How to Pack a Closet for Moving

From dresses, suits, shoes, blouses, and hats, packing a closet may seem like a tall task. Often, just figuring out where to start is the hardest part, but with this complete guide to packing your closet, you’ll be able to pack quickly and efficiently to then set up your new home in no time flat!

Packing a closet, if not done right, could take up more time and money while adding potential stress. With the right packing supplies, you’ll save your clothes from wrinkles, odors, potential damage, and unnecessary washes.

1. Organize Your Closet

Before even thinking about putting anything away, organizing your closet can be the best way to make sure you aren’t packing any unnecessary items. Nobody wants to worry about where their favorite button-up is right after settling into a new place. Organizing is also a great way to start! Begin by conducting an audit of your closet to determine what you no longer need.

Organize your closet by types of clothing, such as dresses, sweaters, slacks, dress pants, and pack an essential suitcase with the clothes you’ll need until you've settled into your new place.

By using this method, you’ll have already organized your clothes seasonally and packed your must-have items. Now it's time to declutter!

2. Purging Your Closet Before Packing:

Create Piles to Keep, Toss, and Donate: To make the sorting process easier, create three separate piles: one for items you want to keep, one for items to toss, and one for items to donate. Assess each item individually and be honest about whether you truly need it.

If you’re telling yourself you’ll wear something when you haven’t in three years, then it's time to let go. The goal is to minimize the number of items you're packing.

Consider Seasonal Storage for Unused Items: When coming across seasonal items, such as winter coats or holiday decorations, consider storing them separately. This will reduce clutter in your closet, making it easier to pack and unpack. Learn more about storing winter clothes.

3. Clean Clothes Before Packing

Most clothes should already be clean if they’re in your closet. If your dirty clothes basket is in your closet, wash and organize those clothes accordingly if you have the spare time.

4. Maximize Space with Smart Packing Techniques

Maximizing space is key when packing a closet for a move. By using smart packing techniques, you can ensure all your belongings fit securely in your moving boxes. Here are several tips to help you pack efficiently:

Wardrobe boxes allow items to be hung while transported, without taking up so much space. The additional benefit of wardrobe boxes? Quickly being able to pack up a closet by simply transferring hung-up items from the shelf to a box in seconds, all without worrying if you’re going to have to spend hours ironing.

Properly Fold or Hang Clean Clothes: Neatly folding your clothes maximizes space in your moving boxes. Fold items like t-shirts, jeans, and sweaters, and stack them. For delicate or wrinkle-prone items, hang them in hang them in wardrobe boxes and use garment bags to prevent creasing. 

Roll Clothes to Save Space:

If your folded clothes don't fit, try rolling them. This saves space and helps prevent wrinkles. Lay your clothes flat and tightly roll them up. This technique allows you to fit more clothes in each box and makes unpacking easier, too. If you've wondered how to roll clothes for packing, this is a simple and effective method.

An added space-saving hack: repurpose your family’s suitcases and duffle bags and pack your vacuum-sealed, folded clothing there! You can also pack shoes, blankets, sweaters, and many other non-hanging items at the bottom of your wardrobe boxes

For a slim solution, laydown wardrobe boxes that conveniently fit under most bed frames, allowing for additional storage. With your clothes in a closed, heavy-duty box, it keeps bugs and dust away, upholding the value of your clothes.

Vacuum Seal and Use Garment Bags: Garment bags are used to protect delicate clothes from humidity and dust, making them an ideal solution for items like wedding dresses and other sentimental items. Bulky items like comforters, pillows, and winter coats can take up a lot of space, making your items more compact and freeing up valuable space in your boxes.

Keep Things Separated: It may be tempting to maximize space as best you can by combining shoes, clothing, and accessories in the same boxes. But the truth is you’re better off keeping your items separated, especially if they’re delicate or fragile.

It’s all too easy for softer items like hats to be crushed and lose their shape under the weight of heavy clothing or shoes. Use a Small or Medium Box for each category of garment instead.

5. Use Proper Packing Materials and Techniques

Using the right materials and techniques is essential to ensure the protection of your belongings. Here are some tips to help you pack your closet efficiently:

Choose Sturdy Moving Boxes or Wardrobe Boxes: Select boxes strong enough to hold your clothing and other items. U-Haul offers high-quality moving boxes designed to withstand the rigors of a move. Consider using wardrobe boxes with a built-in hanging rod to keep your clothes wrinkle-free and organized.

Here is our list of recommended moving boxes and packing supplies:

• Small, Medium, Large, and Laydown Wardrobe Box
  • Small is for blouses, dress shirts, polos, and skirts
  • Medium is for blazers, dress tops, and jackets
  • Large is for coats, suit jackets, dress pants, long dresses, and shoes
  • Laydown is for shoes, hats, folded clothing, bedding, and blankets
• Small, Medium, and Large Moving Box
  • Small is for delicate closet items, jewelry, and keepsakes
  • Medium is for designer products such as handbags, shoes, and purses
  • Large is for bulk everyday dirty clothes, duvets, stuffed animals, and large pillows
• Clear Shoe Boxes
  • Great for all kinds of shoes, hats, knick-knacks, and smaller open containers

• Box/Packaging Paper Tape
• Box Markers with Knife

Wrap Delicate or Fragile Items in Tissue Paper or Bubble Cushion: If you have delicate or fragile items in your closet, such as glassware or figurines, wrap them carefully to prevent breakage and place them in a box with like items. Use packing paper or bubble cushion with tape to provide padding and protection during transit.

Securely Tape and Label Boxes: Clothes tend to seem light, but when added up, they put on the pounds. To ensure complete safety when transporting your items, use the ‘H’ tape method when packing your boxes. Use strong packing tape to seal the boxes tightly, ensuring nothing falls out. Don’t forget to label each box with its contents and the room it belongs to. This will make unpacking much easier and more efficient, along with using the U-Haul

Move with confidence

Now that you’re all packed up, you can unpack all your favorite outfits easily and faster than ever before! Because you sealed and packed everything nicely and neatly, if you need to keep it in storage or even ship it across the country, your belongings are packed the right way. This means they’ll arrive at your new home looking better than ever!