Moving 101: 7 Tips on How to Move Furniture

By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group 

The first step is don't panic. That giant couch had to get into your living room somehow, so chances are there's a secret to getting it through the door now. Your giant dresser may be ungainly, but there are steps you can take to get any furniture in your house packed and secured in the moving truck. As a professional moving company, we've handled the big furniture for more than a few families. Let us share a few insights on how professional movers use disassembly and teamwork to load furniture safely into the truck - and then right back out again!

1) Remove Feet from Bulky Furniture

Have a couch or armchair that won't wedge through the doorway? Remove the feet! This not only removes a serious scraping hazard, but it also cuts precious inches from bulky furniture. Most furniture feet are screw-in, so you can put them right back on when you get to your destination.

2) Disassemble What You Can

Furniture that is too big for the door is usually assembled. Not only that, but it’s also designed to disassemble when it comes time to move or redecorate. Look for ways to take apart the larger pieces of your furniture or remove parts that extend from the body of the furniture. Couch sectionals come apart in sections. Vanities and dressers can often have the mirror taken down and wrapped for safety. Dining room tables may have removable legs and workout equipment usually breaks back down into poles and weights at any time.

You can tackle furniture disassembly for yourself or hire a professional moving company to provide expert-level furniture disassembly and even reassembly when you get to the new house.

3) Keep All Hardware Bagged and Labeled

Don't lose your furniture parts and hardware! Label a Ziploc bag for each piece of furniture and keep all the hardware inside. Then tape the bag to the furniture or keep all (labeled!) hardware bags in the same easy-access box. This ensures you can put your furniture back together perfectly when it's time to reassemble in the new house.

4) Always Work with 2+ People

Never move large and bulky furniture alone. Always have a team of two or more people to carefully haul and maneuver large furniture, especially through doorways, corners, and narrow hallways. Don't put yourself, your furniture, or the house at risk by trying to move large furniture by yourself.

5) Use the Right Furniture Moving Equipment

Don't neglect your moving equipment. Furniture is heavy, heavy enough to hurt someone or really scrape a wall unless everyone takes care. Using dollies and hand-trucks is sometimes essential to moving large, heavy, and cumbersome furniture. Have the right equipment, know how to use it, and don't be shy about multiplying your effort with a few simple machines.

6) Wrap Furniture in Blankets for Protection

There are two very good reasons to use moving blankets (or your own supply of spare blankets) to wrap furniture on the move. Moving blankets protect your furniture from being scratched or scuffed in the process of moving. Blankets also help reduce the chance of scrapes or scuffs to the house as heavy furniture is moved through doors, corners, and hallways.

7) Be Careful with Walls, Floors, and Doorways

Finally, and certainly anticipated: strategize how you will avoid scuffs to both the house you're leaving and the new house as you move in. Remove furniture feet and use moving blankets to reduce the risk of scuffs. Use hand carts to move furniture more carefully and think about every corner as a geometry puzzle to be tackled at the softest edge. If a doorway is still a little too narrow, consider removing the door from the hinges to use 100% of your doorway space. Don't be afraid to use floor-glides and extra people to prevent those last-minute moving scuffs to your walls, floors, and doorways.

Ready to move the heavy furniture in your household from one home to another? If you don't have the time or the team, a professional mover can help you take care of furniture disassembly, wrapping and transport, and reassembly when you arrive. Give us a call today to get started on your move!