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How to Move Heavy Furniture by Yourself
By Susan Doktor MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
Moving heavy furniture is a daunting task, especially when you’re doing it alone. Whether you’re rearranging your home or moving to a new one, lifting and moving heavy furniture can be physically exhausting and potentially dangerous if not done correctly.
To ensure a successful and injury-free move, you need a strategy. Below you will find a thorough guide on how to move heavy furniture by yourself. By following these steps, you can ensure a successful move without the risk of injury or damage to your furniture.
Table of Contents
- Steps to Moving Furniture By Yourself
- What Are the Best Professional Moving Services
- How To Move Heavy Furniture By Yourself FAQs
- Summary of Our Guide on How to Move Heavy Furniture By Yourself
Steps to moving furniture by yourself
Step 1: Take measurements
“That overstuffed leather couch got in there. Of course I can get it out!” Not so fast, grasshopper. It may have been very tough to get it in there: carrying it up a staircase and navigating a low ceiling, turning tight corners and squeezing through multiple doorways. That’s why you need a strategy when moving large pieces of furniture. And having a strategy starts with measuring.
Whether you’re moving something in or moving something out of a room, you have your work cut out for you. Before attempting to move a sofa, for example, be sure to find out how tall, deep, and wide it is. (You already know it’s heavy!) Next, you’ll have to measure the entire path your sofa will take to its new location. That includes doorway measurements, hallway widths, and ceiling heights. Comparing these measurements will not only assure you that your piece of furniture won’t get stuck en route, it will also provide you with clues on how to position items so that they clear any obstructions. You may need to switch how you carry an item through different parts of your home. Having measurements in hand will help you anticipate any changes in your carrying techniques.
Step 2: Get help
This one’s obvious: you’d need four hands and four feet to move a sofa, sideboard, or dining room table by yourself. But that’s what friends and family are for. As part of your planning, make it a priority to enlist the help of at least one able-bodied person. The more muscle the better.
Choose your helpers not only on the basis of how strong they are, but also on their habits and character. Find someone who can roll with the punches without getting super-frustrated. And choose someone you know to be very careful and conscientious — someone who takes the time to think things through and completes every task to the best of his or her ability. This is a great time to enlist your perfectionist friends. You want to work with someone who will have the utmost respect for your property — someone who will move slowly and take care not to bang up your doorways, walls, and banisters.
Step 3: Remove the extra weight
If you’re moving a sofa, you can minimize its weight and make it easier to handle by removing any loose cushions from it. Have a couple of screwdrivers handy when you move heavy furniture. Check to see if you can reduce the weight of what you’re carrying by removing any doors attached to it.
Glass front cabinets are especially delicate and you can reduce the risk of their getting damaged by removing their display doors before moving. Wrap glass doors in bubble wrap and move them separately.
If you’re moving a bookcase or shelving unit, remove the shelves beforehand. That will not only reduce the item’s weight, but also prevent shelves from sliding out as you tip the piece of furniture.
If you’re faced with the unpleasant task of moving a refrigerator, removing its door is a smart move. While you’re at it, remove shelves, racks, and drawers to keep them from rattling around and breaking. If you choose not to remove a fridge’s door, be sure to tape the door shut to prevent it from swinging as you move it.
Step 4: Disassemble the large items
Disassembling heavy pieces of furniture when possible will not only lighten your load, but also make manipulating the item around sharp corners and carrying it up and down stairs easier.
Remove the legs from dining and kitchen tables and wrap them separately for safe transport.
Beds should be separated into their component parts before moving. Detach the headboard and footboard from your bed frame. Then disassemble the frame itself, removing slats and side rails. Moving mattresses can be tricky due to their bulk and large dimensions. Boxsprings are much lighter but still present challenges due to their inflexibility.
When disassembling furniture, make extra sure to keep track of screws, nuts, bolts, brackets, and other hardware. Separate hardware by item then put them in labeled bags or containers. Don’t just throw them all in one bag and leave it to memory. Sorting screws can be a nightmare and will slow you down when it comes time to reassemble your furniture.
Step 5: Use moving tools (if it is possible)
Having some professional moving tools on hand can make the job of moving heavy furniture easier and safer. Depending on the piece of furniture you’re moving, you can simplify the job by having a hand truck or furniture dolly to assist. A ramp can help you make quick work of moving furniture up small flights of stairs. Hoisting straps can save the day if a piece of furniture won’t fit through a door: you then have the option of moving them through a first-floor window.
If you use a hand truck or moving dolly, make sure you have sturdy moving straps available to secure furniture to these rolling objects. Straps prevent furniture from slipping forward, falling off, and injuring you in the process.
Many people find using furniture sliders (also known as furniture gliders) a big help. Furniture sliders are small discs, usually made of plastic, topped with a non-slip cushioning materials. They can be used to glide furniture over lengths of floor or carpeting without damaging either. Felt furniture sliders are probably the most protective, but will only be useful on smooth surfaces like tile or hardwood floors.
Step 6: Use proven techniques
When executing a heavy furniture move, the first thing you should concern yourself with is your own safety and the safety of your helpers. Moving furniture comes with the risk of injury, but with advanced planning, you can minimize the danger of getting hurt.
Naturally, you want to be sure that the path you’re taking is free of any obstructions or obstacles. A stray piece of Lego or a throw rug can be your undoing when moving heavy furniture.
Plan on wearing textured or rubber work gloves when you handle furniture. They’ll not only protect your hands, but also give you a surer grip on the item you’re moving. Wear sturdy, closed shoes when you attempt to move furniture. If you have a pair of steel-toed boots, even better.
When lifting heavy objects, let your leg muscles power your movements. Unfortunately, back strains are very common when you rely on your back and not your legs for strength. Your choice of muscle groups can make a major difference in how well your body handles the task of lifting and carrying heavy furniture.
Step 7: Wrap your furniture
Moving large, cumbersome pieces of furniture can be tough on both the item itself and your home. During a move, an errant table corner can take a bite out of your plaster or drywall. That’s no fun: nobody needs spackling, sanding, and painting on their to-do lists.
Large pieces of furniture are also subject to damage while in transport. Moving trucks are often dirty. Your white sofa probably won’t survive a trip in one without getting soiled, unless it is properly wrapped. The same applies to wooden furniture and glass table tops.
In addition to having bubble wrap as part of your wrapping tool kit, invest in a couple of moving blankets or furniture pads. They’re available at such stores as Harbor Freight and Home Depot and carry a nominal price tag — especially when compared to the cost of repairing or replacing furniture.
Step 8: Load very carefully
If your heavy furniture is destined to be moved out of your home to another location, it’s important to use good loading techniques. Ideally, your moving vehicle will be equipped with a lift or a ramp to make loading easier.
A near empty truck can be more hazardous to your furniture than a packed-to-the-gills truck. Items are subject to shifting, sliding, and falling unless they are wedged against other pieces of furniture or very securely tied down. Some moving trucks come equipped with built-in moving straps, while others just feature permanent loops to which you’ll need to attach your own straps. So have some extra straps on hand. If you rent a truck, you never know what you’ll get.
If you’re moving multiple items in a truck, it’s important to place them strategically in order to distribute the weight of the furniture and other items properly. Place your largest and heaviest items against the walls of the truck and fill in the gaps with smaller items.
Step 9: Create a plan for unloading
Remember all those measurements you took when creating a plan to move your furniture from room to room or out of your house entirely? To avoid unpleasant surprises, the best strategy is to repeat the same process at your furniture’s destination. Once again, make note of any tricky spots you’re likely to encounter, such as narrow hallways, sharp turns, and low ceilings.
If you used a hand truck, dolly, or ramps to move your furniture out, be sure to take that equipment with you to your unloading location. Once you arrive, do a walk-through of your furniture’s new home to be sure all floors and hallways along your moving path are clear of obstructions. Protect walls and banisters as best you can. And if your path in is more complicated than your path out was, you may want to enlist another helper or two to smooth the way.
Finally, keep an eye on the weather. If you arrive at your destination when it’s raining or snowing, it’s best to delay unloading your furniture if possible until the skies clear up.
What are the best professional moving services?
There are thousands of moving companies and moving truck rental services in the US, from local mom-and-pop shops to multi-national moving giants. Which moving company is right for you? That depends on what you’re moving, how far you’re moving, and whether you’ve decided you need help with the task of moving your heavy items. Your choice may also be dictated by budget concerns. Sometimes a DIY approach is your best option, at least from a cost perspective.
We recommend you consider all of the logistical angles before making a decision on which path to take. Do you have a crew of able-bodied friends who are willing to help you load and unload your truck? Do you have or can you rent a suitable vehicle to transport your furniture? Are you comfortable driving such a vehicle? Then you may be able to move your furniture on your own.
But if you’re moving your furniture a great distance, friends may be hard to find. If you’re moving a great deal of furniture, along with boxes and boxes full of personal belongings, you may not be able to rent a truck you not only feel you can handle, but is also large enough to accommodate your stuff. Are you also transporting a car to your new destination? If so, you may need to drive it yourself. These are several of the reasons you may want to hire a long distance moving company.
Finding a reputable mover takes a little bit of work — and you definitely don’t want to hire a disreputable one. At a minimum, you should take the following steps to vet any moving company you’re considering:
- Look up the moving company on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s website to assure yourself that the company operates safely.
- Check in with the Better Business Bureau to see if the company is accredited and/or rated by the organization.
- Read customer reviews of the company on Trustpilot, if available. Check for Google reviews and ratings, too.
- Go to the company’s website and poke around a little. Does the company publish its DOT number prominently? That’s a number you’ll need to check its FMCSA record.
- Is the company transparent about pricing? Will it provide a free estimate and on what basis will the estimate be given?
- Will the company provide you with a sample moving contract?
- What insurance options does the company offer?
How to move heavy furniture by yourself FAQs
Summary of Our Guide on How to Move Heavy Furniture By Yourself
Here are the key points to remember from our guide:
- Safety is your number one priority when moving heavy furniture. Use proper lifting techniques and wear protective clothing, including textured gloves and hard, closed-toe shoes. Moving day isn’t the day to wear your Converse All Stars.
- Get help — and not just any kind of help. Enlist people who can manage the physical challenge of moving heavy furniture while also taking necessary precautions.
- Make sure you have the right tools on hand to move heavy furniture. A hand truck, a furniture dolly, and ramps are some of the hardware items you should assemble.
- Disassemble furniture when possible to lighten your load.
- Depending on the specific furniture pieces you’re moving, you’ll also need to invest in moving blankets, moving straps, bubble wrap, plastic sheeting, and tape. Wrap your furniture with the appropriate materials before moving to prevent dings, dents, dirt, and other kinds of damage along the way.
- Borrow or rent the right sized vehicle for your move.
- Consider whether, in the long run, it makes good sense for you to move your heavy furniture on your own, or whether hiring a professional moving company would be the better choice in the long run.
