, as putting shoes in oversized boxes will cause them to get trampled by other heavier objects. You can also keep your footwear smelling fresh by placing a dry tea bag in each shoe.
Put Aside Some Essential Clothing for the First Few Days
Unless you’re planning to unpack as soon as you move into your new home in one of the best Denver suburbs, you should always set aside a few outfits for the first few days after relocating. You’ll need something comfortable for your day-to-day activities, like a pair of sweatpants, a hoodie, and a pair of sneakers. Depending on the season, you may also require some warmer pieces like jackets, sweaters, and thicker shoes. Underwear and socks are some of the most commonly forgotten things to pack, so remember to bring a few pairs with you in a separate box.
These Next Few Tips Will Help You Move Your Wardrobe More Efficiently
If you want to avoid getting separate containers and moving bags for clothes, there are a couple of relocation hacks that will help you save time, money, and storage space. Most people are aware that suitcases work great as containers on their own. They are often used to pack books for relocating, but the larger ones can also fit a lot of your closet if you properly fold it first.
Leaving the wardrobe in the dresser is the best way to move clothes when you want to avoid boxing up everything. However, this is only recommended for folded pieces, as things on hangers could easily fall off during transportation. Furthermore, if you leave too many items in the dresser, it may become too heavy to lift. Unless you’re planning to hire a mover in Denver to handle the loading part, you may want to take the drawers out and secure them with plastic. Both drawers and dressers should be tied down to prevent them from shifting while in transit.
Your Wardrobe Can Be Used to Wrap Plenty of Things Around the House
Many people don’t know that you can learn how to pack fragile items by only using your wardrobe. This is not only one of the best ways to save up storage space and money on supplies, but it’s also an efficient alternative for packing dishes for relocation. For example, you can learn how to pack glasses by stuffing them with socks instead of crumpled-up paper or how to pad a box with sweaters.
What Is the Fastest Way to Pack for a Move?
Every move requires a lot of work and preparation, so if you have children or you’re relocating with pets, you might want to look up some professional Denver movers to help you out. While this guide will show you how to prepare your whole wardrobe, you’ll experience a lot less relocation stress if you decide to hire Denver Professional Movers. Hiring our team will give you access to some of the best residential moving services in Denver. Not only that, but we got you covered whether you live Downtown or in one of the more affordable Denver suburbs. Getting our excellent packing services will not only help you with your wardrobe, but you also won’t have to worry about relocating a piano or any other furniture. Contact us today, and you’ll get a free quote from one of the best moving companies in Denver.