Guide for packing large furniture
Packing is a big and challenging part of the moving process. And packing large furniture can be a real pickle. It’s big, you need to disassemble it and protect in order to transfer it safely. But try to make your moving day less hectic by gathering your packing supplies ahead of time. As you can assume, the easiest way to move this kind of items is to hire professional furniture movers. if you require, they can pack them for you as well. But if you decide to do it yourself, here are some tips you could use.
Materials for packing large furniture
- Packing tape
- Lots of packing paper
- Markers for labeling
- Scissors and maybe a razor blade
- Styrofoam peanuts and some bubble wrap
- Stretch wrap for cloth furniture
- Furniture blankets or regular ones
- Cardboard boxes in several sizes, from small to extra large
Don’t be afraid to leave something behind
Many of your old furniture has emotional value and that is perfectly understandable. On the other hand, moving is an ideal opportunity for getting rid of the things you don’t use or really need. If you decide to leave some things behind, that will reduce your moving costs and you will have more space at your new home. You can donate them, organize a garage sale or recycle them if they are unusable.
Measure your doorways and hallways
Before you start actually moving furniture, you need to make sure that everything will fit through doorways, hallways, stairwells, and elevators. Measure them properly and avoid carrying heavy furniture around more than necessary. Also, this way you will see if you need to take some pieces apart, or you can move them in one piece. For large pieces, like sofas or couches, you may need to remove doors before moving them. Start to remove table legs and drawers from tables and move them separately, in order to avoid damage. Additionally, you can use drawers as packing bins for your belongings.
Take pictures
This is a great idea, and not just for robust furniture but also for cables of your appliances. Remember, you’ll need to put the pieces of furniture back together again once you arrive at your new home. By taking pictures of the disassembling process, you will have a visual reminder of what things are supposed to look like and you will put pieces together easier. Our advice is to take multiple pictures to record each step of the process.
Tools and equipment
You will need some basic tools such as a screwdriver and adjustable spanner tools to disassemble legs, table tops, doors, and frames. Make sure to purchase some plastic bags for small parts and nuts, and markers for labeling them. For easier loading and packing large furniture, you should also consider renting a dolly along with straps. Your back will be grateful!
Disassemble first
Pieces of furniture you cannot move in one piece, you should disassemble before packing. This process will be time-consuming, so it’s to handle this first thing in the morning on a packing day, while you’re still feeling energetic. Remove all the parts that can be removed – table legs, glass tops, shelves or bed frames. Do one piece at a time and make sure you save the nuts, bolts, and washers. Put them in plastic bags and label with a permanent marker. Write down which piece it belongs to.
How to deal with the sofa
Sofa and bed are the most challenging pieces of large furniture you will deal with. Start by removing all of the cushions from a sofa and turn it onto its back. Then, unscrew the legs and place those and the cushions aside to pack and move separately. Use a flathead screwdriver and Remove the cushions and take apart the sofa by uncovering the frame. For start, remove all of the cushions and turn the sofa onto its back. Then, unscrew the legs and place them and the cushions aside to move separately. Use pliers and a flathead screwdriver to remove the staples that secure the covering to the bottom of the sofa.
- Roll the upholstery up, so that you can see the frame of the sofa.
- Furthermore, loosen the bolts or screws that secure the arms with a screwdriver or an Allen wrench. Then, roll up the upholstery far enough so that you can remove the arms.
- Remove the bolts that hold the seat and back of the sofa together and separate the pieces of the frame, just as you did with the arms.
- Now take pictures as mentioned before, so that you remember how to reassemble the sofa.
Wrapping time
The best way for packing large furniture and preparing it for the transfer is to wrap it carefully with pads or blankets. When packing and storing wooden furniture, make sure you wrap it up and protect properly, since it is very delicate. Of course, you can use old blankets that you already have or you can purchase or rent some moving blankets from a moving supply store. Start at one end and wrap around the entire surface of the piece. Make sure to cover the top and bottom of the item and especially protect the edges. And for larger pieces, you will probably need multiple blankets or pads.
Delicate furniture requires delicate care
Have in mind that if you cannot properly pack large furniture or some fragile pieces (or both), better ask your movers to help you out with that. You don’t have to pay for a full packing service, you can do it for only one or a few critical pieces. It won’t increase your moving costs radically, but they will provide you with special packaging that will fit perfectly your furniture. It will give you peace of mind, and that is absolutely priceless.