How To: Pack clothing for a move

Moving is one of the top ten most stressful life experiences. Here's how to pack it up without wanting to pack it in.

You Will Need

* Wardrobe or cardboard boxes
* Twist ties
* Heavy duty garbage bags
* Shopping bags
* Luggage
* Dryer sheets (optional)

Step 1: Invest in wardrobe boxes
Invest in professional wardrobe boxes. They come with heavy-duty clothing rods, so you can transport much of your wardrobe without getting it wrinkled.

Step 2: Bag up hanging clothes
Gather your hanging clothes in bunches of 5 to 15 (depending on the thickness of the clothes), and secure the hangers with twist ties. Then cover each bundle with an oversize, extra-strength garbage bag, poking a hole in the bag for the hangers and knotting the bottom so the clothes don't hang out.

Step 3: Fill shopping bags with accessories
Fill sturdy shopping bags with shoes, belts, pocketbooks, etc. and stash them in the bottom of the wardrobe.
*Tip: Use this opportunity to donate to charity any clothes you haven't worn in the past year.

Step 4: Pack luggage
Pack any clothes that are stored on shelves in your luggage.
*Tip: Toss dryer sheets in with packed clothes to keep them smelling fresh.

Step 5: Leave clothes in drawers
Leave light clothing items like undergarments in their drawers. On moving day, remove drawers, carry the now-lightweight dresser into the moving van, and then replace the drawers. Secure the drawers with packing tape for the trip.

Step 6: Stash cheap clothes in garbage bags
Stash inexpensive clothes like T-shirts in large garbage bags or cardboard boxes.
Tip: Be careful about using discarded boxes. If they stain your clothes or bring bugs into your new home, it's going to cost you a lot more than if you'd just bought new ones.

Step 7: Hope for a smooth move
Label all your clothing boxes with the room or place where they should go in your new home, like the master bedroom closet, and hope that everything makes it intact.