METCALF MOVING BLOG
Safety Tips: Moving Furniture the Right Way
It’s no secret — moving to a new home involves a ton of physical exercise. But when it comes to exertion, nothing quite beats the effort involved in moving large or oddly shaped pieces of furniture.
If you’re not careful, moving couches, bed frames, dressers, and dining room tables can take a toll on your body, especially your back. Incorrect techniques can also damage your furniture and your home.
Fortunately, you can protect your back, your items, and your house. These tips can help you safely move heavy and awkwardly shaped furniture and other large items.
Tip 1: Make a Furniture Moving Plan
As with so many other aspects of a move, safely relocating furniture begins with a bit of planning. Start by taking inventory of each heavy, oversized, or awkward item you need to move.
Next, determine the best route to take when carrying furniture out of your home and into the moving truck. Focus on potential problem areas, such as narrow hallways, stairs, or door frames. You’ll also need to consider the path you’ll take when you arrive at your new home.
Take measurements of hallways, doors, stairs, and any large furniture you need to move. This way, you’ll know if you need to disassemble any pieces or find a different route.
Finally, determine the order in which you should move the items. Usually, you will want to place the heaviest pieces near the cab of the truck. That means you should plan to move these items first.
Tip 2: Take Furniture Apart
Though it adds extra steps to the process, disassembling furniture can make it easier to lift and save space on the moving truck. Just be sure to consider the additional time needed to disassemble and reassemble into your moving schedule.
Special considerations include:
- Remove legs from tables, chairs, couches, desks, and dressers to make corners and doorways easier to navigate
- Take drawers out of dressers to lighten weight
- Remove books and other objects from shelving units and consoles
- Remove mirrors from vanities and dresser units
Tip 3: Gather Moving Equipment and Materials
Invest in equipment that makes it easier to lift and move heavy furniture. Consider moving aids such as:
- Furniture straps. Also known as lifting straps, these strong straps relieve weight from your back and arms when you’re picking up a heavy object.
- Dolly. Choose a two-wheeled, stand-up model for taller items and a four-wheel, horizontal dolly for larger pieces. Be sure to strap things to the dolly before you push it.
- Furniture sliders. These plastic pieces fit under legs, so you can slide furniture, reducing the risk of damage to wood or tile flooring.
- Moving blankets and stretch wrap. Wrapping furniture in a moving blanket or stretch wrap makes pieces easier to grab and provides a protective layer.
Tip 4: Work With Professional Movers
Let’s face it, moving furniture isn’t easy. Even when taking caution, the risk of damage — to your body, your furniture, and your home, is high.
The best way to ensure a safe move is to work with professional movers trained and experienced in moving large, heavy objects. They’ll know how to angle furniture to pass through doorways, how to pad corners and frames, how to lift safely, and how to load a moving truck properly. Some movers will even disassemble furniture for you.
Why take the risk? Working with a professional moving company will take those heavy items off your hands for a less stressful move.
Contact us for a quote today.
