How to Pack Linens and Towels

By: Autumnn Mahar Jan 3, 2019

In:

Protecting linens, towels, bedding, rugs and other soft goods

Towels, sheets and pillows may not be items you’re worried about before the move. Since they aren’t breakable or fragile, you may just think about bagging them and throwing them in the moving trailer. However, bags can easily be punctured, damaging the items inside. To ensure everything arrives at your new home ready to use, follow these tips for packing soft goods.

Gather packing supplies

The amount of supplies depends on how many items you’re packing, but you’ll need:

Moving boxes (medium or large, depending on size of items)
Packing paper
Packing tape
Paper pads (for rugs)
Plastic wrap (for rugs)
A marker

How to pack soft goods

These instructions will work for any linens, towels, curtains, bedding or pillows. Basically, if it’s soft fabric, here’s how you pack it:

Fold and stack the fabric items neatly. This help to maximize the number of linens and towels you can fit into the box and keeps them tidy so they’re ready to use at your new home. Larger linens, like curtains, can be folded.
Line the box with packing paper. It serves as an extra layer of protection.
Place stacked linens in the box. Don’t cram items in, but fit as many as you can into the box. You can place pillows in the same box with towels or folded items. Be mindful of the weight, especially if using large moving boxes. It’s best to keep them under 40 lbs.
Top with more packing paper. Use crumpled paper to fill in any gaps, keeping items snug and protecting them from dust.
Tape the box shut. When the box is completely full and topped off with packing paper, seal it with tape, and label with what’s inside.

To pack rugs

Roll the rug. Folding rugs could cause creases, so always roll rugs with the back of the rug on the outside.
Protect the ends with paper padding. Paper padding provides multi-layer protection. Protect the ends of the rug from damage by using paper padding to “cup” the ends. You can use some packing tape to help apply the paper padding, but make sure only to apply tape to the paper pad and to the back of the rug (not the rug itself).
Wrap the entire rug in plastic wrap. This will keep the rug rolled snugly and help keep the paper padding in place.

Because they’re packed full, boxes of linens and towels are normally sturdy and easy to stack. That means you should be able to place them near the bottom when you’re loading them into the moving truck.

Even more helpful packing tips

If you have questions about packing your linens and towels or you need advice on packing other household items, we’re happy to help! Read our comprehensive packing guide to learn how to pack everything in your home or leave a comment below.