{"id":18304,"date":"2020-08-28T15:38:53","date_gmt":"2020-08-28T22:38:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=18304"},"modified":"2020-08-28T15:38:54","modified_gmt":"2020-08-28T22:38:54","slug":"buyer-how-to-pack-clothes-for-moving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-pack-clothes-for-moving\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Forget Your Wardrobe! How to Pack Clothes for Moving Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s taken what seems like an eternity to finally get to this point. The offer has been accepted<\/a>, the home inspection<\/a> is complete, and the documents have been signed<\/a>. Now, it\u2019s time to start packing your belongings<\/a> so you can finally start moving into your brand new abode. Do you have a plan for how to pack clothes for moving day?<\/p>\n

We all know that if we are packing fragile items<\/a>, we should wrap them in old newspapers, bubble wrap, or even soft linens so nothing is broken. We also know that we should label each box so it\u2019s easier to figure out what goes where. But packing clothes? That\u2019s a topic up for debate.<\/p>\n

Some people will toss things in a garbage bag and call it a day. Others will haphazardly throw items in a moving box and be done with it. Some people will even leave the clothes in the dresser drawers, which is just a bad idea for so many reasons.<\/p>\n

Now that you\u2019re a responsible adult \u2014 no, a responsible homeowner<\/i> \u2014 you might wonder how to pack clothes for moving day without using trash bags. (Or the best way to pack using trash bags!)<\/p>\n

You\u2019re in luck, because this extensive guide will show you the best way to pack your clothes for easy, stress-free moving!<\/p>\n

\"Jeans<\/a>
<\/a> Source: (Karolina Grabowska \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Step 1: Marie Kondo your wardrobe<\/h2>\n

Do you know how much money you spend on buying clothes each year? In the 2014 Consumer Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the average American household spent approximately $1,786<\/a> on \u201capparel and services\u201d (services includes things like dry cleaning, tailoring, and so on). The report went on to state that the average American purchased 64 items and 7.5 pairs of shoes each year. Pretty astounding, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

If those numbers sound a little farfetched, look at your own wardrobe. Can you recall the last time you wore each item? Do you even know what\u2019s in<\/i> your wardrobe?<\/p>\n

\u201cClothes that have not been worn in a year or more should go to charity. Your mantra is: \u2018I haven\u2019t worn this item in 12 months, therefore I most likely don\u2019t need it,\u2019\u201d Laura McKenna<\/a>, a Massachusettes real estate agent<\/a> with the distinction of being a Top Relocation Specialist for the past five years, recommends.<\/p>\n

If you have a difficult time deciding what to keep or what to donate<\/a>, ask yourself these questions:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Do I love how this makes me feel and look when I wear it?<\/li>\n
  • Is this item outdated?<\/li>\n
  • Does the item look like it\u2019s been worn a lot?<\/li>\n
  • Does the item still fit me correctly?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    After going through your wardrobe, you can pat yourself on the back. The more clothing you can donate, the less you have to worry about packing \u2014 plus you\u2019re giving back to those in need!<\/p>\n

    Note: If you are thinking about decluttering high-end items, consider selling them to a consignment shop or listing them on online marketplaces like <\/i>PoshMark<\/i><\/a>, <\/i>ThredUp<\/i><\/a>, or <\/i>Mercari<\/i><\/a>. You can make some extra money to help with the move, and your once-loved clothes will go to someone else who\u2019ll enjoy wearing them just as much as you did!<\/i><\/p>\n

    Step 2: Assess your needs<\/h2>\n

    After you\u2019ve cleared out your closet and have decided what you\u2019re keeping or donating, next you\u2019ll want to think about what kind of clothing you\u2019ll need and how many of each item will be ideal to have accessible during the move.<\/p>\n

    Set aside a couple of outfits of clothing for each family member while you\u2019re packing. This allows you to pack all of your clothing and shoes without having to rummage around through boxes if your move is delayed.<\/p>\n

    Next, look at what you\u2019re packing. Do you have a lot of clothes? Are you renting a U-Haul, hiring a moving company, or are you enlisting your friends and family for help?<\/p>\n

    Depending on your situation, you may want to consider purchasing large, clear plastic tubs<\/a> so you can easily see inside. If you have enough space and extra money, you can purchase wardrobe boxes so that you can leave clothes on their hangers, which will make unpacking easier!<\/p>\n

    \"Clothes<\/a>
    <\/a> Source: (Md Salman \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Step 3: Organize, organize, organize<\/h2>\n

    Now that you\u2019ve gone through your wardrobe and set aside the items you want to keep, donate, and sell… you\u2019re still<\/i> not ready to actually start packing. Instead, it\u2019s time to organize all of your clothes! Sounds like heaps of fun, right?<\/p>\n

    The point of organizing your clothes is to help make unpacking<\/i> all the more easy. This is where you can take everything you\u2019ve learned from watching Tidying Up with Marie Kondo<\/i> and put it in use.<\/p>\n

    Sorting the delicates<\/h3>\n

    Delicate items don\u2019t just include your undergarments (but we\u2019ll discuss how to pack those, too). It can include items that are only worn for special occasions, such as formal wear, a wedding dress, a tuxedo, and any special accessories.<\/p>\n

    When going through your delicate items, you may already have them in garment bags to protect them from dust and odors. If they\u2019re not bagged, this is your first step.<\/p>\n

    Next, you can put the bagged garments in boxes like the U-Haul Grand Wardrobe Box<\/a> to hang the garments to ensure there\u2019s minimal wrinkling. Just be sure you aren\u2019t using wire hangers<\/a>! (They really can damage delicate clothes.)<\/p>\n

    Pro tip: Instead of putting each garment in its own bag, you can put several garments together in one bag. There\u2019s no need to be wasteful! If you don\u2019t own garment bags, clean garbage bags can work, too.<\/i><\/p>\n

    Sorting by type of clothing or season<\/h3>\n

    After going through the clothes you\u2019re going to keep and separating the delicate garb, now you\u2019ll want to sort according to season.<\/p>\n

    For example, if you\u2019re moving in summer, you\u2019ll start by putting all of your winter clothing together. Much like with the delicates, you can leave jackets, winter coats, and other outwear on the hangers and put them in a garment box. In a separate box, you can pack your hats, gloves, scarves, and other winter accessories together so it\u2019ll be easier to find them.<\/p>\n

    To sort by types of clothing, it can help to start with bottom pieces and then work your way up your wardrobe. First, put all of your jeans together, then your work pants, dress pants, workout shorts, and skirts. Do this for the rest of your wardrobe: sweaters, T-shirts, blazers, and so on.<\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re living a minimalist lifestyle and only have a capsule wardrobe<\/a>, you may be able to get away with packing everything in two boxes \u2014 one for bottoms and one for tops.<\/p>\n

    On the other end of the spectrum, if you have a massive wardrobe (even after sorting through your closet and discarding anything you don\u2019t love), you can go one step further and sort your clothing by color family.<\/p>\n

    Step #4: Don\u2019t forget the finer details<\/h2>\n

    Clean clothes<\/h3>\n

    Before packing anything, make sure they are clean! You don\u2019t want to take piles of dirty clothing with you to the new place!<\/p>\n

    If you have clothing that needs to be dry-cleaned, now is the perfect time to do that. Not only will the garments be clean and pressed, they\u2019re likely to be stored in garment bags for you (or at least in a plastic bag on a hanger) to keep them clean.<\/p>\n

    Proper folding<\/h3>\n

    Folding clothes is probably one of everyone\u2019s least favorite chores, but it must be done! If you\u2019re of the \u201croll it in a ball and stuff it in a drawer\u201d camp, that\u2019ll be a nightmare to unpack.<\/p>\n

    Besides, balled-up clothes take up a lot more room than you think. Remember, the name of the game for packing clothes is to be neat and organized to save space and time.<\/p>\n

    Here are a few methods that work well when packing.<\/p>\n

    Flat folding<\/h4>\n

    This method of folding is the most common way people fold their clothing. It\u2019s easy, quick, and works fine at keeping your clothes wrinkle-free.<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a><\/p>\n

    To do the flat fold, first lay the shirt on a flat surface with the back of it facing up.<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a><\/p>\n

    Next, smooth out any wrinkles and fold one side of the shirt toward the center.<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a><\/p>\n

    Repeat this with the other side, folding the shirt into thirds. You want to make sure the sleeves are laying flat so you have a neat fold (if you are folding a long sleeve shirt, you can fold the sleeve diagonally at the elbow to get them to lay flat).<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a><\/p>\n

    Then, take the bottom third of the shirt and fold it upward twice so that the fold meets the collar.<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a><\/p>\n

    To fold your pants, simply lay them flat and fold them in half lengthwise. Smooth the legs and then fold them into thirds.<\/p>\n

    KonMari folding<\/h4>\n

    Marie Kondo is the master of tidying up and can teach you how to declutter just about every inch of your home! Her folding method is similar to flat folding.<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a><\/p>\n

    Lay the shirt on a flat surface with the back facing up.<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a><\/p>\n

    Fold the bottom of the shirt halfway up the shirt.<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a><\/p>\n

    Smooth out the wrinkles (if there are any) and fold one side of the shirt toward the center.<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a><\/p>\n

    If the shirt has long sleeves, fold the sleeve over as well.<\/p>\n

    \"A<\/a><\/p>\n

    Then repeat this step on the other side.<\/p>\n

    Check out her YouTube video<\/a> and see the master at work!<\/p>\n