Moving can be complicated and often puts a lot on your to do list. Packing is something few people enjoy, but overall, packing the small things is a lot easier than packing larger things such as furniture and appliances. Unlike your clothes, books, and kitchen dishes, packing these major components of your home needs to be done with a little extra care.
To keep your furniture and appliances still looking as good as the day they arrived in your home, you can take special steps in protecting these large items. Take apart beds frames and large tables when you can. Wrap up the headboard, glass table tops and other delicate furniture in blankets and furniture moving pads.
If you have large sofas and sectionals, you may also be able to take them apart. Many of these couches come disassembled when ordered online and arrive in boxes. Find the snaps or clamps that allow you to place sectionals together and separate the couch into smaller sections for easier movement. If you feel confident that you can disassemble the furniture further without damaging it (and have the instructions handy to put it back together), then you can make sofa even smaller so it can fit through doorways.
Getting Furniture Ready to Ship
When compared with shipping appliances, shipping furniture seems to be a little easier, but is still challenging. Properly breaking down furniture with the proper tools helps to assure that the parts of each furniture piece stay safe and protected while in transit. You will need basic tools such as screwdrivers and wrenches in order to take furniture apart. Plastic storage bags and tape will also help you properly label your furniture and be sure that all the right pieces are kept near the main part of the piece. Any screws or small pieces, such as the legs off a chair or couch can be put inside a plastic bag and taped onto the main part of the furniture piece. Legs can also be further protected by wrapping them in newspaper or other protective wrap.
Individual parts of the furniture can be put inside of boxes. It is a good idea to use bubble wrap to prevent the pieces from sliding around. Corners should be reinforced with extra cardboard and masking tape as well to prevent scratching. Furniture pads can also be used for protection.
Sometimes it is easier to move smaller contents such as clothes or other things kept in drawers by leaving these items where they are. If this happens, entire drawers, including their contents can be put in large plastic bags and labeled to simplify unpacking later. Plastic bags are also a good way to pack pillows and throws to keep them clean throughout the moving process.
Moving Appliances
It can be somewhat more difficult to move major appliances versus furniture items. Usually, the ability to disassemble a washer, dryer, dishwasher, stove, or refrigerator is more limited. Before you attempt to pack and move these items to a new home, they will need to be measured and the width of the entryways in your new home will need to be measured as well to assure that everything will fit.
Regardless of what appliance is shipping, it needs to be clean before it ships.
Moving a fridge:
Refrigerators should be defrosted, and should be empty and unplugged for at least 24 hours before being shipped. Individual drawers and bins can be removed, packed, and labeled to be shipped separately to prevent them from moving around in transit.
Moving a stove:
Stoves also need to be cleaned, and racks and burners can be removed and labeled to prevent them from moving around. If you have a gas stove, be careful that you have completely turned off the gas before trying to move the stove. If possible, get assistance from the gas company for this part. Doors should be taped shut before it is sent to a new location
Moving a dishwasher:
The best way to clean a dishwasher is to run it one last time with nothing in it using hot water and detergent. Racks can be taken out and packaged separately if the shipping company prefers. The door should be taped shut on this as well.
Moving a washer & dryer:
Packing a washer and dryer properly depends on the directions in your owner’s manual. which will give you instruction on how to properly disconnect hoses. As with the stove, it is wise to seek the advice or assistance of the gas company before disconnecting a gas dryer. All doors should be properly taped before sending off your washer and dryer.
Get Professional Appliance and Furniture Movers for Your Moving Day
It is easy to get nervous shipping these large items, and one way to make your life easier and stress-free is by hiring a professional furniture moving company such as Liberty Moving. We have the equipment to pack and move large furniture and appliances safely so they are still in top shape when they arrive at your new home whether it is located across the street or across the country.
Whether you need help with your furniture moving in long island, NYC, Westchester, or any borough, we’ve got you covered!
Contact us to get a free specialty moving quote for moving all your large items.
