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Packing up the closet

MsMary

Veteran

I'll be moving to the new house in three weeks, and the construction won't be finished for a couple of months or more after that, so I am packing up most of my clothes for the duration. Ultimately I will have a nice big closet but until the project is finished I'll be camped out in the guest room with one small closet and one chest of drawers.

I'm not at all analytical about my wardrobe so I'm just playing it by ear -- basically everything that is obviously "summer" will stay in rotation and everything that is obviously "fall/winter" is being packed away. (Note to self: Leave some cool weather things out for Inge-fest in Seattle in September!)

I'm a little nervous about how it's going to go -- we have a very moderate climate and I'm used to having all my clothes out where I can see them all year long! And I'm used to having a big wardrobe so whittling down to fewer choices will be new.

Anybody ever done this? Any helpful hints to get me through?

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Dressing

28 replies

Latest reply was from Carla

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Oh yes. Too many times. I'll never forget packing up in 2011(?) for a return home, only to be unpacking boxes weeks later, as our departure date is never for certain until it is upon us. Thought I'd get ahead of the curve and put all cool weather things in boxes. Ahem.
Now I am better at it, but variances in weather will happen so I would just allot for a few colder items than you'd imagine and go from there. And don't tape up stuff if you don't have to. Easier to get in if you just tuck the flaps under

MsMary

Veteran

Great thinking, Mo! I was just thinking I should definitely not have taped those first two boxes! LOL

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I have no advice other than consider this a challenge to work with a smaller wardrobe (albeit temporary) and work your amazing re-mix skills.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Yes, don't forget things for late September! You might want some un-summery colors too. Can you get to your other things if need be?

MsMary

Veteran

Yes, they'll be stored at the house so I can dig through if I need to. Trying to avoid that, of course.

Fortunately it stays quite warm here well into October and I'm hoping I'll have my closet by the time the weather changes. And I have lots of lightweight gray and black and brown.

I'm just a little freaked out at the idea of not having the whole wardrobe to choose from every day. Which is crazy, I know.

Who knows? Maybe I will discover I love a small wardrobe!

Heh.

Like that's gonna happen...

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

It's like living out of a suitcase for a while. At least you CAN go digging around in there if you get bored.

Honey pie, it will be MUCH colder in Seattle when you visit for the Inge Fest. Make sure you can access that stuff easily too. xo

MsMary

Veteran

Yes! I will make sure I can find it, for sure!!

gardenchick

Veteran

Yes, for the past 15 years I've moved every 2-3 years, so lots of packing and unpacking! Hopefully we're settled into our current place for a while.

Packing is not among my favorite tasks. But, as already been said, it is a chance to evaluate what you really NEED. On either side--the packing or unpacking--I have tried to use it as an opportunity to declutter.

Good luck! When this gets stressful, I usually remind myself that it's time limited--movers will definitely come on day x, and I'll be unpacking by day y. And then will get to start settling in

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

My one tip is to label label label. I thought I'd remember what ended up in which box with what, but by the time I unpacked things I had no idea. Get some sharpies and label the outsides of the boxes, or maybe go a step further and keep a list or a spreadsheet somewhere.

DonnaF

Veteran

I agree with Laura. Will you have wardrobe boxes? How will you be organizing what you put in a box? By color?

MsMary

Veteran

Yes, I actually purchased wardrobe boxes for the hanging items. I'm organizing by type of item. So... "winter jackets," "winter bottoms and dresses," etc.

Diana

Veteran

This might be a fun time to try out a capsule wardrobe challenge. Just for fun, and you know that it's not for forever.

Good luck with the move. I always keep a list or spreadsheet of what goes in what box, and then I just number the boxes. (Habit I picked up in college, when we stored our stuff in the dorm basement over the summer. If you didn't keep track you'd forget after 3 months what was in the boxes, but you also didn't want to write on the box, "contains my computer and stereo equipment. PLEASE STEAL ME.". So, yeah, numbers on boxes, secret list just for me.

susan55

I lived in Sweden for three months this spring, and decided to do a 33 item wardrobe that would fit in a suitcase. I took 4 pairs of shoes, and 3 pairs were toast by the end...but also did a little shopping ...all in all it made me conscious that I can be well dressed, even stylish, in a small wardrobe...I liked the opportunity to live more simply and have fewer choices. However I did keep all pieces to a limited palette with huge mix and match potential ...but didn't buy new clothes to do it.
You might check out the viviennefiles to get ideas!

elpgal

Veteran

Before you put stuff in a box lay it out on the bed and snap a pic.

Lyn D.

Veteran

Sending you energy, for the not-so-fun part of moving

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Glad to hear you've got wardrobe boxes. That was going to be my one suggestion. They are easy to get into (if not taped shut), so it won't be like everything is out of reach.
Good luck! Sounds like an adventure. (Like U-Haul: "adventures in moving"--I always got a kick out of that. Euphemism defined.)

MsMary

Veteran

Thanks, everybody!

I worked all day on packing up the Bachelorette Pad. I did weed out a lot of things from my wardrobe. I especially purged a lot of blazers from the phase from when I thought I needed a blazer in every color. I also got rid of a ton of t-shirts, sleepwear, and workout wear. I will have four big bags for Goodwill tomorrow!

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

I've done this sort of move a couple of times, where the climate is vastly different, and it is 2+ months to get my boxes unpacked.

To echo Laura, label label label! Not just your clothes, but everything. Nothing worse than hunting for something you packed, and then realizing you have 20 huge cartons marked "miscellaneous"

Elpgal, the photo idea is so smart!

unfrumped

Veteran

Love the photo idea! For me a picture even if not every item perfectly visible can jog the memory better than the index card list.
Maybe take a cue from Parsley-shop your closet like a boutique and create capsule of your very faves.
Perhaps make one box or wardobe box as a few extra capsule(s) and the rest by item type?

Thistle

Veteran

We moved a lot when I was a kid. But wardrobe didn't really matter much as I didn't have a lot of clothes anyway and dad wore a uniform.

So these are more general tips that directly related to wardrobe.

1. Label. Label. Label. It makes it much easier to unpack as well as find stuff in the interim.
2. Plastic bins are your friend. Not sure where stuff is being stored, but we found plastic bins not too much more expensive than cardboard, especially if you can nab a sale. The plastic protects much better, particularly with humidity. And it doesn't leave a smell behind as cardboard can
3. You just moved, so this may not apply, but start early and purge ruthlessly. It's amazing how much stuff can be acquire, even in a 2-3 year assignment.
4. Heavy stuff goes in small boxes. Light stuff in big ones. All boxes should be packed so you can lift them, even if you are planning on movers. (I will never forget the time I moved from New Orleans to WI, and after the first 5 or so boxes, the movers would nudge them with their foot. The little boxes tended to be very heavy, the big ones less so :). )

MsMary

Veteran

Thistle and everyone, labeling, for sure! I was laughing thinking about the movers picking up the box labeles "Swim wear, shapewear, tights, nighties." LOL

I've only been here for 15 months, and the Bachelorette Pad is only 900 square feet, so I have been pleasantly surprised at how little stuff I've accumulated after running away from home and leaving most of my stuff behind! (But see "four big bags of clothes for the Goodwill," above. ) Now the challenge will be to keep things uncluttered after I have room to spread out in the new house!

I've already purchased my boxes, so that ship has sailed. Good idea, though. Fortunately humidity isn't an issue here! But YES! Small boxes! I didn't even get any big boxes -- they're all small and medium because I plan to move the boxes myself a few at a time!

Love the photo idea but I fear I am too impatient to add an extra step to my packing routine! LOL

Kari

Veteran

Definitely label the boxes!
Do you think maybe temporary hanging racks while your large glorious closet is being constructed would help you have a little more access to clothes?

Anonymous

No real advice to give I'm afraid, but wishing you luck and think of the fab reward you'll get at the end!

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

There are also places that will rent you plastic bins, and take them back when you're done with them, which I thought was very clever. The Bay Area company was called something along the lines of 'green bins' - surely the LA area has something similar.

MsMary

Veteran

Laura, I looked for rental bins in L.A. last time I moved, and believe it or not they didn't have any. Sadly, I didn't think to renew my search this time.

Kari, that's a genius idea! If the guest room closet is too small for what I need I will definitely do that! Thanks!

Deborah

Veteran

Hi Mary, I had to do similar when I relocated. We moved into a very small rental house for 6 months while we looked for a home to buy. I used the proper removalist boxes for clothes with the hanging rail. We not only had to store clothing but also furniture We used our garage as storage and I had my clothing boxes lined up, and unsealed. Current season went into the walk in and the off season stayed in the garage. But, as the weather cooled I was able to access what I needed. It also meant that when we moved into our new home, I have very little clothing to 'pack'. It is definitely doable, I think it's just about accessibility.

MsMary

Veteran

Deborah, that's exactly what I'll be doing -- furniture will be in the garage along with the clothing boxes. Glad to hear my plan isn't totally harebrained and somebody has done it successfully!

Carla

Veteran

Keep your most favourite items unpacked since you will likely repeat more frequently then you are used too. You want to be in the clothes that make you happiest.