If you are moving house then one of the biggest task is shifting your furniture! Most items of furniture are heavy and awkward in shape. When you are preparing to move home you are likely to be taking a lot of your treasured possessions with you. From antique dressers, sofas to washing machines the heavy things can be never ending. If money isn’t a problem you will no doubt be hiring a removal company to deal with it which is great. However for most movers you are likely to have a limited budget and will do some of the removal yourself with friends.
- Make a list of what large pieces you want to keep
- Ask for help from people you know
- Plan your route
Helpful hints to moving larger items in the home
Moving house is stressful and there is a lot to arrange. You are likely to be moving tables, beds, dressers, sofas and wardrobes which are no easy feat! All of them are large, heavy and bulky. If you take time to look at what can be dismantled may help reduce some of the size of some of the items. Just make sure you keep all of the fixtures and fittings together. Attach them to a larger part so you know where the parts are when it comes to reassembling the piece at your new home. Empty drawers of dressers as this will increase the weight to lift.
Remove cushions, and keep in plastic bags so they don’t get dirty on the delivery.
Doors to wardrobes can easily swing open so you could tie them shut with sting or cable ties to prevent this happening when shifting it from one room to another.
- Make a floor plan as a guide
- Measure large pieces and door ways to ensure they will fit
- Remove doors if a problem
Prepare for the hard work
Protect your furniture with bubble wrap, shrink wrap or plastic sheets taped firmly around the items. You don’t want any damage to you or the furnishings. Take care to wear protective gloves, clothes and shoes to ensure nothing gets caught. Ask fit friends to help.
- Promise your helpers a meal and drink at the end of the day as a bribe!
Most movers will have willing friends to help and assist with some muscle power. Just plan the lifting between yourselves and lift at the same time. Only take small steps at a time to prevent any harm to your back or knees etc. It is easy to get injured when lifting these types of items.
Arranging a stress free move
It is hard moving heavy pieces of furniture. If you need to use stairs take your time. Get another person to be your eyes. Large furniture is heavy and big which means it can be awkward to see where you are going. Some stairs are easy to slide a wardrobe down, on its side and be easier than carrying it.Placing an old sheet can help slow the rate it may come down the steps. Be extremely careful if you have turns in your stairways as these can be narrow and it can be very difficult in turning a large wardrobe. Measure all of these items before moving day to make sure you can actually get it down the stairs.
Lastly…
There are some tools to help move larger pieces such as sliders which are good for tiled floors and laminate. Trolleys and wheels are helpful and can take some of the weight of some items, so ask around to either hire them from a specialist store or if a friend can supply one.
