Table of Contents
Moving can be an exciting time, a new home, a new neighborhood to explore and make your own. That excitement can quickly vanish when you open your closet doors and ponder how you are going to pack clothes for your move. Work clothes, shoes, hats, ties, and accessories all have their own unique packing method.
Don’t let this overwhelm you; at Torex, we have been packing and moving for 13 years and have tested and developed the best packing techniques. We are happy to share these packing tips with you so you can start packing for your next move.
Before you even start packing, do an inventory of your clothes. Why go to the trouble of packing something that you don’t really like and haven’t worn in over a year? Sort your clothes into 3 piles:
- What Can be Sold
- What Should be Donated
- What You Want to Take to Your New Home
Best Ways to Sell Your Clothes
There are a few ways to go about selling your clothes or accessories. For designer clothing and accessories, you will get the best bang for buck selling these items online. Facebook Marketplace is the old standby but fun and trendy sites like Poshmark Canada, Vestiaire Collective, and Calgary-based The Upside are all the rage with modern fashionistas.
If you would feel more comfortable with a brick-and-mortar store, check your area for upscale consignment stores. For non-designer clothing, garage sales have never lost their popularity and give you an opportunity to mingle one last time with your neighbors.
Tips for Clothing Donations
Giving your clean, gently used clothing a second chance with someone new is good for the community and saves our landfills. Popular choices are charity-run stores but consider giving your clothing to community resources that are not going to resell the donation. Food banks or shelters for women, youth, and the homeless are often in dire need of items. Imagine how good it will feel if your extra clothing, shoes, or handbags can give someone in need a spark of joy amidst a dark time in their life.
Torex is invested in helping those in need in Toronto and the GTA. We promise to take your donation items for free when you contract our junk removal services. We offer a 10% moving discount for these groups:
- Seniors
- Students
- First Responders
- Teachers
- Low-Income Individuals/Families on Social Assistance or ODSP
- Delivery Drivers – Uber Eats, Door Dash, Skip the Dishes and Instacart
- Royal Canadian Navy
- Newcomers
- Single Parents
- Law Enforcement
- Social Workers
- Military Veterans
- Retail and Grocery Sales Personnel
- Flight Attendants
- Large Families With 3 or More Children
- First Time Customers
What is the Best Way to Organize and Pack Clothes for Moving?
Once you have organized your closet down to the items you know you want to move, you can start deciding on the best way to pack your clothes. There are a few different methods for how to pack clothes for moving, but all of them have the same goal, that your clothes arrive in your new home clean, wrinkle-free, and in good condition.
You will want to divide the clothes that need to be moved into a few different groups:
- Clothes For Storage (off-season, delicate, or sentimental items)
- Moving Clothes Needed Immediately (pajamas, underwear, change of moving clothes)
- Work Clothes
- Casual Clothes
Sorting your clothing into groups will save time as you won’t have to search through all your items to find what you need. If properly labeled, you can just open the bag or moving box that has the clothing item you need.
Once organized, pack your clothes intended for storage first, and they have the least chance of being needed before you move. Some tips for packing delicate clothing items for moving, such as a wedding dress, include avoiding the use of plastic as it traps moisture which can ruin delicate items. Line a clean box with white tissue paper and fold the article into the moving box, ensuring tissue paper is used to protect the clothing from wrinkles that may become permanent over time.
Another category of clothing you could pack early is your off-season clothing. So if you move in July, pack all of your organized off-season winter clothing items such as hats, scarves, gloves, woolen socks, and winter jackets first, as you likely won’t need them until the next cold season. Out-of-season items that will be stored after the move should always be clean and dry so as to prevent the growth of mildew and mold.
Packing Your Hanging Clothes
Like the rest of the world, your wardrobe has likely changed due to the pandemic, but you will still have to move all those hanging clothes such as shirts, ties, and dresses. Wardrobe boxes are a popular choice to move clothes because clothes on a hanger can be placed on the hanging rod inside the boxes. These boxes can be tricky to assemble. First, you will want to flip the moving boxes over and tape the bottom shut. When you turn the moving boxes back up, you will see there is a flap inside that needs to be pulled down so the metal bar can be inserted in the boxes.
Wardrobe boxes are convenient but can also be expensive. You can make your own wardrobe moving boxes by purchasing large or extra-large boxes, shower curtain rods the width of the boxes, and packages of shower curtain ends and caps. Mark and cut halfway on the width of the box, 2 inches from the top of the boxes on one side, then in the same spot on the other side of the boxes. Put the rod through the holes in the boxes and put the end caps on. Voila, now you make your own wardrobe boxes.
Another budget option is to wrap your hanging clothes in clean, heavy-duty garbage bags. Leave clothes on the hangers, cut a hole in the sealed bottom edge of a heavy-duty garbage bag, and wrap the bag around your hangers, feeding the top of the hangers through the hole in the bag. Use a rubber band to secure the top of your hangers together. You can then place these bags with your hanging clothes in boxes or leave them loose.
If you leave your ties on a tie rack, this can be placed directly into wardrobe boxes, but if this isn’t an option, you will want to pack your ties properly, and folds can become permanent, which can ruin a tie. The best way to pack a tie is to roll it around your hand (loosely so you can remove it), starting from the thin end ending with the wide end. Place the rolled ties in a clean small box (a shoebox is perfect for this) and secure the lid, so it doesn’t come loose on moving day. Belts can be stored in a similar fashion in a separate box from ties.
Garment bags are a convenient option for moving hanging clothes but be careful storing items in garment bags or any plastic bag long term as plastic can inhibit air movement, which can allow mildew and mold to develop. Sort hangers into matching bundles and tie them together with hair ties or elastic bands at the top of the hanger.
Is it Best to Roll or Fold Clothes for Packing?
Many heated discussions have been had over an open suitcase by couples before travel or moving as to the pros and cons of each method. When it comes to how to pack clothes for moving, we recommend rolling your clothes. This is because when you roll your clothes, you save space and prevent wrinkles in your clothes.
The best way to roll pants is to lay the pants together lengthwise on a flat surface. Fold the bottom foot of one pant leg diagonally and start rolling the pants from the waist up towards the diagonal section. Tuck the rolled pants into the diagonal section of the pant leg to secure them into a cylinder shape.
Rolling your shirts using a similar method will also save space and prevent wrinkles. On a flat surface, fold up the bottom 4 inches of your long-sleeved shirt, sweaters, or t-shirt. After folding in the arms and folding the sides in thirds, start rolling the top towards the bottom and fold the shirt into the bottom fold to secure the cylinder.
What to Use to Pack Your Clothes?
Once this is complete, you can start to pack your clothes for moving. Suitcases are an excellent choice for packing clothes. Suitcases are lined inside, which will protect your clothes. Small items of clothing such as socks can be tucked into an empty space in your suitcase.
Vacuum sealing is also an excellent way to pack clothes for moving. Vacuum bags are a good choice for long-term clothes storage because it protects your clothes reducing the chance of your clothes developing mildew or mold. Be sure clothing items are clean and dry before vacuum sealing them. Vacuum bags are good for packing clothes because they take up less space in the moving truck.
Another option for packing is to use your dresser drawers. You will need to take out your dresser drawers before filling them as the dresser will be too heavy to move if filled with clothes. Once you remove the dresser drawers and fill them with your clothes, you will want to protect the top of the drawers with plastic wrap, or for privacy, wrap the drawers in garbage bags and tape the garbage bags tightly. Besides being a great way to protect your clothes, using your dresser drawers instead of purchasing boxes to pack clothes will save you money.
Bags and boxes are other economical choices for packing clothing. Be sure to use smaller-sized boxes as clothing can be heavy. Pack lighter clothing in bags or double line a clean garbage bag to add durability. If the box is dusty or dirty, it can be lined with paper or a bag before you pack them with clothes. It is best to have clothes be clean and dry before being plated in a box, especially if items are going into a mobile storage.
How to Pack Shoes for Moving
Once you have set aside your favorite shoes for moving, you can start cleaning all your shoes. The shoes should be free from dust and debris. If you need to wipe them down with a wet cloth, be sure they have a chance to dry before they get packed. If the shoes have an odor consider sprinkling baking soda mixed with essential oils such as citrus, lavender, or peppermint overnight. The powder should be removed before the shoes get packed.
The inside of the shoes should be filled with packing material. Then can then be individually wrapped in packing paper or grocery bags before being placed in a shoebox or cardboard moving box. Boots can be damaged in a move by folding, so fill bootlegs with paper or another packing material to retain shape before placing them in a moving box or bag. Vacuum sealing bags are not recommended for shoes and boots as they can affect their shape.
The Best Way to Pack Hats for Moving
If you have the original box that came with your hat, this is the best box to pack your hat in, be sure to fill any empty space with crumpled paper. If you no longer have the original hatbox, you can make a new one. Line the bottom of the box with crumpled paper and pick moldable hats with a similar brim size. Separating each hat with a piece of paper, nest the hats together in the box, ensuring you pack crumpled paper in the corners, so the hats are stable during transport.
Some fine-quality hats could be damaged if stored with other hats. In this situation, fill the crown of the hat with crumpled paper and place it alone in a lined box. The empty space around the hat will still need to be filled with crumpled paper to protect the hat.
How to Prepare for Moving Day?
Your research on how to pack clothes for moving and hard work packing clothes will all pay off on your moving day. Your hanging clothes will be secured in wardrobe boxes or hanging bags. Your clothing will be packed in suitcases, vacuum bags, or boxes. Your shoes will be safely packed in a bag or box. Packing the moving truck will be easier because packing your clothing properly will mean more space for other items.
Valuable items like jewelry or watches should be secured in a small bag or box which has been taped closed. It is best to keep these valuable items with you in your vehicle when you move rather than in the moving truck.
Label your suitcase, bags, and boxes to make it easier in your new home. You can first unpack the clothing you need and leave other clothing in storage or in a safe place until you have time to unpack it.
Is it Worth Paying for Packing When Moving?
If you have moved before or even just getting to this point in the blog, you now recognize how much work is involved with packing your clothing for a move. Remember this is only one aspect of packing, you still have to pack the kitchen, living room and wait for it… the dreaded garage. Without a doubt, if you can afford to pay a moving company to pack for you, you will be happy you did.
At Torex, we have friendly, professional staff that can help pack your clothing and other items for your next move. They are trained in all of the best packing and wrap methods, including the ones listed above. Hiring Torex to pack will save you time and most certainly save you stress on your next move. Not only will they pack for you, but they can also unpack as well, so you can focus on settling in your new home as quickly as possible.
Call our staff for a free quote or fill out the contact card. You may be pleasantly surprised to learn that you can afford to have your clothes and other items packed professionally for your next move.