How to move furniture Easily
No matter where or how you live, you inevitably have some heavy furniture that you’ll need to carry when moving out of a home and moving into a new one. If you have to move a piano or hot tub, it is crucial to be extra careful. Now, we’re going to go out on a limb and assume that you don’t have the physical requirements and technique to lift heavy furniture easily from point A to point B. We, here at California Loyal Movers, have got your (not broken) back with this article where we listed our 5 tips on how to move heavy furniture!
1. Drag your furniture instead of lifting it
For furniture pieces like couches, chairs or tables, put plastic sliders on your furniture legs to slide them. You can also use a moving pad or a large piece of flattened cardboard, as well as a moving blanket that you wrap around furniture to protect them from scratches and dents. Simply put the furniture on the blanket spread out on the ground and drag the furniture–this allows you to not do any lifting, plus it eliminates any chance of dropping and damaging the furniture.
2. Invest in tools that help you lift your furniture
There are two main devices that can help you lift heavy furniture more easily:
Moving straps: These lifting straps can be adjusted for objects of different lengths, as well as for movers of different sizes. They help reduce weight strain on your arms. You can buy or rent some either at home centres or online.
Moving dollies: They are really useful if you’re moving extra heavy items like appliances. They also allow to easily move heavy loads up and down stairs and curbs. You can buy or rent some, either at home centres or online. One word of caution though; avoid using a dolly with items that are higher than chest-level.
3. Carry tall items high and low
With the help of another person, carry tall furniture from the top and the bottom. Tip the item backward at an angle and one person carries the top while the other carries the bottom. This allows for the item to be centred and keeps it from swinging out of control. This also makes it easier to carry in stairs.
4. Protect your furniture
If you are moving fragile or special item, you must be extra caring! Use moving pads and large bands to tie them on to protect your wood furniture, which you can rent. You can also buy professional grade shrink wrap to protect upholstered furniture.
Moreover, it is crucial to protect your floors, especially if they are hardwood, tile, vinyl or carpeted. You can use large pieces of thick cardboard to cover the exit pathways of your home appliances, or place protective sheets of durable polyethylene on passages where you know there will be a lot of traffic. That way, you can avoid incurring expensive home repairs right after moving into your new home. You should also pay close attention to your walls when moving your large appliances, as they can be in danger of property damage as well.
Finally, for large appliances like your refrigerator, dishwasher, or washing machine, it’s imperative that you clean and dry them before moving to avoid the accumulation of mildew and mould. If you have glass items then check out the best way to pack glass items easily and effectively.
5. Use specific techniques to move certain types of furniture
To move couches through doorways, carry them vertically on their side. If the couch is a bit taller than the door opening, start with the top away from the door so that you gain several inches of clearance.
To move large chairs, turn them on their side, so that they are in an “L” shape. Move the back first around the corner and out the doorway.
For mattresses, you might have noticed that some of them have handles. These handles are not made for carrying, but they can be used to do just that. Thread a rope through these handles, then slip pieces of PVC pipe over the rope ends, loop and tie each end to create a sling. This way, you can get a good grip on the mattress. You can also purchase a plastic mattress bag to put over the mattress to make sure that it does not get dirty during the move.