How Many Wardrobe Boxes Needed For Moving? (Do You Need Them?)

In my years in the moving industry and having moved several times myself, I am very familiar with wardrobe boxes, how many you need, and how to best use them. Wardrobe boxes are quite an easy calculation when determining how many you need.

How many wardrobe boxes are needed for moving? You will need 1 wardrobe box for every 2 feet of clothes. So, get out your tape measure, head to your closet, and measure how many feet of clothes you have, then divide by two. Add in an extra wardrobe box if your closet clothes are jammed very tight together to provide some space in the box.

Wardrobe boxes come with a metal bar that spans across the top of the box where you hang your clothes. They typically come in two different sizes in height. One is your standard wardrobe box, about 4 feet tall and another is your “Shorty” wardrobe box that is about 2.5 feet tall, but all of them typically span 2 feet in width for your hanging clothes.

Where To Get Wardrobe Boxes?

The best places to get these boxes on your own time are department stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, or other moving supplies stores like Uhaul moving stores. If you don’t have one of these stores near you, or you want to have them delivered, you can also order these wardrobe boxes on Amazon.

Many times, moving companies will offer free use of wardrobe boxes on moving day or they may sell wardrobe boxes. It’s always best to ask your moving company about the use of wardrobe boxes from your moving company, sometimes you can negotiate the price of packing supplies in the cost of the move.

Why Use Wardrobe Boxes?

Wardrobe boxes keep your clothes hanging on their hangers in a tall box while moving your home. This protects them and keeps them from getting smashed or wrinkled during the moving process. Wardrobe boxes are especially useful if you are moving into storage and your clothes may be in a box for a long period of time.

Are There Alternatives To Wardrobe Boxes?

Wardrobe boxes are not entirely necessary for your move unless you have clothes you don’t want to get wrinkled or smashed during the move. You can always use the trash bag method for your hanging clothes and neatly fold the clothes together into a box. This definitely works if you don’t have clothes that you don’t care about too much. But if you do, use wardrobe boxes.

How Do You Pack A Wardrobe Box?

You can pack your clothes in a variety of different ways and using a wardrobe box provides the best protection. Wardrobe boxes should be used to pack your more valuable hanging clothes. If you have long dresses, make sure you get the taller kind of wardrobe box. Open the box and tape the box like how you would normally pack a moving box. Make sure you use enough tape on the bottom (3 pieces) across the seam. Turn the box upright, make sure the flaps are open and add the metal bar across the top, placing it inside the two pill-shaped holes. You can view a video on how to assemble a wardrobe box below.

Another great moving tip for packing your moving boxes and saving space is by utilizing the bottom of the box for your shoes. You can fit about 6-8 pairs of shoes in the bottom of the box.

Are There Any Downsides To Using A Wardrobe Box?

One downside to using a wardrobe box is the cost. Wardrobe boxes are about $10-$15 each and if you have a lot of hanging clothes, it can become expensive. Another downside is the space taken. Since wardrobe boxes keep your clothes hanging in their place it will take up much more space on the moving truck or be difficult to move in your car if you are doing a DIY move and moving yourself. If you have clothes that are not high value and want to save space, I recommend using vacuum-sealed space saver bags for your clothes and packing them into a normal box.