If you are moving from one unfurnished property to another, you are going to have to move furniture from A to B. You already have the stress of packing, plenty of paperwork and changing providers and you probably didn’t realise how difficult moving heavy furniture can be.
Furniture can often be heavy or an awkward size which means moving it out of one home to another can be tough. You will often need some extra hands to help you get it out and loaded onto a vehicle, ready to unload at your destination. There’s also the chance that someone could pick it up awkwardly and cause themselves an injury or it could cause damage to property or other belongings. These are all things you desperately want to avoid!
If you plan accordingly, however, then everything should go smoothly. Try not to leave things until the last minute and have a plan in place that leaves time to cover all eventualities. You need to plan how you are going to move these pieces of furniture out of your home and who is going to help you.
Do You Need It?
The important question is do you actually need the furniture? Does it hold any sentimental value? Could you replace it with something else?
If the answer to whether you need it is no, then you could always get rid of it. If it is in good condition, you should be able to sell it on websites such as eBay or Gumtree. You could even use Facebook Marketplace!
If you aren’t fussed about getting some money back for it, you could donate it – charity shops are often happy to take good quality furniture and some may even pick it up! There are also freecycling and reuse websites or groups where you can offer it up for free and find a new home for it.
Just make sure you are clear about its condition and don’t lie – people need to know exactly what they are getting.
Hire A Removal Company
If the prospect of moving heavy furniture is scaring you, then a professional removal company is the answer. Not only will they carry insurance which covers them in the event of an accident – both themselves and your property and possessions will be covered -, but they also have the equipment, staff, and vehicles for such a move and expertise too. They know the best way to get your belongings from A to B without damaging the items o themselves. If you let them know about parking and accessibility at both properties, they should be able to formulate a plan to get your items from A to B quickly and efficiently.
How To Move Heavy Furniture
There are many different types of heavy furniture but all tend to follow these simple steps for moving them.
First of all you want to give yourself plenty of time to move it. Don’t give yourself a tiny window of opportunity to do so as this just won’t happen. Measure the furniture and make sure those measurements are exact – you are looking for height, width, AND depth.
Can the furniture be dismantled into smaller pieces? If so, a move will be much easier but you need to make sure everything remains together so it can be easily assembled at your new home. Some removers actually offer this service as an additional extra so be sure to ask yours. Even if it cannot be taken apart, make sure you remove loose pieces such as shelves and drawers and anything inside it – you don’t want those rattling around in the vehicle and potentially breaking.
If it cannot be taken apart, you need to work out how you will get it out of your property. You don’t really want to be removing windows or doors but you might have to – use the measurements you have already taken to work out whether they will be able to fit through these gaps.
To actually move it, sliding is a much better option than carrying if you can. Put cardboard or towels under the furniture before sliding to avoid any scratching and damage to your flooring. If it cannot be slid across the floor, see if you can use some equipment to carry it such as dollies. Always move heavy furniture with someone else and have someone to guide you too – there is too much danger of injury if you try to do it on your own.
Speciality Pieces
We all have beds, sofas, and bedroom furniture such as wardrobes but some people also have speciality items such as grand pianos. These are incredibly difficult to move but also incredibly expensive to replace. A professional remover is definitely the best option in this case, thanks to their expertise and their insurance coverage. They will know the best way to move it to avoid damage – you really don’t want to be replacing special items like this, simply because you wanted to save money on moving costs!