How to prepare furniture for moving and storage

How to prepare furniture for a move is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to moving house. Some furniture pieces are extremely heavy and it is very difficult to move them without professional movers‘ assistance. Hopefully the following tips will help you prepare furniture and keep them safe both on the road and in storage.

Furniture preparation tips

– Get all necessary supplies – cardboard boxes, moving blankets, padding material, bubble wrap, shrink wrap, special covers and specialty boxes, sealable plastic bags, masking tape, furniture dolly, tools for disassembling, straps, cords…

– Lack of space doesn’t mean that you will have to necessarily give up on some of the favorite pieces of furniture. Storage can accommodate the furniture that doesn’t fit in your new house, but this doesn’t mean that you should move every item you own. Old, outdated and items that can be easily replaced are not worth the effort and investment. Selling unnecessary items will allow you to earn an extra money that may cover some of numerous moving and storage expenses.

– Furniture should be properly cleaned and dusted before packing. Give each piece of furniture a thorough cleaning and let them dry completely. Although you will have to clean the furniture after the move, it doesn’t mean that you should transport dirty furniture that may contaminate other items in the moving truck.

– Disassemble large and bulky items in order to make transport easier. Remove all drawers and table legs so as to move your large pieces of furniture safely and avoid major scratches and damage to walls or doors.

– Wrap and pack each drawer or leg separately and keep them with the corresponding piece of furniture.

– Use manufacturer’s manuals while dismantling your furniture or try to find the instructions online. It’s very important to disassemble furniture correctly so as to be able to put it back together at your new place. If disassembling seems too complicated, take a few photos of the steps that you’ve taken so as to make reassembling easier.

– Special mattress covers will protect your mattress against damage, moisture, pests and stains. Using moving blankets is crucial when it comes to preparing furniture for moving and storing.

– Keep small pieces like screws, bolts and nuts in a sealable plastic bag attached to a bigger part.

– Empty closets, cupboards and dressers so as to make the load less heavy for the people who are going to carry it.

– Pillows and covers should be transported separately in plastic bags and all legs removed.

– Cover sharp corners so as to avoid damage if the furniture accidentally hits the floor or walls.

– Use bubble wrap to protect delicate glass or wooden surfaces. However, if you are going to store your furniture for a long period of time avoid wrapping them with plastic, since it can generate unpleasant smells and mildew.

– Secure furniture with cords and straps while in moving truck so as to prevent sliding and shifting.

– Leather and wooden furniture pieces are usually very expensive and require special handling. If your valuable items will be stored for a long time, you will want to take all necessary precautions so as to be able to use them again at some point in the future.

– Always choose climate-controlled storage unit for wooden and leather furniture. In order to preserve its quality appearance, furniture preparation is essential in this case. Have it professionally cleaned and completely dried before you put it in storage.

– Place delicate leather furniture on the wooden pallets, not directly on the floor and do not stack other boxes on top of it.