Getting ready to relocate? If so, your furniture is one of the things that you need to think about. Working with professional state-to-state movers is obviously the easiest way to move furniture to a different state. But if you learn how to handle it safely, you can load it into a moving truck and drive it to your new home.
Loading and carrying furniture can be hard, and you need to know what you should take care of to move it safely, especially if you’re going over state lines during transit. Here’s a look at some of the things you need to do in order to move furniture safely between states, especially if you are not using professional furniture movers.
Carry Tall Items Flat
Do you have a bookshelf or other tall item that you need to take out to the truck? If it doesn’t disassemble, then you want to do your best to carry it flat, with the long side parallel to the ground. If it has an opening or doors, be sure that those are facing the ceiling so they don’t open as you carry the item.
This position makes it less difficult to carry; it won’t feel as awkward in your hands, and you’ll be less likely to hit doorframes or ceilings as you walk through the house. It’ll prevent both injuries and damage, which will make moving day a little less scary to sort out.
Consider Furniture Shoulder Straps
Furniture shoulder straps are a useful thing to have, especially if there are only a couple of you that are trying to move furniture together. These straps sit on your shoulders, as the name suggests, and allow you to lift furniture with ease through the use of physics and your strength.
You hook up the shoulder straps (the way you do this will vary based on how many people are lifting the item in question) and put the long straps underneath the piece of furniture. Then, the center of gravity of the furniture is lowered, which will make it easier for you to lift the item.
You can rent these or purchase them. Many national moving companies that rent packing supplies and/or moving vans and trucks may have these as an available rental as well.
Rent or Buy Furniture Blankets to Protect Furniture
Furniture blankets are a really important consideration to consider if you’ve got a lot of furniture that you’re loading into the truck or van that you’ve rented. Furniture can bump into each other and get damaged during transit (especially if you’ll be on interstates or other roads with a 55+ speed limit) and you want to prevent that as much as possible.
You don’t need to wrap the entire piece of furniture in a blanket – but you want to wrap the corners and anything that may be touching another piece of furniture. This will add an extra layer of protection, and you won’t be disappointed because of damages when you arrive to your new home.
Load Furniture First
The easiest way to load up your moving van or truck is to start with the biggest and bulkiest items before you load anything else. Of course, this is going to be your furniture, so you need to prep it and make sure that it’s ready to be loaded first.
Position your furniture in the moving truck in a way that makes it easy to maneuver and that is going to allow you to remove it easily when you arrive at your destination, as well. And, as mentioned above, be sure that you use furniture blankets so that everything stays safe.
Disassemble As Much As You Can
Many people don’t realize that you can disassemble a lot of different pieces of furniture. Recliner chairs, desks, desk chairs, some dressers, and bed frames are just a few of the things that you are likely to be able to disassemble.
Be sure that you know where your toolbox is on moving day so that you can take things apart. If there are items you don’t need the night before, you may be better served by disassembling items the night before.
If you’ve hired a moving company to assist you with loading your moving van or truck, you want to ask them if they offer disassembly services. Some cross-country moving companies will do it for an extra charge; other state to state movers may include it as part of their moving fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you move heavy furniture on your own?
There are all sorts of ways in which you can move heavy furniture on your own, but it’s typically not recommended. If you absolutely must, then you want to use straps (which we mentioned above), dollies, and/or furniture sliders to make sure that you do it safely.
Should you pay extra to hire furniture movers?
Honestly, it’s a lot safer and faster for you to hire a furniture moving company to load and unload your furniture. They have a large enough team to take care of everything, and they have tools and techniques that make moving furniture a lot safer than it would have been, as well.
Do furniture sliders work on carpets or rugs?
Sometimes. It depends on how thick the carpet/rug may be, and what type of sliders that you’ve purchased. If a slider doesn’t work, you may want to get a dolly or some other item that you can lift the furniture onto before trying to move it out to the moving truck or moving van.
Furniture Moving Made Easy
Everyone has a lot of furniture, and it can often be the most difficult thing to move. But, with some help and planning, you can be sure that your furniture is being moved as it should be. It’ll get to your new home in your new state more easily, and you can set it up and be ready to enjoy your new home.
