If you’re moving furniture to a new home, or even just across the hall, you have to be careful about it. When you move furniture such as dressers, beds, or desks without the right tools and preparation, you’re more likely to injure yourself or damage the floors, walls, and entryways.
It’s not just about weight, either—big pieces of furniture can be awkward to handle, and moving things like tall dressers or filing cabinets should be a two-person job. Keep reading for some tips on moving dressers, cabinets, and other big pieces of furniture as safely as possible.
How To Move Furniture Safely
Preparing to move furniture is a crucial step if you want to avoid hurting yourself or damaging your property in the process. For maximum safety and efficiency, be sure to plan ahead of time when you have a big move coming instead of winging it the day of! Here are some tips to get you started.
Plan Ahead
If you’re moving to a new home or office space, make sure you plan your furniture layout before moving. Consider making a sketch of the new floor plan with correct measurements for the rooms and furniture then create your layout. You’ll also want to measure doorways to be sure your large furniture can fit.
Dress For Success
Moving furniture is an active job, so you should dress the part. For example, if you’re trying to move around furniture with flip-flops on, any number of things are just waiting to go wrong! Wear closed-toed shoes to help prevent potential injury and avoid wearing clothes that restrict your movement, like tight jeans.
Disassemble Your Furniture
One of the most effective ways to make moving heavy furniture easier is by making the job smaller. For example, if you have a large dresser, take out the drawers and remove the legs if you’re able to do so. Disassembling furniture reduces the weight and can help you fit items through small spaces.
Use Furniture Sliders
Using furniture sliders, also known as furniture gliders, allows you to protect your hardwood floors and carpet from the move to decrease the chances of scratching up your home.
You can purchase furniture slides in multiple different shapes and sizes and you also could make your own DIY furniture slides by using plastic container covers, frisbees, or similar items. It also helps you conserve energy as you move things to and from the door!
Protect Your Doorways
It’s common to bump your doorframe when moving tall dressers, desks, or bed frames. If you need just a little bit more space in an entryway, consider prying off the molding to give yourself more room and help prevent potential damage.
You also could use moving blankets or quilted pads, which makes it less likely that the furniture you’re moving will cause damage on contact.
Invest in Equipment
Save the trouble of hurting your back, arms, and legs by using some equipment that will make the job easier.
- Dollies: This releases some of that extra weight so you are not over-exerting yourself. Place your items on the dolly and then use the handle to guide the furniture, this will make it much easier to get from place to place.
- Moving straps: It can be a challenge figuring out how to pick up and move heavy pieces of furniture. Moving straps, also referred to as lifting straps, can help distribute the weight of the furniture.
- Ramps: Trying to lift dressers, cabinets or other larger pieces of furniture up the stairs is almost never a good idea. Utilizing ramps can make the moving process much easier and safer.
With these helpful tips, you should now be able to decide if you’re ready to tackle moving furniture alone. If you have any doubts about moving alone, you should strongly consider hiring a professional to ensure that you and your home are protected.
Hire A Professional Mover
There are multiple reasons why you should hire a professional to help you through the process of moving, including:
- Safety: When you hire a professional mover, you don’t have to worry about getting injured during the process. Moving companies have the necessary experience and equipment to ensure the safety of everyone.
- Speed: Moving heavy furniture can sometimes take hours, so the more helpers you have, the faster this process will be. People that have lots of moving experience will also naturally be more efficient.
- Special requests: If you have any questions or concerns about moving a particular piece of furniture, a mover will know how to help.
- Experience: There’s nothing more valuable than experience! Professional movers know the best way to strategize for a big move, and they also have experience operating all the needed equipment.
When beginning your move, it’s essential to consider whether you’re comfortable doing all of these tasks yourself—if not, ask for help. Remember that moving furniture yourself can be quite dangerous, and if you’re not used to carrying heavy furniture you’re putting yourself at risk of injury.
Professional movers will make you feel more comfortable with the move, reduce stress, and ensure none of your belongings get damaged in the process!
Who Do I Contact?
If you’ve decided to hire professional movers, the next step is choosing which company to move forward with. There are numerous companies you can use, but make sure to do some research first.
If you are in the Charleston, SC metro area looking for movers, Smooth Move should be your go-to! At Smooth Move, we come prepared with a plan to ensure you get the best possible service and the most stress-free move possible. Get a free moving quote online today!