How to Pack Sheets and Linens for a Move

The full-service movers who provide professional packing services at All My Sons Moving & Storage offer advice on how to pack everything you own, including your bedding, blankets, sheets, and linens.

The linen closet may seem like one of the easiest places to pack, and in some ways it is. Your sheets and bedding are light and easy to fold up into boxes. Like kitchen towels and hot pads and your bathroom towels, sheets and linens can make a cozy cushion for your more fragile items and fill up extra empty space in boxes. But mover beware, you should pack everything with careful consideration, including the sheets and linens.

Here are five steps to getting the sheets and linens packed.

The first step to packing any collection of items is to responsibly go through those items and figure out what you’re actually going to need at your new home. If you have accumulated a large number of blankets or bedding materials, then you might consider letting some of them go to make your move lighter and easier.

Sort your sheets and linens into four categories.

• Sell: Bedding and linens in exceptional condition might be able to get a few dollars if you find the right buyer. Try selling your item on OfferUp, Mercari, or Facebook Marketplace. 

• Donate: Bedding and linens in usable condition can be donated to your favorite local charity or thrift store. The nationwide charities Goodwill and The Salvation Army both accept bedding, blankets, and sheets to sell in their thrift stores.

• Dispose: Sheets, towels, and other bedding that is in poor condition should be discarded. Terracycle offers a zero waste box for fabrics and clothing so that your old blankets, linens, and bedsheets can be recycled. Retold Recycling accepts all clean and dry household textiles including blankets, towels, and bed linens. Trashie also accepts sheets, pillowcases, blankets, and down comforters. 

• Keep: These are your favorite blankets, sheets, and comforters. You couldn’t dream of parting with them just yet.

At the end of your sorting, you should have enough bedding and linens for daily living, plus a few extra sets for emergencies.

Get that collection of linens smelling clean and fresh again. Wash and dry everything coming with you on your move. This step is especially important if your sheets are going into storage for any length of time, as foul smells and stains can fester during an extended stay in a dark storage unit.

Make your first week in your new home livable immediately by separating some essential items to be packed last and unloaded first at your new place. 

One set of sheets for each member of your household should be separated from the rest of your sheets and linens to be packed with your essentials. This way, you can make beds as soon as your furniture is set up and enjoy your first post-move night cozy in your own bedding. 

You can pack essential sheets and linens in a special bedroom essentials box or carry them on your person in a bag.

You can use sheets and linens to cushion more fragile bedroom items or items from your kitchen like dishes and glassware. Once boxes are close to full, you can use sheets and linens to fill up empty space and keep contents of boxes from shifting around too much during transit.

If you want to pack blankets, sheets, and linens in their own boxes, you can use medium to large moving boxes to hold them because they are light.

Seal up your boxes with packing tape and then use a black permanent marker to label the box. In lieu of a full moving inventory, always write out the contents of each box in as much detail as possible. If you have packed a combination of dishes and sheets, make sure to write that the box contains both your dishes and a set of sheets.

Make the beds and cozy in for the night at your new home. Your most precious sheets and linens have made the journey with you. 

Will your family be moving local or long-distance? All My Sons Moving & Storage has been in the business of full-service moving for over 30 years, and we have over 90 locations across the United States. We would be honored to handle the packing, loading, and heavy lifting for your next move. Click the quote button below to get started.