Cross country moves take a great deal of planning and hard work. However, with care, you can arrive with your belongings intact and your linens ready for use.

A First Step to Making Unpacking Easier

Pack an additional suitcase for each member of your family involved in the move. In this suitcase, place

1) sheets and blankets for their bed

2) towels for their use

3) their pillow

This way, no matter how long moving day lasts, you can all bathe and fall asleep on clean sheets. If suitcases are in short supply, children may enjoy using sleeping bags. Just make sure to include towels in the rolled up sleeping bag.

Additionally, consider packing one additional bag or carton containing cleaning cloths (and cleaning products), so you can clean up any emergency messes upon arrival.

Curtains and Drapes

Use a hanging box to hang any items that won’t go directly into the linen cupboard. Place your curtains, drapes and fabric shower curtains over a clothes hanger and place them inside a hanging garment box. This box shouldn’t be overloaded. Take care not to place anything at the bottom of this box to avoid damage to these soft goods.

When transporting items on hangers, invest in proper wardrobe boxes. Additionally, get more boxes than you think you’ll need. Overstuffing wardrobe boxes will lead to wrinkles and may damage your garments and soft goods.

Sheets and Bedding

Avoid wrapping linens in plastic bags as it may put them at risk of mold growth. Instead, line the boxes with clean packing paper. Roll sheets and blankets for maximum space efficiency, taking care not to overload large containers.

Linens as Padding

You can put your linens to work as padding and dust protectors. If you have chests of drawers to move, consider lining the drawers with sheets, loading the drawers with items you’re planning to move, and wrapping them in the sheet to reduce dust. When you arrive, simply wipe down the drawers, unwrap the items and wash the sheet.

Towels

Towels can also be rolled and packed into a paper lined box. However, towels can also serve as padding for your precious and breakable items. Large towels, such as bath sheets or beach towels, can be used to wrap painting or framed photographs.

Small towels, including hand towels and kitchen towels, can be used to wrap dishes or as a separator for plates as you box them.

Final Thoughts

Even with the most careful planning, your packing for a long distance move is a challenge. However, you can get your belongings safely across the country with a bit of planning and proper packing. Use your everyday linens as padding, carefully protect your hanging fabrics such as curtains, and pack some suitcases to make sure everyone has a place to lay their head at the end of your move.