The Best Way to Pack Clothes for a Move

Figuring out how to pack clothes is perhaps the most complicated part of a move, which is why many people tend to leave it for last. While there are many approaches to packing clothes, our moving experts at Tiger Moving & Storage have determined the best way to do it.

Gather Supplies

First, have some packing supplies on hand. If you’ve begun preparing for your move, you may already have packing supplies like moving boxes, packing tape and markers. Whether you prefer cardboard boxes for recyclability or plastic ones for reusability, make sure that you choose stackable ones — they will help you make the most out of the vertical space in the moving truck.

Keep, Sell, Donate

This is the equivalent of decluttering your clothes. The point of this exercise is to reduce unwanted baggage and keep the loading process as streamlined as possible. The fewer boxes your movers have to load, the faster you can get going. Sort your clothes and sort them into categories — pants, skirts, dresses, shirts, sweaters, and others — then start separating them into three piles:

• Keep. These are the clothes that you’ll want to take with you. Don’t worry about whether they’ll be casual or formal or anything in between — as long as they fit, are worn recently, and/or have sentimental value, keep them.
• Sell. These are the gently-used clothes that are still in almost-new condition. You can set up a quick yard sale that also includes furniture and other items that you can’t or won’t bring to your new home.
• Donate. By default, the “donate” pile can be the ones that didn’t get sold, but leave out used underwear, stained or torn clothing, or those with broken zippers and missing buckles. These are better sent to recyclers.

Pack Your Clothes

You should be left with a substantially smaller number of clothes for packing. Start by placing heavier pieces like denim jeans and jackets at the bottom to add some padding. Delicate dresses can be packed in a double-walled box to protect them from damage during transit. If you must put them in hangers, make sure they all face the same way when inside the box. Label the boxes clearly to ease unpacking at your new home.

When you’re ready to move, give the home movers at Tiger Moving & Storage a call at (888) 227-6642. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We serve clients in New Jersey and the surrounding communities.