METCALF MOVING BLOG

February 8, 2019

A Professional’s Guide to Moving Furniture Without Breaking It (or You)

Moving is hard work. Trust us, we understand. Some people preparing for a move choose to take on the challenge alone instead of calling in professional movers for help.

Here are some tips for making your move a little easier if you decide to tackle the move on your own. Keep in mind, Metcalf Household Moving & Storage can take the stress off and make your move even easier.

Preparation

There are right and wrong ways to move, and it all starts with preparation. The last thing you want to do is damage your elegant dining table or dent the walls of your new place as you are moving in.

Prep work before the move is better than having to replace or repair damaged items after the fact.

Let’s go over a short how-to on properly moving furniture without breaking it, and some advice on how to pack other household items.

Moving Furniture

Moving your large furniture can be a pain, but if you take the proper precautions, then it can be a relatively smooth process. Here are some tips to help!

Account for Everything

The first thing you should do is take inventory of what you’ll be moving. If certain things aren’t coming with you, get rid of them. Write everything else down on a piece of paper, just for reference.

Take Things Apart

If possible, dismantle the larger pieces of furniture. Take legs off tables and desks, pull drawers out of dressers, and unscrew bases from chairs. It’ll seem like a lot of work, but it makes things so much easier when the moving part comes along. Items will be lighter and much more manageable if they’re in smaller pieces.

Measure Your Furniture

Anything that doesn’t come apart and seems large should be measured. This includes sofas and any other large desks or entertainment units. It’s essential to know if your stuff will fit through doorways and ultimately in your new space.

Protect the Furniture

Once everything is in its smallest form, start wrapping things in bubble wrap, plastic wrap, or moving blankets. You can get these at most moving supply stores or hardware stores.

Use tape and secure whichever protective material you’re using as well as you can. This will protect the furniture when it’s in the moving truck or portable storage unit, and the walls of your old and new home when you’re lifting.

Use Space Efficiently

When putting your items on the truck, you’ll want to avoid placing things in a way where they’ll move around when the truck is in motion. If you’re inclined, write out a “placement plan” for the truck.

As a general rule keep all the boxes of your non-furniture items neatly packed together at the back, then block them in with the heavier, square furniture and use your mattresses as cushioning.

Anything that may move inside the truck should be secured with bungee cords and put blankets on the ground to keep your nicer items safe.

Protecting Yourself

Though it may seem obvious to some, others may not realize that moving large furniture can be dangerous. Never lift anything heavy by yourself, always communicate and check in with your partner, and wear proper clothing and footwear when moving.

Take as much care with unloading the furniture as you do with putting it in the truck. Always have a clear walking path, so you don’t trip, and don’t worry about putting your objects in their final resting places, you just need to get it in a large open space to start.

Enjoy Your New Home

Once you’re safely moved in, the real fun begins. Unpacking can be harder than actually moving furniture, so we hope that these tips were helpful.

Check out our blog for additional tips on how to move efficiently from people who know how to do it. Or, let us help you with your move. Contact us for a free quote today.

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