You’ve found the perfect new home, and now it’s time to move. As excited as you may be to get into your new space, though, you have to start packing up your entire home first.
While some things are easier to pack than others, one place many people get stuck is with clothing. How do you avoid arriving at your new home and having to iron everything you own? Do you take the drawers out of your dresser or leave them where they are? And how many wardrobe boxes can you realistically use?
These are all common questions, and our movers know a thing or two about how to solve them. In this post, we’ll share a few of our favorite tips on how to pack clothing, without pulling your hair out in the process.
7 Tips to Pack Clothing Like a Pro
Clothing isn’t the hardest thing in your home to move – it’s not a Baby Grand piano or a 64” television, after all. Still, knowing how (and what) to pack can be difficult – especially if this is your first move in years. Here are a few of our favorite tips to streamline the process:
1. Lighten the load
The easiest way to decrease the time and effort spent on packing is simple: pack less. Before you start packing up your closets and dressers, take some time to go through your belongings. If there are duplicate pieces or items you don’t wear or need, consider donating them or giving them away.
Having trouble with this process? Here’s a visual to help break it down:
As a general rule, you’ll want to make three piles as you declutter your closets: one pile of things to keep, one of the items to donate, and one of things to toss. Keep the clothing that you regularly wear, as long as it fits and is in good condition.
If you have gently worn items that no longer suit your style, make a donation pile for a local shelter or charity. If you have items that are heavily damaged or in need of extensive repair, toss them out.
2. Give everything a wash
Once you’ve pared down your clothing, go through and launder everything, so it arrives at your new home clean and fresh. Not only will packing dirty or damp clothing rumple your fresh clothing, but laundering and caring for your fabrics before you pack them helps them hold up to the journey and avoid things like wrinkles.
3. Gather supplies
If you’re doing your own packing, having the right tools for the job will make the process much easier. Depending on the volume and type of clothing you have to pack, here are a few things you’ll want to stock up on:
Cardboard boxes — These can be used for packing just about anything–including clothes. They’re ideal for clothing you typically fold, such as t-shirts and jeans, as well as out-of-season clothing you won’t be using right away. If you need boxes, you can buy some from Gallo Movinghere.
Wardrobe boxes — If you have delicate clothing that wrinkles easily (think linen or silk), consider usingwardrobe boxes. These are tall boxes equipped with an internal hanging bar – basically a portable closet. They’re ideal for packing the items you typically hang in your closet, as well as specialty pieces like suits and formal dresses. Use as many wardrobe boxes as you need to fit your items, and be sure to avoid overstuffing each box since it will cause your clothes to wrinkle. If you’re stocking up on boxes, make sure to take advantage of our35% discount and free delivery for box bundles!
Vacuum bags — Vacuum or compression bags are the perfect way to transport big, bulky clothing items like sweaters or jackets. But if you’re looking to save as much space as possible, you can use vacuum bags for all of your clothing!
In addition to the items above, be sure to stock up on packing tape and paper (which is excellent for wrapping shoes).
4. Sort it out
If you’re moving your entire family, separate each family member’s clothing, so it’s easier to find your things when unpacking. A good rule of thumb is to keep each family member’s closets and dressers separate, instead of grouping them all together.
It’s also a good idea to sort your clothes by season. Pack all your winter sweaters and thermal layers together, for example, and keep your bathing suits and flip flops in the same area. This makes it easier to unpack what you need and store the rest until it’s in-season again.
5. Leave the dressers alone
If you’re hiring movers, you don’t have to touch your dressers. At Gallo, our team moves dressers with the drawers full and in-place, which means less packing, unpacking, and organizing for you.
If you’re not hiring movers, make sure you have the tools necessary to move full dressers, since they’re significantly heavier than dressers without the drawers in them. This is where a moving dolly will come in handy.
6. Use items you already have
There’s no need to invest in endless packing peanuts, cardboard boxes, and bubble wrap. For a lot of household items, you can use items you already have in your move. For example, pack a large suitcase full of out-of-season clothes or fill decorative bins and boxes with throw pillows and linens.
This cuts down on the number of boxes you’ll have to buy and allows you to make smarter use of your space.
7. Pack an “essentials” bag
There’s nothing worse than arriving at your new home and realizing you have to unpack everything to find your pajamas and toothbrush. Avoid this by keeping essentials close at hand.
Pack a suitcase as if you were going away from the weekend. Fill it with a few changes of clothing, your toiletries, any necessary medications, a phone charger, and anything else you need to be comfortable as you settle into your new place.
The Best Tip of All — Hire a Pro
If you’re handling your own packing, these tips will help streamline and simplify the process. If you want to enjoy a hands-off approach to your move, though, save time and effort by letting the pros handle packing for you. Here at Gallo, our experienced, reliable, professional team provides full-service moves for your convenience. We’ll pack your entire home for you and move your items carefully, so you can focus on getting settled in your new home.
Give the award-winning team at Gallo Moving a call at 866-697-4400 or geta free estimate online now. Our team wants to make your move more comfortable, and we are always here for you.
Packing Made Simple: 7 Tips to Pack Clothes for Moving
You’ve found the perfect new home, and now it’s time to move. As excited as you may be to get into your new space, though, you have to start packing up your entire home first.
While some things are easier to pack than others, one place many people get stuck is with clothing. How do you avoid arriving at your new home and having to iron everything you own? Do you take the drawers out of your dresser or leave them where they are? And how many wardrobe boxes can you realistically use?
These are all common questions, and our movers know a thing or two about how to solve them. In this post, we’ll share a few of our favorite tips on how to pack clothing, without pulling your hair out in the process.
7 Tips to Pack Clothing Like a Pro
Clothing isn’t the hardest thing in your home to move – it’s not a Baby Grand piano or a 64” television, after all. Still, knowing how (and what) to pack can be difficult – especially if this is your first move in years. Here are a few of our favorite tips to streamline the process:
1. Lighten the load
The easiest way to decrease the time and effort spent on packing is simple: pack less. Before you start packing up your closets and dressers, take some time to go through your belongings. If there are duplicate pieces or items you don’t wear or need, consider donating them or giving them away.
Having trouble with this process? Here’s a visual to help break it down:
As a general rule, you’ll want to make three piles as you declutter your closets: one pile of things to keep, one of the items to donate, and one of things to toss. Keep the clothing that you regularly wear, as long as it fits and is in good condition.
If you have gently worn items that no longer suit your style, make a donation pile for a local shelter or charity. If you have items that are heavily damaged or in need of extensive repair, toss them out.
2. Give everything a wash
Once you’ve pared down your clothing, go through and launder everything, so it arrives at your new home clean and fresh. Not only will packing dirty or damp clothing rumple your fresh clothing, but laundering and caring for your fabrics before you pack them helps them hold up to the journey and avoid things like wrinkles.
3. Gather supplies
If you’re doing your own packing, having the right tools for the job will make the process much easier. Depending on the volume and type of clothing you have to pack, here are a few things you’ll want to stock up on:
In addition to the items above, be sure to stock up on packing tape and paper (which is excellent for wrapping shoes).
4. Sort it out
If you’re moving your entire family, separate each family member’s clothing, so it’s easier to find your things when unpacking. A good rule of thumb is to keep each family member’s closets and dressers separate, instead of grouping them all together.
It’s also a good idea to sort your clothes by season. Pack all your winter sweaters and thermal layers together, for example, and keep your bathing suits and flip flops in the same area. This makes it easier to unpack what you need and store the rest until it’s in-season again.
5. Leave the dressers alone
If you’re hiring movers, you don’t have to touch your dressers. At Gallo, our team moves dressers with the drawers full and in-place, which means less packing, unpacking, and organizing for you.
If you’re not hiring movers, make sure you have the tools necessary to move full dressers, since they’re significantly heavier than dressers without the drawers in them. This is where a moving dolly will come in handy.
6. Use items you already have
There’s no need to invest in endless packing peanuts, cardboard boxes, and bubble wrap. For a lot of household items, you can use items you already have in your move. For example, pack a large suitcase full of out-of-season clothes or fill decorative bins and boxes with throw pillows and linens.
This cuts down on the number of boxes you’ll have to buy and allows you to make smarter use of your space.
7. Pack an “essentials” bag
There’s nothing worse than arriving at your new home and realizing you have to unpack everything to find your pajamas and toothbrush. Avoid this by keeping essentials close at hand.
Pack a suitcase as if you were going away from the weekend. Fill it with a few changes of clothing, your toiletries, any necessary medications, a phone charger, and anything else you need to be comfortable as you settle into your new place.
The Best Tip of All — Hire a Pro
If you’re handling your own packing, these tips will help streamline and simplify the process. If you want to enjoy a hands-off approach to your move, though, save time and effort by letting the pros handle packing for you. Here at Gallo, our experienced, reliable, professional team provides full-service moves for your convenience. We’ll pack your entire home for you and move your items carefully, so you can focus on getting settled in your new home.
Give the award-winning team at Gallo Moving a call at 866-697-4400 or get a free estimate online now. Our team wants to make your move more comfortable, and we are always here for you.