10 Top Tips For Moving Heavy Furniture To Your New Home (And When To Call In The Experts)

In this post we’re going to explore top tips for moving heavy furniture when moving house and why you should consider calling in a removals expert.

Moving house is a stressful event with lots to plan and organise. From packing your items into boxes to calling up removals companies and cancelling or rearranging service providers.

But perhaps the most arduous task of all which most people forget is the actual moving element.

Lugging around big boxes and attempting to move heavy or difficult to lift furniture yourself can put a strain on your back and cause injuries.

We appreciate many of you will want to get on top of your move as early as possible but you need to be safe and ensure you do not go beyond your own physical limits.

If you’re insisting on undertaking the move yourself or at least some parts of it we’ve put together the following tips to help assist you:

Plan ahead

As the old saying goes ‘failure to plan is planning to fail’.

Draw up a loose blueprint of where your items are going and how you are going to attempt to remove them.

It doesn’t have to be an elaborate MI5-esque document. A loose pencil drawing of where items will go and what methods you will use to transport them will sufice.

Measure furniture

Following on from the above point you need to do your measurements.

What fitted in your dining room in one property might not fit in your new home, particularly if you happen to be downsizing.

Get a tape measurer/ruler or whatever tool you have and measure every item of furniture accurately.

Ensure access

This week’s top moving tip:

Ensure your removals men have access to the property.

That relates to both your existing and new property.

If there are any large/difficult items you might need to plan alternative access routes for them or risk damaging the items/property. pic.twitter.com/AVTzGt2mGw

— GoodMove Moving & Storage Ltd (@Good_MoveLtd) February 27, 2019

Some bulky items that have been assembled will take careful planning and tact to remove.

Big armchairs and corner sofas can present logistical challenges that may only be account for by making changes to the house.

If you can remove doors or provide more room to pivot do so. But be careful not to break anything or put it in a state of disrepair as you are leaving the property for someone else.

Use proper equipment

Moving house is a lot easier a process when you have the right tools.

Many can be bought at low cost or borrowed from removals companies.

Some important items to help you get the job done include:

• Sliders – why lift when you can slide? Sliders slip under each leg and corner of furniture without big legs and can be used to simply push the item along hard or ceramic surfaces with minimum fuss
• Moving straps – These handy little straps connect to your shoulders and help take off some of the downward force of the furniture off of your back and onto stronger muscle groups.
• A moving dolly – Basically a trolly that you can use like a mini forklift truck to scoop up certain items securely wheel them across floors and place them down again.

Protect your items

Use bubble wrap and other protective materials to protect your furniture from damage.

Chair legs and the corners of sofas often get scratched when brushing up against walls going up and down stairs or out of tight spaces.

Have a layer of protection will ensure they do not receive any damage and that they arrive in your new home in the same condition.

Enjoying this post? Why not read our blog post on Is Friday The Best Day Of The Week To Move House?

Use the ‘high and low’ method

The ‘high and low’ method is a useful way of moving furniture which are tall or are taller than you.

You’ll need someone to help you lift the item but you can then tilt the furniture in a backwards forward direction.

One person takes the upper part while the other lifts from the bottom. It’s useful for moving beds but can also be used for bulky items of furniture.

Lift correctly

We can’t stress enough how important it is that you lift items correctly.

Otherwise you risk causing yourself or others an injury.

Spread your feet apart to give your body a wide base of support.

Avoid putting undue pressure on your back by bending at the knees and not squatting or stopping down low.

Moving heavy furniture downstairs

via GIPHY

When moving items up and down stairs it is particularly important that you take extra care as you can slip or damage the item when working in confined spaces.

The safest way to move items downstairs is to enlist help and make the item as light as possible.

Communication is key. If the item is really heavy or difficult to move consider using a specialist tool like a winch

which can be fixed to the wall to help lighten the load or pivot the item.

Dismantle as much as possible

Some items of furniture can be dismantled and reassembled at relative ease.

Keep instructions for furniture assembly in a safe place and start to dismantle anything which you are not planning to use ahead of your move.

Even part removing shelves, legs and drawers can lighten the load significantly and make furniture easier to move.

Don’t try to be a hero

The last thing you want to do after moving to a new home is get injured straight away and spend the first few months hauled up on the sofa you incorrectly lifted!

Assess each item of furniture on a case-by-case basis.

If something appears more difficult than you first imagined or you are having difficulties, reassess it. Don’t attempt to move it and hurt yourself.

This is where having a removals company onside that knows what it is doing is indispensable.

So When Should I Call In A Removals Company?

Yes removals companies cost money but ask yourself how much more will I stand to lose if injure myself and I am laid off work.

You might already work in an industry where you lift heavy items daily, but many basic household possessions like fridges and furniture like sofas need specific knowledge.

Having professional help from a removals company can ensure you avoid any mishaps on the day and don’t do yourself an injury.

Removals companies use specialized equipment and methods in order to protect your furniture, and ensure that your possessions do not get damaged during transportation.

GoodMove Furniture Removals

GoodMove is an Essex-based removals service offering full or part load removals and storage services to destinations throughout Essex and the rest of the UK.

Our expert removals team have the knowledge and experience to carry just about any move, no matter how big or small.

We offer bespoke services including furniture removals and storage at our secure units in Horkesley.

To find out more about any of our services don’t hesitate to give us a call or fill out a contact form.