We Tried to Sell Our Home by Owner

When buying a new home and selling your old one, unplanned delays may leave you staying at temporary lodging for a short while. If this happens, you may still need to remove your belongings from your old home and keep them at a storage facility until your official move in date. Although storage facilities protect your belongings from pests and mold or mildew, you will still need to use the proper equipment and techniques to keep your clothes in good shape. Thankfully, you can invest in a few moving supplies that will make your move go smoother and protect your clothes during their stay in storage. Here's what you'll need.

Racks

Placing your clothes on racks improves airflow between each garment, which helps keep the fabric from smelling musty. Furthermore, the racks make it easy to find specific garments if you forgot to leave out an important outfit before placing the items in storage.

You can choose between two rack types for your clothing: z-racks and mobile closet units. The z-racks are open-air units that stack together to save space in your storage unit. Mobile closets have a zippered enclosure that protects the clothing during transport. With either type, you can actually load your clothing onto the racks and roll them onto the moving truck for a quick and easy move.

Hangers

Of course, to make the most of your rack system, you'll need to pick up several different wooden hanger types. You'll need hangers designed for undershirts, sweaters, dresses, pants and accessories. Hangers that work best for pants have a long clip that holds onto the garment. Hangers for sweaters have an extra wide, curved top that keeps the weight of the shirt from creating gaps and creases in the knit materials.

Dresses and undershirts hang best on padded hangers that feature a small divot on the top bar to keep the straps from sliding around. Hangers designed for accessories may have small hooks or clips that keep the items from feeling too bulky on the rack. If you do not want to over or under buy while picking up hangers, quickly inventory your clothing collection to determine how many to grab of each type.

Garment Bags

You should place all of your garments made with delicate fabrics into garment bags before hanging them on the racks. Delicate fabrics include wool, silk, velvet, vintage cotton and lace materials. White or ivory clothing can also benefit from sitting in a garment bag, as that will prevent stains from coming into contact with people's hands or the walls of the moving truck.

Garment bags also protect clothing from moths that feed on natural fibers. Make sure to keep the garments organized since it can be difficult to find the outfit you are looking for when they're all hidden within garment bags. Alternatively, you can pick up clear bags that allow you to see the garments without unzipping each one.

Setting Your Move Up For Success

Carefully planning your move and using key supplies will help you get through this process without elevating your stress levels. You can utilize the equipment used transport and store your clothing in your next home if you have a dedicated wardrobe area. Otherwise, you can lend it to friends preparing to move in the near future.

If you decide to place your clothing in dressers after your move, think about switching to cedar units. The cedar naturally repels pests to keep your clothing from falling prey to moths, beetles or mites. You can also place lavender potpourri satchels alongside clothing in the drawers for a bit extra protection against pests. If you already spot a problem with moths or other pests, consider fumigating your wardrobe with specially made chemical products.