Moving Blog

12 Packing Hacks: How to Pack Clothes for a Move

July 23, 2019

Packing clothes for a move is not a task for the faint of heart.

It can be overwhelming: packing peanuts are everywhere, you have tape in your hair, and you’ve roped in every family member and friend that you could to help you.

It’s true—packing for a move is utter chaos.

Here are a few packing hacks to help you pack clothes for a move!

1. Downsize & pack less

If you think about it, the best way to make moving easier is to make it so you have less stuff to move!

You can donate your gently used clothing to local charities, keeping you from adding any useless clutter to the moving truck and then your new home.

Pro tip: if you’re hiring movers, one trip to Good Will can actually save you money on your moving expenses because there will be fewer boxes to move!

2. Plan your packing ahead of moving day

Even the top procrastinator should get a jump start on packing.

Since clothing is a pretty essential item right up until moving day, the easiest way to proactively pack is to remove a week’s worth of clothing from your closet and set it aside in a duffel bag.

Then everything else in the closet is fair game for packing!

Just make sure you give yourself enough time to prepare. That way, you can focus on packing everything up at once instead of considering if you’ll need each item before you box it up.

3. Vacuum seal to maximize space

If space is an issue for your move, put your vacuum cleaner to work.

Grab a few storage bags that have vents on the front and fill them up with your heavier clothing items like winter apparel, coats and jackets.

Keep in mind, things will get heavy quickly using this method, so make sure you’re not tossing everything in a box that will be too big to carry!

4. Like items should stick together

Why make packing even more difficult than it already is?

Keep similar items together so that you can unpack with ease.

5. Put your clothes in the trash…bag!

After all of your hangers are bunched, use a non-scented garbage bag (a clean one, of course) to protect your clothing while in transit.

How to:

Open the bag and slide it over your hanging clothing cluster, using the hooks of the hangers to poke a hole at the bottom of the bag so that you can hang it right back on the rack.

When moving day comes, simply place the “bags” of clothes into a box or toss them in your back seat.

6. Keep your clothes on hangers

It probably seems like a hassle to take all of your clothing off their hangers, fold them up, pack them, and then spend the first 3 days in your new place unfolding and re-hanging all of your clothes.

That’s because it is a hassle!

Instead, simply use zip ties or strong rubber bands to clump your hangers (with the clothing still on them) together in a manageable bunch.

Pair items that are the same length and be careful not to make each cluster too heavy.

7. Use packing supplies that you have around the house

An unforeseen expense of moving for many people is all the supplies you’ll need, including boxes.

Before you head to your local liquor store to beg for boxes, or to your local office supply store to overpay for them, use what you have around the house!

8. Use your clothes to help you pack

Have you already been through three rolls of bubble wrap? Don’t sweat it.

Use your t-shirts and sweaters as packing material.

Now, we wouldn’t recommend this for your high-end closet items, but your PJs and loungewear are fair game.

And if you need a few extra inches to be filled up in a box to keep things from jostling around, toss in some clothing to act as a cushion. Tees and sweats will also work great for wrapping up delicate items, like your kitchen glasses or bedroom knick-knacks.

9. Keep clothes in the dresser

Keep your clothing in their dresser drawers and simply seal everything up so that the drawers won’t fly open during the move.

Your dresser, plus all of your clothing, will be pretty heavy though, so check with your moving company before you try this method.

However, if you find that the dresser is too heavy, you can simply remove the drawers, wrap them in plastic to protect your clothes and move the pieces separately.

10. Pack clothing in a suitcase

Suitcases and duffel bags were literally made to hold clothing, so you should use them to do so during your move.

With handles or even better—wheels—these make for some easy loading and unloading.

You probably won’t be able to fit all your items, but it’ll be a good place to start.

11. Roll, don’t fold your clothes

Just like packing for a vacation, you’re trying to maximize your space while packing.

Try rolling your clothing as you pack; you’ll notice that a rolled tee takes up less space and lessens the risk for wrinkles—win-win!

12. Make a “moving week” box of clothes

Be proactive and plan out your outfits for the week of the move. This way, you have no excuse to pack the rest up!

If packing just doesn’t appeal to you, then we only have one tip for you: call in the professionals!

At Dowell’s Moving & Storage Victoria BC, we offer exceptional packing and crating services that will take all of the hassle and stress of packing off your hands.

Give us a call at 250-361-9866 today to learn more!