How to Pack Clothing for a Move
Moving is one of the top ten most stressful life experiences. Here’s how to pack it up without wanting to pack it in.
Up next in Packing & Moving (9 videos)
We'll get all your stuff boxed up and out the door in no time at all.
You Will Need
- Wardrobe or cardboard boxes
- Twist ties
- Heavy duty garbage bags
- Shopping bags
- Luggage
- Dryer sheets
Steps
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Step 1
Invest in professional wardrobe boxes. They come with heavy-duty clothing rods, so you can transport much of your wardrobe without getting it wrinkled.
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Step 2
Gather your hanging clothes in bunches of 5 to 15 (depending on the thickness of the clothes), and secure the hangers with twist ties. Then cover each bundle with an oversize, extra-strength garbage bag, poking a hole in the bag for the hangers and knotting the bottom so the clothes don’t hang out.
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Step 3
Fill sturdy shopping bags with shoes, belts, pocketbooks, etc. and stash them in the bottom of the wardrobe.
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Use this opportunity to donate to charity any clothes you haven’t worn in the past year.
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Step 4
Pack any clothes that are stored on shelves in your luggage.
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Toss dryer sheets in with packed clothes to keep them smelling fresh.
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Step 5
Leave light clothing items like undergarments in their drawers. On moving day, remove drawers, carry the now-lightweight dresser into the moving van, and then replace the drawers. Secure the drawers with packing tape for the trip.
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Step 6
Stash inexpensive clothes like T-shirts in large garbage bags or cardboard boxes.
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Be careful about using discarded boxes. If they stain your clothes or bring bugs into your new home, it’s going to cost you a lot more than if you’d just bought new ones.
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Step 7
Label all your clothing boxes with the room or place where they should go in your new home, like the master bedroom closet, and hope that everything makes it intact.
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The average American family moves every 7.5 years.
