Packing clothes before a move is one of the more difficult things to plan for. You don’t want to pack away your favorite sweater or jeans too soon because you may want to wear them again before moving. But waiting until the last second, jamming everything into garbage bags like you’re on the run from the law isn’t advisable either.
However, don’t put the plastic bags away just yet. They will still be useful when it’s time to start packing away the items that are hanging in your closet. And of course you can start packing swimsuits and flip flops if it’s the dead of winter. It’s just a matter of planning between and now and when you move.
Planning The Move
Packing away all of your clothes a month before moving day obviously doesn’t make any sense. However, there is seasonal clothing you won’t need in July. Parkas, snowboarding pants, heavy jackets, and other winter clothes won’t be needed for many months. Unless you’re planning a ski trip to the Swiss Alps, you’re safe packing it away well before the move.
Before packing away any clothes, make sure they’re clean. If you wouldn’t wear something because it smells a little musty, you won’t want to pack it away with other clothes, either. After they’re completely dry, consider packing them with a scented dryer sheet to keep them smelling fresh.
Speaking of bulky items, consider buying some vacuumed sealed bags to save space. There are a variety of prices and sizes and you can always pack multiple items into one bag. Carefully pack the vacuum bags so when you take them out months later they won’t be one big ball of wrinkles.
The sealed bags can be tucked away in a closet or even placed in a moving box and moved into the garage before moving day. If you weren’t too choosy, half of the clothes in your family’s closet should be ready to go at this point.
Packing Hack: If the winter coats for your kids were already a little snug last season, consider donating them to Goodwill or The Salvation Army. Why pack something you’re just going to get rid of in a few months anyway? Also, consider the “one-year” rule: if something hasn’t been worn in 365 days, get rid of it.
Penny Loafers and Army Boots
For a few of us, a pair of dress shoes, athletic shoes, and maybe a few casual shoes are all we need to be ready for any event. But if you’re a sneakerhead that has a closet JUST for shoes, you’re in for a bit of bad luck.
Just like clothes, you’re going to have to figure out what you can do without for the next 30 days – or the rest of your life. Donate the shoes you really don’t care for or throw out the threadbare shoes that are held together by duct tape (we see you).
Heavy shoes or big boots can go to the bottom of the box with other shoes on top. If you’re a collector of heels, sneakers, thigh highs, or strappy shoes, chances are you kept the boxes. Good job! Those will be easier to pack and can be packed together in a bigger box.
Packing Hack: Even if you prefer slip-ons, chances are you have a nice set of shoes somewhere. After cleaning, wrap each shoe separately in packing paper to prevent scuffs. Do the same for heels or boots that rely on a perfect shine. Pack shoes with a ball of socks in the toe to keep their shape.
Suits and Little Black Dresses
If you’re a clotheshorse, you probably have A LOT of different outfits to choose from for every occasion. T-shirts and running shorts can be folded and packed together in a box (after a good washing of course), but the togs you wear to evening affairs need a little more care.
Suits are often purchased in their own wardrobe bags along with nice dresses – that will make things easy. For other hanging clothing, we suggest wardrobe boxes. You’ll lessen the chances for wrinkles and they can just be transferred from the closet.
Packing Hack: No clothes bags? No problem. Remember those garbage bags from the start? Cut a hole in the middle of the bottom of the bag. Grab 10 or 15 hangers, secure the tops together, and put them in the bag with the secured tops through the hole. This will keep them clean and organized during the move.
And The Rest
After sorting your clothes into donations, seasonal, nice, and so on, chances are you’ll still have some stuff leftover. Like underwear, t-shirts for working in the yard, cargo shorts that your partner hates, and so on. Consider leaving those clothes in the dresser drawers.
Each drawer can be wrapped, taped, packed, and put back in the dresser when you arrive. No-fuss, no muss. Just make sure to wash everything before packing it away. In the days leading up to the move, make sure to keep an easily accessible outfit for the day after the move, too. You’ll need something to wear when you unpack.
Packing Hack: We were just talking about clothes in this blog, but you still have a whole house to move! Instead of taking a month or two to get your home ready for a move, hire professional movers to take care of all the heavy lifting. Then you’ll be free to get the new home ready.
Smooth Move People will pack all of your clothes, disassemble and reassemble big furniture, and pack everything else into one of our trucks. At your new address, we’ll take it all out again, relieving a lot of the moving stress many people have. And we offer the lowest rates in town – guaranteed. We’re ready to help you move.
