Packing tips for clothes when moving

Get rid of clothes you don’t need, before you move

Moving is a great opportunity to rid your closet of those shirts you keep around because you might wear them someday, but never do. Not only does moving create the opportunity for a fresh new start, but it also helps you get that fresh new start when you realize you definitely don’t want to pack your moving truck with things you don’t even need or use.

Ferguson Moving & Storage has a name as honest and reputable movers and we’re among the first to recommend you rid of things before you move – so that you don’t waste space (and thus, money) in the moving truck and can have a fresh start with a cleaned out closet right when you move in to your new home.

So, how do you best get rid of the wardrobe items you don’t need?

Donate to charities

Don’t throw wardrobe items in the garbage! This can be a great opportunity to give back to your community by donating the clothes that won’t follow you to your new home. It can be really easy too; there are lots of companies that will pick up your old clothes right from your front door, so you don’t have to take any time away from packing day to get them to a charity store!

The Developmental Disabilities Association of British Columbia (1-800-654-1331) or Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vancouver (604-526-2447) will pick up your clothing donation for free if you call to schedule a time.

Feeling bad about throwing away so much? Fear not. Clothing donations are not only for re-wearing. Some organizations exist to ‘upcycle’ clothing into craft projects, such as you can see on this Pinterest board.

If you’re a crafty person, don’t get tempted to keep your rags though! Also, many of your rags can actually be re-manufactured, albeit usually overseas. So there are multiple ways that your donation can help.

Don’t box up hanging clothes

When packing up your clothes, there is nothing that is more annoying than figuring out what to do with all your hangable items. Do you painstakingly take each article of clothing off its hanger and fold it to put into a box, only to unfold them and rehang once you arrive at your new home? No! That can end up being extremely frustrating and a major waste of time.

Packing Cloths on the Hanger Tip

Ferguson Moving and Storage recommends two clothing packing options:

One way to move hanging clothes easily is to use a wardrobe box or carton. These are especially useful if you have delicate dresses or suits that you want to protect, or want your clothes to stay wrinkle free during your move. A wardrobe carton comes equipped with a rod to hang your clothes in the box, like a mini, temporary portable closet. It also makes it very easy to transfer your clothes from one closet to another, even if the migration process involves packing your belongings tightly into a truck.

Another DIY packing solution is using large garbage bags to gather up your hanging clothes, and yes, while they’re still on the hangers. By just taking a hefty bag and putting it around a bunch of hanging clothes, you can tie it up at the top and voila! Your clothes are ready to be moved and hung straight away into your new closet.

When packing for your move: utilize your luggage, think like a traveler

For clothes that are not already hanging, or don’t need to be hanged, you may want to try to use luggage to move some of your clothes. You may as well put things in your travel bags since you have to move them anyways, and clothes are the perfect thing to put inside (go figure).

Also, another useful part about using luggage is that you may want to have a small suitcase or bag of clothes that you can use immediately when you arrive in your new home. Who knows how hard it will be to find things once you arrive. This way unpacking your clothes will not be as stressful and you can take your time instead of digging through boxes for some pajamas the same night you arrive.

Similarly, pack your out of season clothes first and your in season clothing last for two reasons: 1) You need your in-season clothes up until moving day and 2) you’ll want easy access to what’s on top, so you can dress appropriately once you can finally start unpacking.

In fact, your in-season clothes are the ones you may want to put in your bigger suitcases, so they will be easier to spot and you won’t have to look through stacks of boxes to find a clean pair of jeans in your first week at the new house. Of course, if you do use boxes, make sure you label them all so you know which clothes are inside!

Contact Ferguson Moving & Storage

Ferguson Moving & Storage can help you with all of your moving needs, whether in the Metro Vancouver area or if you need international movers, order online for a free on-site estimate.

If you need any wardrobe boxes or other packing supplies when packing up your clothes, call us at 604-922-2212 and we will be happy to help.