Person sorting through closet items to pack for moving.

5 Rules of Thumb to Remember When Packing Up Closets

Are you getting prepared to move to a new house? If so, there are likely a few parts of your home that you dread packing more than others. Closets are the perfect example. These storage spaces can be brimming with many different items, making them a little more time-consuming to pack up. Check out tips to help you along the way.

1. Determine Where an Item Actually Should Be Located

Before packing the items in the closet, pull everything out and take stock of what you have. It is common for many things to be stuffed in a closet that actually belongs somewhere else in the house. For example, if you have a small appliance in a hall closet that should be in the kitchen or pantry, ensure you pack this item with items from the appropriate room. By weeding out items that belong somewhere else, you can ensure the closets in the new house don’t end up filled with things that don’t necessarily belong.

2. Let Go of Items Not Worn for a Year

One survey performed by ClosetMaid found that the average female tends to have at least 103 clothing pieces in their closet. This may not sound like a lot, but the survey also found that most women only wear about 10 percent of those items regularly. With this in mind, there are probably many things in your closet that you can let go of. The general rule is to let go of anything you haven’t worn for a year or longer.

3. Keep Bedding in a Designated Box

If you keep bedding in your closet, pack it separately from the rest of your clothing and closet-dwelling items. It will make it much easier to unpack once you get to the new place if your bedding is still neatly folded and ready for stacking on a shelf. 

4. Protect Your Keepsakes

Closets often become a catch-all for things you want to keep. Whether it is old journals, a box of letters, or some other keepsake, be sure to place these items in a secure container for safe keeping during the move. Souvenirs are usually best stored in plastic containers with a tight-fitting lid. Transitioning these items into an appropriate storage container might be good before moving.

5. Clean Shoes Before Packing

Shoes can be some of the more soiled items in the entire closet. You don’t want the bits that have managed to get embedded into shoe soles to contaminate everything else in the closet. Take the time to clean the shoes before packing them, and keep shoes separate from other closet items if at all possible.

Ready to tackle your move with professional movers?

Every residential move comes along with a few aspects that take more time. For example, closets are one of the biggest chores when packing. Need a little help so you can focus on packing? Get a free moving quote today from our team of professional residential movers.