One of the biggest concerns during a move is keeping your belongings safe, especially your furniture, which are some of your biggest investments.
Too often, we see people make the same mistakes when moving furniture. The pieces aren’t properly protected or secured in the truck, which almost always guarantees there will be some sort of damage sustained along the way.
To avoid your furniture getting damaged, follow these simple packing tips for protecting your furniture during a move.
Stock Up on Materials
One of the most important steps to protecting your furniture for a move is stocking up on the right supplies. Simply loading it into the truck as-is will leave them vulnerable to a slew of potential damages. Purchase the following items at your local hardware store or online to have on hand so everything will be protected as needed:
- Bubble wrap
- Heavy-duty blankets
- Shrinkwrap
- Mattress covers
- Sealable plastic bags
- Packing tape
Prepare Your Furniture
Before you start packing it up, it’s good to take the time to clean and dust your furniture. Any debris left behind could potentially damage your furniture during the move. Vacuum underneath the cushions of sofas and chairs, get rid of pet hair from fabric and check for any damages prior to moving so you know the condition of your furniture.
Disassemble What You Can
Any furniture that can be disassembled should be, because smaller pieces are much easier to protect and move, especially when going through doorways. If available, check the owner’s manual for the proper way to dismantle certain pieces. Most pieces are self-explanatory, like dining room tables, from which the legs should be removed and wrapped up separately.
Keep all hardware and small pieces in sealable plastic bags that are clearly labeled. If there is a lot of hardware for one piece of furniture, it might be good to label each spot on it with a piece of packing tape that will correspond with the hardware. Make sure it’s easy and clear how to put the furniture back together so you don’t have a headache to deal with once you move in!
Wrap It Up
All furniture should be wrapped up appropriately according to what it is made of. Mattresses should be stored in special mattress bags and upholstered furniture should be shrinkwrapped. If you don’t have any shrink wrap handy, then heavy-duty blankets (such as specially made moving blankets) work well, too, but be sure to secure them tightly so the blankets don’t shift or come off during the move. Don’t use sheets or thin blankets – they will tear and get damaged easily. We recommend wrapping wood furniture in bubble wrap or blankets to protect it from dents and scratches.
Secure It in the Truck
Before you start loading things into the truck, put together a plan for how everything will fit in the best. (Click here for our post on how to pack a moving truck the right way.) The largest pieces should always go in first, but make sure they fit together well and fill in any empty spots, so nothing will shift around once the truck is in motion. You may even consider tying up anything that isn’t completely secure.
One of the biggest advantages of hiring a moving company to do it for you is that we know the best techniques for protecting every kind of furniture and how best to secure it in the truck so there will be no damages along the way. Our trucks are even specially padded on all sides so there is extra protection for your belongings.
Click here to learn more about our unique padded moving trucks!