Moving is one of the most stressful events of your life. One thing you don’t need to stress about is damage to your furniture during the moving process. With a bit of preparation, you can get everything there safely with these tips from Cheap Movers Tampa (http://www.cheapmoverstampa.com/).
Gather Supplies
First, you need to gather supplies. You will need:
- bubble wrap
- a heavy-duty packing tape dispenser
- moving blankets or furniture pads
- boxes
- Ziploc bags
- a dolly
- plastic wrap
- a Sharpie marker
- large plastic furniture bags
All of these supplies can be purchased from a home improvement store. If you are looking to save money, you may be able to rent some of these supplies.
Protecting Your Possessions
Readying your furniture for the move should happen towards the end of your moving preparation. Your boxes should be almost packed, with only some essentials remaining. It will allow you to disassemble your furniture without having to do annoying little tasks like wrapping knick-knacks beforehand. It is especially important if you are renting equipment, as you will want to return the equipment as soon as possible.
Once you’ve packed your little stuff and gathered supplies, you are ready to start prepping your furniture. One mistake that people make is leaving their furniture intact and trying to wrap padding around it. It is better to disassemble your furniture as much as possible. For example, many kitchen tables have legs that can be easily removed. It will allow you to wrap your tabletop and table legs separately. Smaller pieces are easier to move, decreasing the likelihood that the table will catch on a corner and be damaged while moving it.
After you have disassembled your furniture into manageable pieces, store the hardware (screws, nuts, bolts, etc.). in a Ziploc bag. Label the bag (e.g., “kitchen table”), and tape the bag to the furniture, or put all of your labeled bags in one box.
Moving blankets and furniture pads are excellent for furniture with hard surfaces that you want to avoid scratching (tables, headboards, dressers, etc.). Wrap a furniture pad or moving blanket around your furniture, then secure the pad by wrapping plastic wrap tightly around it. Wrapping also helps to avoid any doors swinging open (on a refrigerator or armoire, for example). For soft furniture, furniture-sized plastic bags will keep the surface clean during the move. The bags work great for mattresses and may even work well for couches. However, it is a good idea to remove the feet from a sofa before placing it in a bag. Items that are very fragile, such as mirrors or glass tabletops, should be wrapped thoroughly in bubble wrap and taped around the outside.
Once your furniture is all prepped, remember to load the truck with the heaviest items at the bottom. Use ties to secure furniture and fragile items, so they don’t slide around in transit.
Hiring Professionals
There are a lot of reasons to consider leaving your move in the hands of professionals. Hiring a moving company eliminates much of the stress of moving. Professional movers are experienced and will know what to do to keep your possessions safe. They often have their supplies (like moving blankets and furniture pads), so you won’t have to worry about buying or renting your own. Also, they typically work more quickly than you would be able to on your own. Best of all, you won’t wake up in the morning with a sore back!
Whether you try it on your own or leave it to the experts, happy moving!