The wardrobe is, almost always, the last thing to be packed and the first thing you miss when you arrive at the new house. Knowing how to pack clothes for a move without creasing them or wasting half an hour hunting for one particular jumper makes the difference between unpacking in a day or in a week.
Why is something as everyday as clothes so hard to organise? Because it’s left to the end, when there’s little energy left and less time than you needed. With a couple of decisions made in advance, the process becomes a good deal more manageable.
What to consider before packing clothes for a move
Packing clothes for a move starts with deciding what travels hanging and what goes folded in boxes. Out-of-season clothing you won’t wear in the coming weeks can be compressed into vacuum bags, which save real space inside the lorry.
It’s also worth using the moment for a quick cull: items you haven’t worn in the past year, clothes that no longer fit, or spare coats. Moving is one of those occasions when tidying the wardrobe comes almost for free, because you have to go through the whole thing anyway.
Wardrobe boxes, hangers and other handy allies
Wardrobe boxes with a built-in rail let you move hanging garments without taking them off their hangers, which saves time both when loading and when setting up the new wardrobe. They cost a little more than an ordinary box, but for the main walk-in wardrobe they usually pay off.
For the rest of your textiles in the move —sheets, towels, blankets— a sturdy cardboard box is enough, though it’s worth lining it with plastic if the move includes days in storage or if rain is forecast on loading day.
Any suitcases you have around the house also work as makeshift boxes for folded clothes. Using that space, rather than moving them empty, is one of those small decisions that end up adding up in the total number of boxes you need.
Packing tips so your clothes don’t arrive creased
Folding clothes in thin layers, rather than piling them up, cuts creasing considerably. Slipping tissue paper between delicate items —dress shirts, blouses— also helps, though it’s a trick few families apply for lack of time the day before the move.
Is it worth separating by season or by person? It depends on the family, but organising by person tends to speed up setting up the wardrobe in the new house, especially if there are children with their own clothes.
At Mudanzas Trallero we always recommend leaving the wardrobe boxes until the end of the packing, once you have a clear idea of how much space is left in the lorry.
Labelling each box with the person and the destination room, not just the word “clothes”, saves a lot of time when unpacking. In a household with several members, that small habit stops the first day in the new house from turning into a hunt for pyjamas across ten identical boxes.
Improve your packing with tailored advice
Packing clothes for a move doesn’t have to be the last-minute scramble before you seal the boxes. Request a quote from Mudanzas Trallero for your move.
