How to Pack Formal Clothes for a Move

All My Sons Moving & Storage offers professional packing services to secure everything you own, including your formal clothing, for your big local or long-distance move. Will you be packing your formal clothes yourself? 

Black-tie events like proms, weddings, homecoming dances, and that 9 AM job interview call for special attire that shows off your inner shine. Once the event is over, you’re left with a beautiful outfit that unfortunately doesn’t match the vibe for a casual coffee shop trip. If you’ve got formal clothes hanging in the back of your closet, naturally you want to save them for your next big night out. Even if you have to move homes between then and now. 

Here are five steps to getting all those dresses, suits, and tuxedos packed for your move.

Every mover knows that the fastest and easiest way to save time and money on a move is to simply move less stuff. While packing your clothing, including your formal clothing, you should take this opportunity to go through the items you own and decide if you should keep them.

Sort your formal clothing into four major categories.

• Sell: Make some extra cash for your moving budget by selling your unwanted formal clothing in great condition. List items on Facebook Marketplace or Offer Up, or try taking them to a local thrift or consignment store. Some online thrift stores that will take used formal clothes in good condition for are Mercari and Poshmark.

• Donate: Dresses and suits in great condition could benefit someone else in need. You could drop your formal attire off at your local Goodwill or Salvation Army, or you could search for a charity in your area that specializes in collecting formal attire. There are local charities across the nation that help high school students in financial hardship find formal attire for prom and charities that accept formal attire to help people exiting the homeless system. Houston’s The Giving Gown Foundation accepts like-new prom dresses and gowns. Becca’s Closet has chapters across the nation that accept gently-worn prom and homecoming dresses. Operation Gentlemen collects suits nationwide to benefit veterans. 

• Discard: Formal clothing items that are stained, torn, or otherwise no longer good to wear should be responsibly discarded. If your clothing items are just torn or threadbare, you can likely have a service like Terracycle or Trashie recycle them. Soiled or stained clothing cannot be recycled and should be discarded. 

• Keep: Items that you intend to wear again or items that are too sentimental to part with should go with you during your move. Pack these formal items with tender care.

Check care tags for your formal clothing items. If your items are machine-washable, run a load of laundry before you pack your formal clothes. Delicate and bulky items might require special care or a trip to the dry-cleaners. 

This step is especially important if your formal clothing is going into long-term storage for any length of time, as stains, odors, and moisture can fester in a dark storage unit.

Once items are clean and dry, begin packing.

Highly sensitive formal clothing items like wedding dresses, prom dresses, and pristine tuxedos should go into hanging garment bags for extra protection.

You can purchase garment bags from retailers like The Container Store, Hayden Hill, Home Depot, and Target.

Most formal clothing will transport best in wardrobe boxes, which can be purchased wherever you buy moving supplies. Simply install the bar in the wardrobe box, hang formal clothes and garment bags inside until no more items fit, and then seal the box with packing tape.

One exception might be a heavy beaded dress, which will be transported best if it is folded in an airtight plastic container. 

Once all the formal items are packed into wardrobe boxes or bins, you should seal and label your boxes. If you adore formal clothing and delight in buying new dresses and new suits, you should keep an inventory of all the items you own to document their condition at all times. In lieu of a full moving inventory, always label your boxes with as much detail as possible so you do not forget where a certain item is stored in your moving truck.

Now that all the formal attire is packed for the move, you can breathe easier knowing your most beautiful clothing is ready and waiting for your next big event.

Does packing your formal clothing sound like a chore? You can choose professional packing services at All My Sons Moving & Storage and let the experts handle it. Click the quote button below to get started on your next move.