Packing up all the clothes and shoes in your closet sounds like a daunting task, but our San Diego moving guide can help.
With the right preparation, you can easily move clothes on hangers, expensive shoes, and valuable accessories. These are some techniques our San Diego moving company uses, and we’d be happy to put them to work for you.
It’s a lot to take in for the person making the move, but it’s worth it to protect your items. The ideal solution would be to split the work – you can prepare your items, then hire our professional movers to pack up everything. With the right approach, you and your entire wardrobe selection will be on track safely to your new destination.
Start with Decluttering, Cleaning, and Organization
The first step is to declutter and get rid of the clothes you no longer want. You could sell or donate them, or even transport them to storage. Then, for the things you want to take with you, you should wash and fold them before getting them packed into the right containers. If you just throw them into boxes, you will have a mess on your hands later.
It’s easy to look at the workload ahead of you during your move and think that you can just wait and do laundry once you arrive at your new location and settle in. But packing clothes that are dirty can lead to stains getting grounded in, making them nearly impossible to remove.
Also, don’t forget to make sure everything is dry before you begin to pack it. Damp clothes can mold or mildew in transit or in storage, so don’t rush to get everything loaded until it’s ready. Once it’s dry, you can organize it for packing.
Some tips to make this decluttering, cleaning, and organization process easier include:
- Organize clothing by color, style, season, and/or family member
- Create piles of similar items, matching a packing box with the size of each pile
- Discard as much unused clothing as possible so you don’t have to pack as much
- Store away non-seasonal items you don’t need immediately, or pack them up first
Of course, our San Diego moving guide isn’t just about getting your clothing prepared to be packed. We want to show you how we handle the packing process itself, so you’ll know the techniques that are being used to transport the contents of your closet.
Our San Diego Moving Guide to Packing Clothes
Your clothing items are some of the most important items you have. If you’re worried about getting them to your new home, never fear – we’ve got tips for transporting them in various ways, and even for moving your accessories.
Moving Clothing On Hangers
If you have high-end clothing, it’s important to pack it right. That means you should pick up some wardrobe boxes, which are small, portable closets where you can hang your clothing for the trip. They come in a variety of sizes, but most measure two feet wide by three feet long, featuring a built-in metal bar on which you can hang clothing. The result? Wrinkle-free relocation. They’re not cheap, so only use these boxes for your best clothing, such as:
- Evening wear
- Prom and wedding dresses
- Suits and tuxes
- Your best work clothes
What about the rest? Everything else can go in trash bags – a much cheaper alternative. Pick up some basic drawstring trash bags. Then, gather your hangers and clothes together, place them inside the trash bag, tighten up those drawstrings around the hooks, then tie it all closed. You should only see the hooks sticking out. Pile each set on top of the other.
Moving Clothing in Boxes
If your clothing is clean and fully dry, you can fold it and pack it into boxes for easy transport. You may want to seal items in plastic bags for added protection against dirt and moisture. This simple measure is also a handy organizational option, as it allows you to group like items together for easy unpacking and sorting once you arrive. You could also consider lining the box with packing paper or plastic wrap.
Don’t forget about your suitcases – they were made for holding clothes, so you can use them in place of packing boxes. You can do the same with moving totes. Clear options especially can be helpful for letting you keep track of where everything is during the move and after.
Moving Your Shoes
Ideally, you will have kept some or all of your original shoe boxes. What if you don’t have them? There are a few options you can use to protect your footwear in transit, including:
- Put them into a shoe drawstring bag
- Put them in a shoe organizer and wrap it up
- Wrap shoes individually and then in pairs and load them in padded boxes
Remember not to load items on top of shoes, or they could be scuffed or contorted. To help them maintain their shape, you can load the insides with packing paper.
Moving Your Accessories
What about your undergarments and socks? You can box these up, or even consider transporting them in their drawers by wrapping the dresser so it doesn’t fly open in transit. Belts can be rolled up, or even buckled and put on hangers with your regular clothes. Jewelry can be transported in its designated case – or if you want to get creative, try putting these items into egg crates and padding them with cotton.
Contact Best Fit Movers for Packing and More
Need more packing supplies and tips? Here at Best Fit Movers, we’ve got plenty of knowledge to share. Better yet? Just let us handle the packing process for you. Our skilled team uses techniques like the ones mentioned here in our San Diego moving guide, plus more to help you with packing, loading, and transport.
Our licensed, insured, experienced organization is at your service for packing and full-service moving assistance. We book up fast, so don’t wait to reach out. Contact us today for a free quote and inquire about our packing services for moves in and around San Diego. When you move with us, we’ll pack away your worries about the relocation process!