There are countless reasons why one might need to move furniture. You may want to reorganize your space, change the layout of a room, or even redecorate. Or maybe you just bought a new apartment, and you want to ensure it has everything you need for your new life.
Whatever your reason for moving furniture is, there’s no reason why it should be difficult or tiring when done with proper preparation and technique. What follows are eight tips on moving heavy furniture pieces without the need for local movers in your area code. Keep in mind that these tips will not only help you move your furniture, but they will also help prevent injury and damage.
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Remove Any Obstacles
Before moving your furniture, make sure there are no obstacles in your movement area. If you have an odd piece of furniture that won’t fit through a doorway, then clear out any space that would get in the way. Don’t stress over every little item or thing that might get stepped on or tripped over.
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Dress The Part
There’s no reason why you should be wearing your full pants and a shirt when doing any moving. Some people are prone to muscle pain and back issues after moving furniture, and it is best to avoid this by making sure that your wardrobe consists of comfortable clothes.
I also advise against fashion-oriented furniture movers. They’ll spend all of their time looking at their shoes, which is a bad idea since it creates distractions when moving, which could lead to injury.
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Protect Your Furniture And The Premises
Moving furniture is not just about the process of moving it. It’s also vital to take precautionary measures to protect your furniture and premises. This includes keeping an eye on any baseboards that you might be moving furniture over or around.
If you are concerned about scratching the flooring, it may be best to place a piece of cardboard under each leg of your furniture before moving it into place.
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Get Equipped
In addition to a wardrobe conducive to moving, you will also want to make sure you have everything else necessary for the task. This includes things like a screwdriver, pliers, a hammer, nails, screws (if needed), and anything else that you might need to assemble or disassemble your furniture.With such tools around, the moving process will be much easier. You’ll also want to make sure you have some sort of bag or box to place your furniture in to be easily transported by hand.
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Remove Loose Items or Items Inside Furniture
Before moving furniture, you’ll want to make sure loose items such as books, magazines, or other items are removed. There are also several things you may want to remove inside of your heavy furniture.
This includes dishes inside cabinets and computers inside desks. This makes it easier to move your furniture since it’s less likely to get broken or scratched in the process and reduces the furniture’s weight significantly.
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Disassemble Large Items
It’s not always about the furniture you’re moving, but also the furniture you’re moving it to. If your move is to a room with smaller furniture, such as an entertainment center or a large bookshelf, then it may be best to disassemble these pieces first so that they can be assembled when you bring them into their new location quickly and properly.
Dismantling furniture before moving and assembling it is almost like having two moves done for one price.
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Carry Tall Furniture Using A High-low Technique
Moving furniture can be difficult if you’re doing it yourself. One of the most challenging pieces of furniture to move is tall furniture such as a wardrobe or a large bookshelf. While you could use a technique similar to the Eiffel Tower method, I find it easier to use the high-low technique.
You carry it on your shoulder, similar to how a firefighter might carry an injured person over his shoulders. The high-low method also allows you to control your movement more effectively, which helps prevent injury.
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Use Shoulder Dollies
If your furniture is too large to lift by yourself, you’ll want to use a shoulder dolly. This will allow you to carry heavy pieces of furniture without the need for extra steps and heavy lifting. If your furniture is not very heavy, then smaller versions of this tool can help you move it from one place to another.
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Slide Instead Of Dragging
Moving furniture by hand may put you into some injury, but it can also be dangerous if you’re using a technique such as dragging or pushing. The best way to move furniture is to use the slide method, which involves moving your furniture forward and backward without lifting it off the ground. This technique keeps your furniture stable and prevents damage to it or the floors.
