You’ve finished all of the paperwork and are finally ready to move into your new home. Pure excitement fills your mind as you imagine your new life. All of a sudden, that enthusiasm is replaced with sheer dread as you start planning the actual move. Before you make any rash decisions in your bout of disappointment, it’s essential to get a few things squared away.
First and foremost, you have to ensure that your furniture arrives at your new place in one piece. After all, buying new furniture isn’t exactly a cost you can handle following such an expensive move. Let’s explore a few strategies you can use to avoid damaging your furniture when moving into your new place.
Disassemble your furniture.
There’s a good chance that some of your furniture have individual pieces that take up less room when taken apart. Before you begin placing chairs, coffee tables, couches, and other furniture in the moving van, be sure to disassemble any item that you can.
A lot of sofas and chairs have legs that you can unscrew, and some tables have leaves that you can remove. This preparation won’t only make these larger items manageable to move, but it will also decrease the chances of protruding pieces causing or incurring damage.
Cover your furniture for extra cushioning.
Another critical piece of moving prep is covering your furniture with a protective layer. During the move, your belongings will be stacked and constantly bumping, rubbing, and hitting each other. The best way to protect against the scratches that can develop is by placing some cushions over your furniture. Trash bags, blankets, and towels are great everyday items that you can use to achieve this goal.
Be careful when loading and unloading.
Other than being transported, your furniture is at a high risk of being damaged during loading and unloading.
To keep your belongings in tip-top shape, be deliberate and careful when moving furniture in and out of your property and truck. Never take more than you can carry and always proceed slowly with caution. Use straps, counterweights, and grips if needed. The last thing you want to do is drop a valuable piece of furniture right before moving into your new place.
Resist the urge to take one trip.
If you’re moving to a nearby location, there’s no reason to risk damaging your furniture by stuffing your vehicle full of belongings. Resist the urge to move in one trip and be deliberate about how you organize and stack your stuff. While that chair could fit perfectly on your coffee table, it’s not worth having a scuffed surface for the next few years. If you don’t have the luxury of moving locally, make sure you invest in a moving truck large enough to safely handle all of your furniture.
Consider hiring professional furniture movers.
It may not be in your budget, but if at all possible, you may want to hire furniture movers. A professional moving company already has the truck, equipment, and manpower to move furniture, so you won’t have to borrow or rent a truck, buy or rent equipment, or wrangle friends into spending their time helping you move. Hiring a furniture moving company is also ideal if you have any health issues or existing back pain. Keep in mind that local movers typically charge hourly rates, with a two- or three-hour minimum, while long-distance movers will price the move by the weight or volume of the furniture being shipped.