5 Tips for Packing Surprisingly Hard-to-Pack Items (From Posters to Skincare!)

When I first packed for college, it was a last-minute endeavor involving haphazardly shoving breakable bottles of perfume and tangled cords into suitcases that seemed to shrink with every item I added. The truth is, packing before school move-in day can feel like an impossible game of Tetris, especially when you’re trying to fit your whole life in a series of boxes and suitcases. 

But the particularly hard-to-pack items don’t have to trip you up! Here are some smart organization tips for packing up trickier dorm essentials, from awkwardly shaped hangers to fragile wall posters.

One of the best ways to transport hangers, says Sarah Parisi, packing and organizing expert and founder of The Clutter Curator, is by using them to pack up your clothes. Here’s how to do it:

1. Keep your clothes hung up in your closet. 
2. Pull a large plastic bag around a bundle of clothes from the bottom up, leaving a hole at the top for the hangers to poke out. (For a plastic-free option, you can also use a bedsheet.)
3. Once at your dorm, hang them in your new closet and undo the bag. 

And that’s it! Not only does this packing hack take care of two things at once (packing hangers and clothes), it ensures that you won’t bring way too many hangers and that your clothes will be ready to wear around campus right away, no fold creases in sight.

If you find that your standard triangular hanger is just taking up too much space in your car or suitcase, alternatives include thin hangers and double rod hangers. Chelsea Thomas, marketing and communications manager for home organizing brand NEAT Method and spokesperson for co-founders Ashley Murphy and Marissa Hagmeyer, says she’s personally used the brand’s slim hangers to help clients with limited closet space. “You can usually fit at least double the amount of clothes,” Thomas says. “If you switch from wooden or tubular hangers, you can fit more per inch on your hanging rod. We all know that those dorm closets are tiny.”

Of course, if your move to campus requires a flight, the trash bag method might not work for you. To optimize your suitcase space, try using compression cubes to squeeze down clothes, blankets, pillows, and sheets that might otherwise spill out. That way, you’ll have extra room to pack those hangers — or, consider waiting to buy them until you get to college. 

Opening your moving box to find a mess of broken glass and spilled liquids would be a nightmare start to the unpacking process. Luckily, Parisi has tips to help keep your valuables safe and secure. Instead of investing in wrapping fabrics, she recommends using sweatshirts or towels to wrap up the breakables, like cute trinket dishes or your favorite coffee mug. “You’re going to have to pack the clothing piece,” Parisi says. “You’re also going to have to pack the breakable item. So there are ways you can use your items instead of adding more to the packing load.”

Once you’ve secured your breakables, be sure to pack your boxes super tight! “The easiest way to prevent items from breaking is to limit the amount of empty space within a box so they can’t move around,” Thomas says. 

What about those delicate bottles of toner, perfume, and moisturizer? Parisi recommends putting leak-prone liquid items like skincare in resealable plastic bags. For a second layer of security, put the bags in clear bins that you tape up. “At least then if it’s going to leak, it’ll only leak on other bottles and such,” says Parisi. “Keep them away from any fabric or items they could damage.”

Wall art can make a room, but it’s super tricky to travel with. There is a solution: “The best way to travel with a poster would be to use those cardboard tubes; roll [posters] and put them inside,” Parisi says. Another option is to slip your wall art prints into protective poster sleeves to prevent dust buildup and folds in the material. 

For framed art or photographs, Thomas suggests using layers of bubble wrap and cardboard to prevent potential damage. Corner protectors, made of either cardboard or foam, are also a great investment for cushioning your frames.

To save yourself from unpacking a tangled mess of cords on move-in day, Parisi recommends spending a few extra minutes tightly coiling all of your charging cords while packing them up. Then, use a rubber band or a silicone cable tie designed just for this purpose to keep them securely wound. 

To make sure you don’t forget what each cord is for in transit, here’s a hack: Use a bread tag (you know, those little plastic doodads that keep your sliced bread bag closed) or a small piece of masking tape to label each cord with its use. If you don’t have any spare bread tags, you can also use a label maker or a small piece of masking tape to mark each cord. However you do it, labeling your cords is a trick that organized people swear by, and will make unpacking them 10 times easier. 

One way to pack shoes while keeping your other belongings clean is by using drawstring travel bags (leftover plastic bags are budget-friendly alternatives) to separate them from everything else in the box or suitcase — or even packing them in a hanging shoe organizer. That way, when you move in, you can simply hang it over the door and you’re ready to go. 
To make sure that your favorite sneakers and cute boots don’t get crushed in the hustle and bustle of moving, though, pro movers recommend stuffing your shoes with plastic bags, extra pillowcases, or T-shirts (just be sure to wash them after).