Can You Keep Clothes on Hangers When Moving House? And Other Genius Hacks
Yes and you should. Clothes that stay on their hangers go from one rail straight to the other with no folding, no ironing and no unpacking. A portable wardrobe carton does it properly and a bin bag does it free.
The short answer
- Wardrobe cartons hold around 50 to 60 hanging garments each
- The bin bag method is free and works for anything not creasable
- Vacuum bags halve the volume of duvets and winter coats
- Leave clothes in the drawers and move the chest with them in
- Ask the crew to load wardrobe cartons last so they unload first
The wardrobe carton method
A wardrobe carton is a tall box with a metal rail across the top. The crew brings them on the morning, you lift each rail of clothes straight in and at the other end they come straight out onto the new rail. A three bedroom house usually needs three to five.
These are hire items on most removal quotes and are usually collected afterwards so there is nothing to store or dispose of.
The free bin bag method
Take twenty hangers at a time still on the rail, pull a heavy duty bin bag up from underneath, gather it around the hooks and tie it. The clothes hang inside the bag protected from dust.
- Use heavy duty bags because thin ones split at the hook
- Bundle fifteen to twenty five garments per bag not more
- Tie around the hooks and leave the hooks poking out
- Label each bag with the person and the room
- Lay them flat over the top of the load rather than underneath anything
Other hacks that actually save time
Most packing advice on the internet sounds clever and costs time. These are the ones our crews genuinely use.
- Leave clothes in the chest of drawers and move it loaded if it is not antique
- Cling film the drawers shut rather than taping which leaves no residue
- Use suitcases for books because they have wheels
- Vacuum bag duvets pillows and winter coats to halve the volume
- Photograph the back of the TV and router before unplugging
- Bag and tape screws to the furniture they came from
- Pack plates on their edge like records rather than stacked flat
- Thread necklaces through a drinking straw so they cannot tangle
- Put a sheet of cling film under the lid of any bottle that could leak
- Fill a laundry basket with the cleaning kit and keep it in the car
What not to do
A few popular hacks cause real problems. Do not leave heavy items in drawers because the unit will break at the joints or hurt whoever lifts it. Do not overfill wardrobe cartons because the rail bends. Do not vacuum bag leather suede or anything structured because the compression is permanent.
Unpacking the wardrobe first
Ask the crew to load hanging clothes last so they come off first. Getting the wardrobes up and filled in the first hour means you have clothes for work the next morning even if everything else stays in boxes for a week.
Frequently asked questions
Do removal companies provide wardrobe boxes?
Yes. Most UK firms including BlueSky bring portable wardrobe cartons on the day and collect them afterwards as part of the service.
How many clothes fit in a wardrobe box?
Around 50 to 60 hanging garments or roughly one metre of rail per carton.
Can I leave clothes in my chest of drawers?
Light clothing yes for most modern units. Empty the drawers if the furniture is antique flat pack or unusually heavy when full.
Are vacuum bags worth it for moving?
For duvets pillows and bulky coats they roughly halve the volume. Avoid them for anything leather suede or tailored.
Planning a move?
BlueSky Removals gives fixed written prices after a free video or home survey. Call 0800 090 3125 or request a quote online.