Moving? 5 Steps You Should Take To Pack Up Your Clothes
When moving, most people give a lot of attention to the packing and storing of valuable items, sentimental things, and large furnishing. But you may not have spent much time at all planning how to pack your clothes. It's a good idea to include even these innocuous items when working on your moving plans.
To help you get started, here's a 5 step guide to packing your clothes.
Purge. Moving is a great excuse to get rid of things you don't really want to keep but just don't know what to do with. For clothing, this means excising clothing that's gone out of style, that you (or your kids) have outgrown, that's damaged or unwearable, and that's going to be inappropriate for the weather you're moving to.
Sell. Once you know what clothing you're definitely not taking with you, try to get some cash out of it rather than simply tossing it out. There are two easy ways to make money from used clothes. You can haul it all out onto the front yard and have a garage sale for one or two weekends before your move. Or, you may want to take it to a local consignment shop or used clothing boutique and sell it to them instead. This is the faster method, but you may not get rid of everything you take since they're more picky. Before you take anything back inside the house, though, consider driving straight to your favorite charity store and donating it.
Pre-pack. Look for clothing that can be packed long before the rest. Much of this type of pre-packed clothes are things that are out of season, sports-related clothes, and specialty outfits for specific activities (including costumes, bathing suits, hiking boots, or formal wear). Take time to carefully pack them according to the needs of their fabrics, then label the boxes or bins as detailed as possible so you can find them all later.
Fill a Suitcase. Before the movers arrive, prepare a suitcase to keep with you during the few days before and after The Big Day. Pack this suitcase as though you were going on a trip, including enough clothing for about a week, toiletries, chargers, and business or work materials. Setting aside what you need to maintain your life during the move will help ensure that you don't lose your sanity or end up emptying boxes looking for things.
Group Items. As you or your movers pack clothing into boxes, create a grouping system to help keep it all organized. You may want to group things based on like fabrics to protect them. Or, you could opt for a seasonal or themed grouping (such as business attire or winter clothing). And definitely work to keep each family member's clothes separated from the others. Label everything with the owner's name and the group category.
Since clothing is such a big part of life, it only makes sense to spend some time organizing and packing it properly when moving. The result will be a smoother and easier move as you start this new chapter in your life.