How To Move Furniture (2024 Guide)
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Moving furniture is challenging—especially when moving to a new home rather than simply rearranging a room. The process requires skill and planning, from maneuvering heavy furniture around tight corners to keeping delicate items intact. In this article, we’ll guide you through how to move furniture efficiently. Whether planning a DIY move or hiring movers, following these tips will ensure your beloved pieces move safely.
Preparing to Move Furniture
Before moving furniture, take time to prepare. Follow the steps below for a hassle-free experience on moving day.
1. Assess the Room and Furniture
Start by measuring and weighing the furniture you’ll need to move. This will give you a better idea of the effort required to move it. Next, measure doorways, hallways, and staircases to identify the best exit and entry points. Note any tight corners or obstacles, and consider whether any pieces can or should be disassembled before moving them.
2. Obtain the Proper Equipment
Gather the necessary equipment to ensure a safe and efficient furniture-moving process. Here’s a quick list of what you might need:
- Dollies/hand trucks
- Lifting straps
- Furniture sliders
- Furniture pads
- Moving blankets
- Plastic wrap
- Bubble wrap
- Packing tape
- Resealable plastic bags
Dollies and hand trucks provide excellent support when moving heavy items. Lifting straps and furniture sliders can also make the job easier. You can use labeled plastic bags to keep small pieces and hardware together. Furniture pads, moving blankets, plastic wrap, bubble wrap, and packing tape can help protect furniture and secure fragile pieces.
3. Clear a Path
Before you start moving furniture, eliminate as many obstacles as possible. Clear a path to the door by removing any clutter, rugs, or small objects that might get in the way. Secure loose cords or cables that can pose a tripping hazard. If necessary, use floor runners, cardboard, or furniture sliders to protect hardwood floors.
Tips for Moving Large Furniture
Moving large furniture efficiently is possible with the right techniques. Below are a few valuable tips to help you navigate the challenge of moving your heftiest pieces.
Disassemble When Possible
Before attempting to move large furniture items, disassemble them into smaller, more manageable parts. Remove detachable legs, knobs, shelves, or other components to reduce the weight and bulkiness of the furniture. This will make navigating them through narrow doorways and tight spaces easier.
Use Proper Lifting Techniques
When lifting heavy furniture, prioritize safety to avoid injuries. Bend your knees—not your back—and use your leg muscles to lift. Maintain a straight posture, engage your core, and keep the furniture close to your body.
Protect Your Furniture
Use moving blankets or furniture pads to wrap and secure the furniture’s edges and surfaces. This prevents scratches, dents, and other damage during the moving process. Protect your walls, door frames, and floors from bumps or marks with corner protectors, padding, or cardboard.
Acquire the Right Equipment
Consider renting a dolly or hand truck for faster, easier trips between your home and the moving truck. Place furniture sliders under the legs or corners of large furniture to reduce friction and enable a smooth sliding motion. Use lifting straps or shoulder dollies to help evenly distribute the weight of heavy furniture.
Enlist Help
Moving large furniture is not a one-person job, even with lifting straps and a dolly. Recruit a team of family members or friends to help you. Assign specific roles, such as guiding, lifting, or spotting, to make the process safer and quicker.
Alternatively, free up some space in your moving budget and let professionals handle the heavy lifting. Although enlisting professional help will increase your overall moving costs, it will save you time and effort and may provide peace of mind.
Tips for Moving Small or Fragile Furniture
Small or fragile pieces of furniture, such as a glass coffee table or antique desk, require a delicate touch. Here are a few tips for moving these items with care.
Wrap and Protect
Use bubble wrap, foam padding, or blankets to protect delicate surfaces, corners, and edges. Secure the wrapping with tape or stretch wrap to keep it in place during the move.
Label and Handle With Care
Label boxes containing small or fragile furniture to ensure they receive special care during moving. Communicate with your movers or helpers about the delicate nature of these items, and be extra careful when lifting and carrying them.
Choose Your Boxes Carefully
Select sturdy and appropriately sized boxes or containers. Look for heavy-duty boxes with reinforced corners and double-walled construction, or reinforce the corners yourself with packing tape.
Separate and Cushion
Pack items separately to reduce the chances of them bumping into each other. Otherwise, if possible, place soft padding or cushioning between each item to create a protective barrier. Fill empty spaces in the boxes with packing peanuts, crumpled paper, or towels to prevent shifting.
Consider Hand-Carrying
Consider hand-carrying especially valuable or highly fragile items. Keeping these items with you on moving day will give you more control over their safety. Some moving companies may refuse to move especially high-value or irreplaceable pieces or charge extra to move antiques.
Our Conclusion
Moving furniture is challenging, but you can ensure a safe and successful transition to your new home with the right strategies and precautions. Creating a plan, assessing your space and furniture, gathering the necessary equipment, and preparing your space will lay the foundation for a smooth experience.
Whether you’re dealing with large or small furniture, remember to use proper lifting techniques, enlist help when needed, and take extra care with fragile items. You might also consider hiring local or long-distance movers to handle the heavy lifting.
FAQ About Moving Furniture
What is the easiest way to transport furniture?
The easiest way to transport furniture is to hire professional movers. Many cheap moving companies have the expertise and equipment to handle furniture transportation safely and efficiently. Alternatively, you can rent a moving truck or use a portable storage container.
How do you move a heavy couch?
Follow these steps to move a heavy couch:
- Enlist at least one or two strong individuals to help.
- Remove any detachable parts and set them aside in a safe place.
- Clear a path from the couch’s current location to its destination.
- Position yourselves on either side of the couch.
- Bend your knees, keep your back straight, and lift with your legs.
- Use furniture sliders, blankets, moving straps, or a dolly to help move the couch.
- Set the couch down safely in the desired location.
Can I move a heavy piece of furniture by myself?
Whether you can move a heavy piece of furniture by yourself depends on its weight and dimensions, as well as your strength and lifting techniques. However, in most cases, you should not attempt to move a heavy piece of furniture alone. Doing so may result in injury or damage to the furniture.
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