There are so many things to pack for your home move, that packing clothes doesn't seem that relevant or time-consuming after all, right? they won't break, they fit through every door, you can lift them yourself... Well, although all of this is true, you still require time to organize and pack your hanging clothes, folded clothes and clothes in storage for a move if you don't want to stress about it later. You are not just going on a trip and a regular suitcase won't do. Here is our #1 moving tip: plan ahead to avoid future headaches!
1) Create your "capsule wardrobe"
A capsule wardrobe are your few essential things that never go out of style - skirts, suit jackets, pants. This is your big chance to design your minimalist wardrobe and feel lighter. Keep and pack only the clothes that you actually wear. It is time to sort everything out and thus, avoid packing the following:
- Outdated clothes or those that are just too worn out
- Oversized or undersized clothes
- Clothes that your kids no longer fit into
- Clothes that you just never wear (even though they are in good shape and "in")
What to do with them?
It all depends:
- If they are clothes that you really care about, you can give them to a friend or family member, it'll make it easier for you to let go if you know that someone you are fond of will end up wearing your favorite jeans that you've had forever but just never wear anymore.
- Too small or too big but still look as good as new? Go ahead and sell them at a garage sale or on Poshmark.
- Didn't sell it all on the garage sale? Consider giving stuff away to charity.
- Save worn out clothes for the move. Reuse before throwing away! A worn out t-shit, that dress you'll never wear again, that stained skirt that you just can't let go of ... those "useless" clothes can still be put to good use for the move itself! Pack your breakables in there, use them to clean-up, wrap stuff, make clothes bundles... get creative!
2) Laundry is a must!
Your clothes must already be totally dry and clean when you pack. By doing so, you'll avoid:
- having mold grow on them
- staining other clothes
- smelling up your clean clothes as well
3) Prioritize packing
You don't want to get to your new home and have to unpack everything just to find those pants that you want to wear or your kids' clothes for school. Categorize and organize beforehand and take your time unpacking later:
- First pack your off-season clothes. You don't need to unpack THAT box anytime soon.
- Then pack what you will need to wear during your first week right after the move, we recommend using a suitcase for it: clothes, underwear, pajamas, towel, sheets... yes, as if you were going on a trip. If your kids are going to school right away, keep that in mind as well. Planned-packing will save a lot of future trouble since you'll know you can just unpack that one suitcase as soon as you get to your new home and leave the rest for later.
- Pack the rest knowing that you won't need it right away yet, that the sooner you start unpacking it, the better. It can't wait for weeks, like off-season clothes can, and doesn't have to be unpacked right away (like your suitcase) but it definitely needs to get unpacked at some point!
4) Choose your packing method.
Talk to your moving company about it. If it's a long drive, you might need some specific wardrobe boxes for the move, since they allow you to hang your clothes in there and avoid wrinkles. On the other hand, if it's a short-distance move, you just might as well leave your clothes in their hangers and group them with rubber bands and put them in the backseat of you car. Maybe you can leave your clothes in their drawers and use them as boxes. Some moving companies allow you to move your clothes in their drawers, talk to your company first for this and other options.
5) Packing hacks
- Pack you shoes apart from your clothes so they don't soil them. You can use shoe boxes so they don't get damaged in the process and stay paired.
- Use garbage bags to protect you hanging clothes or even vacuum bags to save space.
- Some like packing in bundles of clothes (and just toss these bundles in a box) so they are easier to unpack. You can also avoid wrinkles if packed properly: place the bigger garment at the bottom and then add layers of other clothes on top of it. Wrap it all up using the large bottom garment as your "bag". You can pack by outfits, by kind of garments, by size...
- Place the heaviest clothes at the bottom of your box/drawer.
- Label every box! Kids clothes, your clothes, if they are pants or shirts, sizes... everything! Very handy information when desperately looking for one specific thing.
We hope this tips help you organizing your clothes and for their move. Victory Van has been moving families and companies for many years and we are here to help. Give us a call and let's talk about your moving options. Hire the right moving company now and avoid future headaches later!
