Moving heavy furniture can be tricky, especially when you're moving it yourself. No matter where you are moving your household items, whether into self-storage or your new home, it is guaranteed that you'll have to move furniture and many of them.
From smaller items like chairs and stools, drawers and dressers, to large bulky pieces like sofas, beds and dining tables. Whatever the type of furniture you're moving, one thing's for sure - you'll need to put in lots of hard work because that’s not an easy job. Carrying heavy furniture is particularly difficult and requires some knowledge of how to do it properly without hurting yourself. Here are some tips to help you move heavy furniture easily and risk-free.
Moving Heavy Furniture by Yourself
Dismantling
Any dismantling will need to be done before moving day. This can take a lot of time for tricky or fragile furniture items, so make sure you allow yourself enough time to do it properly. Make sure all separate pieces are packaged and labelled for easy reassembly.
Prepare Your Home
If needed, consider removing doors (where possible) and wrapping padding around areas likely to get knocked or scraped. Remove all items that might get in your way to ensure a clear path for the heavy furniture to move along.
Packaging is Important
Although there are many areas of moving home where you can save money, furniture packaging is not one of them. Often people package furniture badly, which results in it being broken or damaged when it reaches its final destination. The furniture is some of the most expensive items in your home - it is worth investing a few extra pounds in protecting them properly.
Be Aware of the Flooring
Flooring can often be damaged during furniture moves. Carpets can easily become ripped, and tiles and hardwood flooring can become scratched. In places where you cannot lift furniture, avoid dragging it and use trolleys or floor protection like cardboard.
Hire Professionals When Moving Heavy Furniture
No matter how organised you are or how many people you have to help, there will always be that one large piece of furniture that doesn't want to go where you need it to go. Maybe it is a large bedframe or wardrobe that needs to get down a narrow flight of stairs.
A glass cabinet that's incredibly fragile, a divan bed that you can’t quite get through the door frame. There's always something difficult to move. And often, the relocating must be done carefully to protect the furniture from damage and the house it's being moved in. It's so easy to scuff a wall while moving heavy furniture.
If you're going to move heavy furniture items to a new house and feel that you're unable to move them yourself, it could be safer to hire professional movers. Perhaps you don't have access to a vehicle large enough to accommodate the items, or you don't have friends or family available to help. Suppose you’re moving furniture to storage, then look out for companies that offer free collection and delivery to storage facilities. Or, if you are moving straight into your new home, check out prices for removals and storage services. They may be more convenient than you think. Whatever your reasons for needing help, if it's the best option for you, make sure you do your research and select a company that offers you good insurance and expert customer service.
Further readings:
Defrost freezer before moving
How to prepare and store a mattress correctly?
What is the best day to move?
Takeaways
Always think about safety first when moving heavy furniture items, especially if there’s no professional or experienced person around you to help. These tips can lessen the back-breaking job of moving big pieces of furniture, but they don’t guarantee you 100% safety. That’s why it’s usually better to hire professional packers and movers to do these kinds of jobs.