Furniture moving is a time-consuming and often frustrating task. Damage to your items is very common, but there are ways to avoid it. The key is to measure your furniture carefully and ensure it fits through every doorway, hallway, elevator, and staircase.

Many moving services offer their customers dollies, straps, and other equipment that can help protect your items during a move. This can help you save money.

Decide on the Moving Date

In the whirlwind experience of buying or renting a new home, it’s easy to forget about one important detail – your move date. You may be tempted to just pick a random date on the calendar but you’d do well to weigh your options first, consider all specific and realistic aspects of your situation and choose your moving date accordingly.

One of the most important things to consider is your own family’s schedule. If you want to make the move as easy on everyone as possible, try to plan it before any holidays or vacations you’re planning for yourself or with your loved ones. This will give you plenty of time to get everything ready for the big day and still have some extra days left over to enjoy your new home.

Another important consideration is your budget. If you’re hiring movers, it will usually be less expensive to do the move during the week rather than on the weekend. If you’re doing the move yourself, it will be cheaper to stick with a mid-month move on a weekday than to do it during the summer when many people are on holiday.

It’s also important to keep in mind when your various utilities and services are due to be turned off at your old home. This will help you plan the best timing for disconnecting and re-connecting them in your new home. This will save you money on bills in the long run and ensure that your services aren’t interrupted during a busy moving period.

Disassemble It

Unless you have furniture that’s made up of a few delicate parts like glass panels or mirrors, it’s usually best to take apart the piece rather than try to move it in one piece. Doing so makes it easier for your helpers to lift and transport the furniture piece and reduces the risk of damage to it or your home during transit. Additionally, it may be a safety issue to try and move certain pieces in their entirety, especially if the piece is too large for your elevator or has short staircases that pose a hazard.

You can save money on the cost of professional movers by taking care of disassembly yourself, but you’ll need to gather the right tools and materials for this task. Depending on the furniture, this can include anything from a screwdriver to a hammer, pliers or wrenches. You’ll also need a few supplies to protect the piece while packing it, including moving blankets and bubble wrap.

Start by removing bedding and pillows from any furniture items that you’re planning to disassemble. Then, remove any drawers from dressers or sofas and empty them. If possible, you can even detach the legs for these larger pieces of furniture to make them easier to move through doorways and hallways and into the truck.

Once you’re ready to begin, grab any remaining furniture manuals that came with your furniture and follow the instructions for disassembly. If there are no existing manuals, you can also find plenty of online tutorials and videos that will walk you through the process step-by-step. Lastly, it’s a good idea to have small containers or zip storage bags to store away nails, screws and other loose bits. These can be labeled and packed with the furniture item they came from for easy reassembly at your new home.

If necessary, use a measuring tape to check that the furniture will fit through doorways and hallways and into your truck. If it won’t, then you’ll need to consider other options for getting it into your home. Fortunately, there are many times where you can get away with not having to disassemble the furniture at all!

Wrap It Up

Many furniture pieces are equipped with a variety of small parts that can easily come loose during a move, such as drawer handles, knobs, and casters. Before the movers arrive to wrap your furniture, take the time to remove these small elements and place them in a safe location. This will help prevent them from falling off during the move and possibly getting lost, which can lead to costly repair bills.

Once all the small pieces have been secured, you can begin the wrapping process. Most furniture items will require some form of protection, whether it be packing paper, bubble wrap, or moving blankets. These popular options are easy to find at any home improvement store, and they are a must-have for any furniture moving project. You may also want to consider using plastic sheeting, which provides a little extra coverage and is especially helpful for long-term storage.

For upholstered furniture, use old sheets, blankets, or drop cloths to cover the item and protect it from dust, dirt, or coarse particles that could damage its surface. This step is particularly important if you plan to keep the piece of furniture in a garage or warehouse for a prolonged period of time. Make sure that the material you choose is breathable, as thick covers can trap moisture and cause the piece to swell.

If you are using a professional furniture mover, they will likely provide these items for you, but it is always best to be prepared. Before the movers arrive, take photos of your furniture to document its condition before they load it onto the truck or crate. This will help you avoid any disputes over the condition of your furniture, and it will also be useful when reassembling your furniture in your new home.

Be sure to cover any exposed areas of your furniture with moving blankets. You might even want to use plastic wrap to cover a few small areas that could be susceptible to gouges during the moving and transporting process. This is one of the most common ways that furniture gets damaged during a move, but it is easily preventable with a little bit of advance planning and preparation.

Hire a Moving Company

If you have a large amount of furniture or other items that require special handling, you might want to hire a professional moving company. They have the equipment and know-how to safely move your belongings in and out of trucks and vans. They can also handle more complex moves, such as those that involve several different locations. When choosing a moving company, ask for an in-home survey and a written estimate of all the services you’ll need. Make sure to include the weight of your belongings and whether they are being loaded into a container or delivered straight to your new home. Ask about the cost of extra services, such as a la carte packing or disassembly and reassembly.

Some companies provide full-service moving, which includes everything from packing to transport and unpacking. Others may offer only certain services. You should also consider what type of pricing structure you’d like: flat rate or hourly. Flat-rate movers are incentivized to complete the move quickly, so they may be more efficient than hourly movers. However, if the move takes longer than expected, you might end up paying more with flat-rate movers.

Checking a mover’s credentials is another important step. Ask for references from previous customers and call them to discuss their experiences. Also, ask about the mover’s business licenses and insurance policies. Finally, be wary of movers who don’t disclose their U.S. Department of Transportation number for interstate moves or their state-specific licenses for local moves.

You should also ask movers about their storage options. Most companies offer a variety of storage solutions, including both short- and long-term storage. You should also be aware that most movers charge a fee to cover the cost of fuel and maintenance for their vehicles. Some movers also charge for a refundable deposit.

You should also choose a reputable mover with well-maintained trucks and other equipment. Depending on the complexity of your move, you might need multiple trucks or vans of various sizes. Also, be sure to get a quote for any extra services, such as unpacking and debris cleanup.