Moving day is fast approaching and you’re looking forward to settling into your new home. You’re a little anxious too, especially about how you will move all of your furniture. But there’s no need to stress. Just follow our 5 essential tips to safely transport your furniture to your new home.
Disassemble Whatever You Can
If you purchased some of your furniture items in a kit form you had to assemble yourself, simply disassemble them again. It makes it much easier to transport them on moving day, But be careful not to lose any essential parts you will need for the reassembly.
One way to do this is to place the screws, bolts, etc in a little plastic bag (the ziploc type you use for the freezer is ideal) and tape this to the underside of the furniture item it belongs to. Alternatively, place such hardware items, clearly labeled and separately packaged, into a sealed container marked “reassembly.”
Of course, moving bulkier items can often be tricky. That’s why so many people invest in modular furniture. For example, an 8-seat sectional sofa provides ample seating for the whole family yet is easily moved into separate pieces and pushed back together in any configuration your new home calls for.
Wrap Before You Stack
You’ve spent time, effort, and, of course, money curating your collection of wall art. And whether they are custom artworks or mass-produced prints, you’ll want to protect them on moving day. But if you simply stack them on top of each other in your vehicle with all your other items, they could become damaged.
The corners of large paintings are also likely to be bumped into things as you carry them out of your old home. To safely transport them to your new home, wrap them first. Place a layer of glassine paper to protect the painting from moisture and dirt. Cushion it with multiple layers of bubble wrap.
Place the wrapped painting into a box that matches its dimensions so it won’t bounce around in the box during transit, and tape the box shut. If you can’t box your art and must stack the paintings one atop the other, place a thick towel between each wrapped painting and lay them flat.
Remove It or Secure It
Cabinets, little bedside units, and chests of drawers are usually a hassle to move. Doors swing open, and the drawers tumble out as you move these furniture items. But doing a bit more prep work can save you all that frustration. Removing drawers and doors whenever possible will also make each item lighter to lift and carry.
Before attempting to move your furniture, remove the drawers and doors. If your cabinet has glass paneled doors, wrap them as carefully as you wrapped the artwork (see above). Lay a towel or small blanket between them so they don’t smash into each other while being transported.
Or simply lock doors and drawers if they are lockable. If they cannot be locked, and you don’t wish to remove them and put them back once at your new home, you can also tape them shut.
Use The Right Tools for the Job
If you’re determined to move your furniture and appliances by yourself, don’t worry – there are special tools for the job. You can purchase a furniture dolly and furniture-moving straps to make the task easier. These are widely available online and from many hardware stores.
The furniture dolly has a large base, usually made of steel, a bar for pushing it along (and also for leverage), and four swivel wheels. Simply ease the item of furniture or large appliance onto the base and wheel it along.
The furniture moving straps, also called lifting straps or a shoulder dolly, consist of a harness and straps for two people to wear. Use these for moving heavier items. They will prevent you from putting your back under strain and possibly injuring yourself. But you may need a strong pair of shoulders.
Know When To Leave It to the Experts
Once you start packing up and moving out, you’ll want it all over as fast as possible. But when you’ve got a lot of furniture or very delicate equipment, it’s usually best to leave it to the professionals. And you’ll enjoy several benefits by doing so.
Firstly, they have experience with moving different types of furniture. Secondly, they have specialized equipment and vehicles for the job. A good removal company will also offer packing services, loading and moving of furniture, and even storage when necessary.
Removal companies often have goods-in-transit insurance to cover your possessions while moving them. And last but not least, you’ll save yourself time and effort. There’s always so much to do before selling your home and moving on to your new one. A removal company can streamline the whole process.