How to pack hats for moving

by Ethan Greenfieldon Apr 19, 2023.

When packing for a house move, you’ll probably be worried about fragile items, large furniture pieces, and other tricky objects that are either too vulnerable to damage or too difficult to handle. You will likely not be concerned about smaller things that are not breakable, such as books and clothes. Yet, many non-fragile items require special packing care as well. Hats are among them.

Hats come in different shapes and sizes and can be made from different materials. Some are meant to be worn daily and others are only suitable for special occasions. Some are inexpensive and others are highly priced. Either way, you will certainly not want to find your hats crushed and wrinkled when unpacking after the move.

To ensure that your hats stay in perfect condition and retain their shape during the relocation you need to pack them correctly.

Not sure how? Here are some tips and tricks for packing hats for moving to help you out:

Sort out your hats

First things first, you need to go through your hat collection and decide the fate of each and every headpiece:

1) Throw away hats that are not in good enough condition to be worn again – ripped, frayed, stained, wrinkled, crushed, worn-out, or otherwise damaged hats that can’t be used anymore.

2) Set aside hats in good condition you never wear (because they don’t fit well, because you don’t like them, because you don’t have the occasion to wear them, etc.) or won’t be able to wear after the move (because of the climatic conditions in your new area, because of your new lifestyle, etc.) Give away these hats to family and friends or donate them to charity.

3) Sort your hats by material – Depending on the material they’re made of, some hats are“packable” and others are not. Hat materials that pack well include cotton, wool felt, polyester, raffia, paper braid, and soft straw. Hats made of these materials are quite durable and usually come back to their original form even after being flattened, folded, or rolled. Therefore, such hats are relatively easy to pack. Stiffer hats, on the other hand, are quite difficult to pack and require special care in order to survive a move safe and sound.

4) Sort your hats by type – baseball hats, fedora hats, panama hats, berets, beanies, bowlers, etc. Group hats with the same brim size together.

Once you’ve organized your hats and decided which of them you’re going to pack for moving, you need to get the right packing materials for the job.

Get the necessary packing supplies

To provide your hats with good protection during the move, you’re going to need quality packing materials:

Original hat boxes
Medium and large moving boxes
Tissue paper
Packing peanuts, paper wads, bubble wrap, or other appropriate cushioning materials (old clothes will also do)
Packing tape

Pack your hats in a safe and efficient manner

Having sorted your hats and gathered the necessary packing materials, you can get down to work.

So, how to pack hats for moving?

Step 1. Prepare the hats

Before you start packing your hats for moving, make sure they’re clean and dry (dirt and moisture can cause stains, result in mold growth, or attract pests to your hats while they’re in transit).

If you have more expensive hats, take measures to ensure their safety during the move:

Wrap valuable hats in tissue paper for added protection;
Stuff fine crushable hats – the extra support will help them retain their shape during the move. Lay the hats upside down on a flat surface and stuff their crowns with crumpled paper, socks, scarves, or other small clothing items.

Step 2. Decide how to pack your hats for moving

Different hats require different packing methods:

Fabric hats (cotton hats, knitted hats, polyester hats, soft felt hats, etc.) can be flattened and folded. There will be no damage to the hats (except for a few creases that will be very easy to iron away) and they will take very little space in your moving boxes;
Pliable hats (raffia hats, paper braid hats, soft straw hats, etc.) can be safely rolled up. Just be sure to roll them loosely and not to put anything on top of them in the moving box;
Stiffer hats (and hats with stiff brims, such as baseball caps) can be nested inside one another and packed in an appropriate size box with lots of cushioning inside.

So, when wondering how to pack a hat, you need to consider its specifics (material, shape, brim size, value, etc.) and choose the most appropriate packing method for the type of headpiece.

See also: How to pack clothes for moving

Step 3. Pack your hats in moving boxes

Finally, it’s time to actually pack your hats in moving boxes.

How to pack flexible hats in boxes

Line the bottom of a medium-sized moving box with crumpled paper, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or old clothes to create a cushioning layer for your hats;
Place folded hats on the bottom of the box (over the padding layer) and arrange rolled hats on top of them;
Place a protective layer of packing paper over the hats;
Seal the box and label it with its contents.

How to pack rigid hats in boxes

Stiff hats that can be easily crushed during the move need to be packed with extra care in order to arrive at your new home in excellent shape.

Here is how to pack hats without crushing them:

Line the bottom of a moving box with cushioning materials;
Select up to six stiffer hats with the same brim size (the moving box should be large enough that the brimmed hats fit comfortably in it and there remains some space for cushioning materials);
Put one of the hats in the center of the box, with the crown down;
Add cushioning materials all around the hat until it is snugly nested in place;
Place a piece of tissue paper over the hat;
Nest another hat in the first one;
Place a piece of tissue paper over the second hand and nest another one in it;
Continue in the same way until all hats are stacked together in the box;
Place a sheet of paper over the topmost hat and fill all the empty space in the box with packing peanuts, crumpled paper, or pieces of bubble wrap;
Seal the box and label it properly.

Instead of placing the first hat crown-down in the box, you can place it brim-down and stack all the other hats that way (separated with tissue paper). This method, however, is less safe and should not be used for curved hats or irregularly shaped hats.

Bonus tip: How to pack baseball hats

Baseball caps can also be safely stacked for moving. You can stack them one on top of the other (like other brimmed hats) but you will save more space by stacking them horizontally – just fold the back of the caps (where the strap is) inward (toward the brim) and stack them into one another. Wrap the entire stack with tissue paper and pack it in a cushioned box.

How to pack fine hats for moving

Expensive hats come in hat boxes. Hat boxes are specifically designed to hold and protect hats – they are sturdy and have a padded lining that keeps the hat from getting damaged during moving or storage.

So, if you have some more valuable hats, you should pack them in their original boxes:

Wrap the hat in tissue paper and place it upside down in the hat box;
Fill all empty space with crumpled paper and close the hat box;
Take a slightly larger box and line it with cushioning materials;
Place the hatbox over the cushioning layer in the larger moving box;
Fill the remaining space between the two boxes (the sides and the top) with packing peanuts or bubble wrap;
Seal and label the box.

If you don’t keep the original hat boxes, you can use any strong moving box of appropriate size. Just be sure to pad the box well and to stuff the crown of the hat before wrapping it in tissue paper and putting it in the packing container.

All things considered, the best way to pack hats for moving depends on the material and shape of the hat. By following the above tips for packing different types of hats, you can rest assured that your bonnets, fedoras, and panamas will arrive at your new home in perfect condition and ready to wear.