If you’re moving any heavy items from one home to another, it’s best to leave the task to experienced movers.
But if you just have to do it without any type of professional assistance, you’re going to know how to move big furniture pieces and heavy household appliances.
Follow this guide to learn the best way to learn heavy items as safely as possible.
When most people think about moving household goods, they usually visualize muscular burly men trying to lift and move around beds, wardrobes, desks, sofas, couches, bookcases, refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers, cookers, etc.
And since there are such bulky and massive items in almost every house, this general picture is not really far from the truth.
It’s probably best if you leave such overweight or awkwardly shaped possessions for professional movers – not only do they have tons of moving experience and the proven know-how to handle them, but they are also insured.
However, if your budget is tight and you can’t afford to get the help of relocation experts, here are some great pointers on how to pack and move heavy items on your own.
Needless to say, every successful moving experience starts with good preparation.
Here’s how to move heavy items by yourself.
Preparation stage
Dollies are professional movers’ best helpers for a reason.
The packing supplies you will need:
clean boxes of assorted sizes, in good condition
plenty of bubble wrap
furniture blankets (or furniture padding)
packing tape
shrink-wrap
considerable lengths of rope
plastic sealable bags
a pair of scissors
work gloves
sturdy shoes, preferably with anti-slip soles
Also, you’re going to have to get some special equipment as well:
a dolly
furniture moving pads (Sliders)
a set of tools (for removing hinges, doors, drawers, etc.)
And most importantly, having at least two pairs of helping hands is a must.
Begin the preparation process as soon as possible:
Make a foolproof plan: go through each room of your house and note down the pieces of bulky furniture or household appliances that may turn out to be a sizeable problem when moving.
Measure their dimensions, and the ones of the doorways and other entrances, with the help of a measuring tape.
Figure out the best theoretical exit of your bulky items out of the house by comparing the dimensions once you’re ready with the list.
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Take good care of your bed and mattress, and in return, they’ll make sure you have a good night’s sleep.
The usual method of transporting your mattress on your own is either to secure it on the top of your car (only applicable when you’re moving a short distance away) or to load it onto a rented moving truck.
Remove and pack the bedding separately.
Protect the mattress from dirt, tears, moisture, or any possible damage by wrapping it in thick plastic or placing it inside a special mattress bag.
Use 2 long pieces of strong rope – wrap around the length of the mattress three times with the first piece and then use the second piece to circle around the mattress width as many times as you can. Make sure you have enough rope left to tie the ends.
Place the mattress in the middle of the car roof and secure the end of the first piece of rope under the front of your car and the second end under its back. The rope knots of both ends should be safely tied.
Open all the car windows (except for the driver’s side) and loop the second piece of rope over the width of the mattress and through the open windows. Repeat this twice and then tie the rope ends together.
Remember that the driver’s window should not be roped since it has to be able to open and close freely.
Make sure the mattress is well fastened to the roof, and you’re ready to go. If you have moving helpers with you, you can ask them to ride along and hold the mattress with one hand through the passenger side and back windows for extra security.
Disassemble the bed frame by following the construction manual.
Remove the contents of the drawers if the bed has a storage frame, then take the drawers out too.
Wrap the pieces of the bed frames and the drawers in furniture blankets and take all of them to the transportation vehicle.
Move the king-size bed itself. Most king-size beds are 80 inches by 76 inches, and doorways are usually about 80 inches in height, which means that you shouldn’t have big trouble fitting your bed through the door.
Tilt the bed at an angle if you need just a few extra inches. In reality, tight corners or winding staircases pose a bigger challenge than your bedroom door.
Make sure you have at least two friends to help you maneuver the bed out of your house.
Try to plan a few steps ahead and don’t forget to wear your work gloves.
Wardrobes, dressers, and desks should be emptied of their contents before any relocation attempts.
Remove everything that can be removed from inside your wardrobe, dresser, or desk – personal belongings, shelves, drawers, etc. to avoid possible damage to the unit. Pack your stuff in suitable boxes, while wrapping the furniture elements separately in blankets.
Be mindful that if their doors are made of glass or seem fragile, you’ll need to take them down too, then wrap them carefully in bubble wrap or blankets for safe transportation.
Do not tape any drawers or doors shut since packing tape is hard on wood surfaces and will, in most cases, ruin the finish. If they can be locked, this will eliminate the need to apply any tape to keep them from opening during transit. If they can’t, you are encouraged to use shrink-wrap purchased from a moving store or any office supply shop.
Keep any screws or tiny elements in sealable plastic bags so that they don’t go missing during the relocation process.
Wrap your stripped-down wardrobe, dresser, or desk in furniture blankets for their own protection, as well as the safety of the floors and walls. Use packing tape or rope to keep the padding in place.
Place furniture moving pads under each leg (edge) for effortless and safe sliding across the room. This will save you from the unpleasant sight of scratched hard floors and torn carpets.
Wear your work gloves – they significantly improve the grip and protect your hands against injuries.
If possible, remove the legs or any other protrusions from your couches.
Remove, if possible, the legs or any hardware protrusions of your sofa or couch. The legs alone can add up to a foot to their width, which in turn could be a problem when moving them around corners or narrow hallways.
Cover them with blankets to protect the upholstery.
Remove the mattress and use pieces of rope to secure the bed frame if you’re moving a recliner sofa. This way, the sofa won’t fold out while being transported.
Consult your initial plan and try to visualize the best position and angles for transporting your sofa or couch. Sometimes moving them upright is the better option, while sometimes it’s better to do it on their ends. Don’t rush things – think before you act.
Try different angles while carrying your favorite chair. Since one side is always open (the seating area), you may create more space by tilting it at various angles.
Keep in mind that while moving a sofa or a couch up or down the stairs, the stress on the movers’ backs will be much greater than if it were being hauled across a level surface. Therefore, the usage of a dolly, whenever possible, is highly recommended.
Use furniture moving pads or blankets to slide your sofa or couch across the floors, or even down the stairs.
Remove all the books and any other items from the shelves of your bookcase.
Place the books in sturdy boxes by observing the rule that each box should not exceed 50 lbs. Otherwise, all kinds of problems may occur. Books are very heavy and it’s easy to go over the weight limit when packing them.
Pack the books flat, as opposed to having them stand on ends, to avoid damage to their spines.
Be mindful that if the shelves of the bookcase frame are removable, you should take them off carefully and wrap them in bubble wrap or protective blankets. If not, it’s best to use furniture sliders to push or pull the heavy bookcase all the way to the door.
Be extra cautious when relocating a bookcase because it could easily lose its balance and tip over. Make sure there are other people around to help you move it.
Caution: Kitchen appliances are extremely heavy and you should never try to move any of them on your own. Ask for help.
You should never try to move kitchen appliances on your own – ask for help.
Empty your refrigerator and freezer of any food and drinks. You’ve probably used your food supplies up until the moving day, but if you haven’t, you may take well-packed, non-frozen perishables with you or give them away to friends and neighbors.
Bear in mind that your refrigerator and freezer should be defrosted before being subjected to any movements. It’s best to do it 24 hours before the moving day.
Take out any movable part from your kitchen appliances, usually shelves and drawers, and pack them separately in bubble wrap or blankets.
Secure their doors either with packing tape or shrink-wrap. If a door of an appliance accidentally pops open during transportation, it will most likely cause great damage.
Unplug the appliances from the power outlets and wrap them thoroughly in furniture blankets.
Be sure to use a transportation dolly here. Carefully lift one side of the appliance, slide the dolly underneath, and then tip the kitchen appliance gently onto the dolly itself and strap it tightly.
Keep refrigerators and freezers as upright as possible during transportation. Positioning them horizontally could harm their cooling system, especially their compressors.
Protecting the floors and the walls
Furniture blankets protect both the household items wrapped in them AND your floors, stairs, walls, and doorways from accidental scratches, chips, dents, etc.
Furniture blankets are great, so use them. They provide double protection: first, they protect the piece of furniture or kitchen appliance that is wrapped in them. Secondly, they protect the floors, the stairs, the walls, and the doorways from scratches, chips, dents, etc.
Plywood sheets are a great way to protect the floors when moving extremely heavy household items.
If the legs of a piece of furniture cannot be removed, wrap them in old towels or pieces of clothing to considerably soften any hard contacts.
You can use carpet film protectors over the floors for extra protection. However, they can be pricey, so instead you may want to utilize any useless patches of old clothing, rags, carpets, etc.
As discussed above, furniture blankets and moving sliders are convenient when it comes to protecting the integrity of your house.
Wear your work gloves – they significantly improve the grip and protect your hands against injuries.
Don’t forget that your safety, and the safety of your helpers, should be your top priority. If you get stuck while moving any bulky or heavy household item, take a break and rethink your strategy. And if it turns out that your utmost physical and brain powers are not enough to successfully tackle a problem, ask for professional assistance. Medical bills are more expensive than hiring an experienced mover, right?
Remember to lift with your legs, not your back. Also, don’t ever rush things – take everything one step at a time while planning at least two steps ahead in your head.
Don’t try to be a hero and do any heavy lifting and strenuous moving entirely on your own. Instead, find at least two other people to help you during these rough times.
It’s a good idea to appoint a spotter – someone who will warn you when you’re about to hit a wall or a doorway, or miss the final step of a flight of stairs.
Let the dolly be your best friend when lifting and relocating really heavy stuff. When going down the stairs with it, do it extremely cautiously and slowly – only one tiny step at a time.
Make sure you wear sturdy boots and shoes with anti-slip soles. Also, don’t take off your work gloves unless you want to experience the excruciating pain of smashed fingers. Gloves significantly improve the grip as well.
And last but not least: although it may sound a bit silly, you should do some stretching before lifting and carrying any heavy piece of furniture or kitchen appliances. Yes, it does help.
Moving bulky or heavy household items is a physically demanding task that could easily turn into a dangerous one too. It requires careful planning, proper equipment, cautious execution, and adequate help.
If you think you and a handful of friends or neighbors are up to the challenge, then go for it (while still observing the tips stated above, of course).
However, if you feel really nervous about doing it or if you have a hunch that things will go awfully wrong, then don’t hesitate to contact experienced movers who will know exactly how to handle each heavyweight situation.
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