Tips for Moving Heavy Furniture
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August 8th, 2016
Moving furniture is certainly no picnic. You might scratch your wood floors, tear your carpet, dent your furniture, rip your upholstery, or even throw out your back! So many catastrophes can quickly occur during any transportation of large objects. However, when armed with some quick tips for moving heavy furniture, you can successfully prevent damage to yourself, your moving team, and your prized possessions.
TIPS FOR MOVING HEAVY FURNITURE
Go from High to Low
The prospect of moving a tall item is overwhelming, but the key is to adopt a two-person strategy. Furniture should initially be reversed and placed at an angle. Next, one person should hoist the bottom while the other totes the top. This position helps to effectively stabilize the object while evenly distributing its weight.
Learn to Slide
Simply sliding your furniture from one location to the next can save a lot of precious time and energy. You can use towels, cardboard, or premade furniture sliders to glide heavy objects across your floor. Tilt your furniture slightly and place the moving material under it before pushing it along to your desired location.
Evaluate Your Furniture Ahead of Time
Before you attempt to move any large piece of furniture, it is a good idea to take inventory of your items in order to eliminate extra weight. Look for removable components such as drawers, legs, or cumbersome decorative fixtures. Store these items separately to lighten the furniture and (in some cases) to prevent the items from falling out mid-journey.
Hook Your Couch
Most of us are familiar with the frustrations of moving a couch, but the secret to a smooth relocation is actually straightforward: stop attempting to move it horizontally. Instead, simply turn the couch vertically and ease it out the door. The couch should naturally grasp or “hook,” the doorway as it rounds the corner. It is also a good idea to check for removable arms or legs beforehand, because you definitely don’t want these to hook (and possibly damage) your doorframe.
Invest in What You Need
Don’t approach a moving job unprepared. Purchase some quality furniture sliders, moving/lifting straps, or even a dolly that will help to evenly distribute your body’s weight as you lift while offering some much-needed support to your back, arms, and legs.
If you’re hauling furniture up and down stairs, try to secure a couple of ramps so you can glide the objects up or down without any jolting or jarring. It’s helpful to place objects on their side once you load them onto the ramp. Again, depending on the height of the staircase, you can also use big pieces of material, such as carpeting or a bed sheet, and push the object along. Use good, common sense and durable materials before attempting any of these maneuvers.
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Finally, keep in mind the importance of safety and practicality before you implement these tips for moving heavy furniture. Know your limitations, and secure helping hands from friends, family members, or professional movers if necessary.
Need to store that furniture in a storage unit? If you live in southwest Missouri, be sure to check out Eastway Storage. Our climate-controlled storage units are the perfect place to store your TVs, stereos, and computers. The temperature will always remain below 90 degrees Fahrenheit and above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and the humidity is 65% year-round. Our climate-controlled storage units are also very affordable, and the extra cost will be well worth the assurance that your valuable electronics will be kept safe while they’re in storage. Give us a call today at 417-864-7867 to learn more.
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