How to move heavy furniture by yourself

Moving Heavy Furniture

The process of moving heavy pieces of furniture during a relocation, renovation, or furniture rearrangement can be a difficult task to pull off alone. Luckily, a few specific techniques will help move even awkward items without hurting yourself and damaging the furniture or even your home. This article will give you insights on the steps, techniques, and tips to successfully move heavy pieces of furniture by yourself.

Practical Steps To Easily Move Heavy Furniture

Below are the steps taken to move heavy furniture by yourself:

Before the Moving Day

Step One: Make Adequate Plans and Arrangements

You are probably aware that a well-laid plan leads to successful execution. Therefore, it is essential to carefully plan the how, when, and where to drop the pieces of furniture after moving them. In addition, make necessary arrangements like renting a storage unit or a moving truck and have it stationed right outside your house on the day of moving.

You should ensure that the moving truck or storage units you rent have enough space to contain all your furniture. You should ask the company you are renting from for a size guide.

Step Two: Prepare the Furniture

To prepare the furniture, follow the steps below:

• Start by taking off items on display on top of the furniture and packing them into boxes or cartons. As for the bed, remove the sheets and fold them away.
• Next, remove any weight inside the furniture to make it lighter to lift. In the case of dressers and tables, remove all the drawers and empty all the storage units of your wardrobe.
• Then, disassemble the furniture into smaller bits with a screwdriver. Unscrew the legs of the dressers, desk, and bed frame. In addition, take off other removable parts of your furniture.
• Finally, assemble all the pieces and pack them into labelled boxes or bags. Doing this will enable you to identify them when you want to put the furniture back together.

Step Three: Protect the Furniture

Protecting your furniture will prevent it from scratches, stains, bumps, and other mishaps that might occur during a move. This measure will help preserve your furniture's physical appearance, especially the delicate ones. You can protect your pieces of furniture with the following:

• Plastic Wrap - It is a transparent and stretchy wrap that is very versatile. It is also known as cling wrap or cling film. A plastic wrap is most suitable for wrapping furniture items with fabric and foam, like couches and chairs. These kinds of furniture items are liable to soak up water and get stained. Plastic wraps are water-resistant and can protect such furniture from moisture and specks of dust.
• Bubble Wrap - This is a transparent wrapping plastic that contains well-spaced protruding bubbles filled with air. These air-filled bubbles provide support and protection against impact for a piece of furniture. Bubble wraps are suitable for moving fragile items.
• Furniture Blanket or Moving Blankets - They are suitable for protecting furniture with sharp edges and prone to scratches. These types of blankets are thicker than standard blankets and provide extra protection. Simply wrap up the piece of furniture with the blanket and secure it in place with plastic wrap.

Step Four: Get Furniture Moving Equipment

Moving heavy furniture can be made easier with the help of furniture moving equipment including:

• Furniture Dollies - With the help of 2-wheeler or 4-wheel furniture dollies, you can move heavy items from point A to point B. A 2-wheel dolly has a hand truck for wheeling the furniture around. This type of furniture dolly is suitable for moving items below the chest height. All you need is to gently slide the dolly lip under one side of the furniture and carefully lean it backwards while holding the hand truck.

On the other hand, a 4-wheel dolly only has a platform and no hand truck. It is suitable for moving heavy items like dressers, shelves, and other large pieces of furniture. Place the 4-wheel dollies under both sides of your furniture and gently wheel it out. Ensure the weight of the item is evenly distributed between the dollies before pushing it out. A larger piece of furniture might require more than two 4-wheel dollies.

In addition, you can attach wheels to the four sides under a tall piece of furniture.

• Moving Straps - Moving straps, also known as lifting straps or shoulder dollies, are furniture lifting equipment that helps achieve even weight distribution throughout your body. Here, your body relies on your large muscle groups to lift and uphold the weight of the furniture. It gives your legs and back a break and ensures you do not sustain any bone and joint-related injuries. Another advantage of using shoulder dollies is that they leave your hands free to guide awkward items carefully.
• Furniture Sliders - Just like the name implies, they are used to slide pieces of heavy furniture across your floor. They prevent the furniture piece from scraping and destroying your house floor during a move. Different flooring has sliders specifically designed for it. For instance, plastic sliders are suitable for use on carpet flooring, and soft padded sliders are best for use on tiles and hardwood floorings.

You can also use a rug or mat for hardwood and towels or moving blankets for tile floors. Carefully glide the sliders under the legs of your furniture and gently slide out the item.

• Furniture Ramps - Furniture ramps are like walk boards used for moving heavy objects down from elevated areas or up to an elevated space. They are suitable for moving heavy items down and up the staircase. In addition, they come in handy for loading pieces of furniture into moving trucks or storage units. Ensure the furniture ramp you intend to use has adequate size, is of good quality, and has good length.

You can get all these furniture moving tools from any local hardware and tools store.

On the Moving Day

Step Five: Wear the Right Clothing

When moving furniture, it is crucial to wear proper attire that is suitable for the occasion. Wear pieces of clothing that are lightweight, breathable, and loose to allow you free movement. Wearing a long sleeve top and pants will protect your body from cuts, scratches, and bruises.

In addition, wear closed-toe shoes like hiking boots and sneakers that are sturdy and have an anti-slip grip. Flip flops and high heels are inappropriate and will restrict your freedom of movement. Wearing work gloves is a good idea because it will protect your hands from getting injured by pieces of furniture with sharp edges. They will equally prevent your palms from becoming slippery from sweat.

Step Six: Get Rid of All Obstacles

It is appropriate to have the pathways free of all obstacles when moving heavy objects. Get your shoes, boxes, toys, equipment, and smaller pieces of furniture out of the way. Doing this will prevent you from tripping, falling, and other accidents that might cause you to injure yourself and damage your furniture. If you have pets, ensure they are caged or out of sight, and if you have kids, make sure they are not running around the place.

Step Seven: Stretch Before Lifting

Lifting heavy objects is a workout that involves the whole body, and a warm-up before starting will help prevent muscle injuries, strains, and pulls. Stretches will wake up your muscles and bones and prepare your body for the lifting tasks. Performing simple stretches for your back, legs, arms, neck, sides, and waist before starting will go a long way.

Step Eight: Lift Using the Right Technique

When lifting heavy items, it is possible to sustain internal and external injuries. Luckily, there are techniques that you can apply to reduce the chance of sustaining an injury.

When picking up the item:

• Bend your knees and not your back.
• Ensure to keep your feet shoulder length apart and gradually drop into a squat position in front of the item you intend to pick.
• Remember to keep your back straight and pick the heavy item with both hands.

After picking up the item:

• Gradually push yourself back up to your feet with your legs and hold the item close to your body.
• Be sure to hold it in a position that does not prevent you from seeing where you intend to move to with the furniture because it is necessary to have a clear view of where you are going.

When moving with the furniture:

• Avoid twisting your body or making sharp turns because doing so can lead to injuries.
• If you need to rotate or change direction, do that gradually with your hip and let your entire body follow suit.
• Keep your neck straight and position your head straight ahead.
• In addition, do not forget to keep your back straight.

When you get to where you intend to drop the heavy item, gradually lower your knees into a squat and bring the furniture down.

Step Nine: Ask a Friend for Help

Moving larger items and heavy furniture by yourself can be challenging. Therefore, having an extra pair of hands to help you out will make the task easier. Ask your friends for help if you need to move lots of heavy items down the staircase.

Step Ten: Be Patient

• There is no need to rush, so give yourself a break.
• Take a rest in between and avoid pushing yourself when you feel tired.
• Eat when you feel hungry to avoid feeling weak.
• Remember that you are not a professional removalist which means that you are not used to the task of moving heavy items.
• Avoid moving your heavy furniture in a hurry because doing so might make you trip and fall, damage your furniture or even injure yourself.

Step Eleven: Stretch and Rest When Done

No matter how tired you might feel afterwards, ensure to stretch out your muscles and body. A good stretch will help reduce the soreness you will feel the following day. In addition, draw yourself a warm bath, have a good meal, and have a good rest. You can also extend your rest for a few more days.

Pro Tips For Moving Heavy Furniture

Below is a list of pro tips for moving heavy furniture:

Apply the High and Low Technique for Tall Items

Tall pieces of furniture, like the dresser, bookshelf, and wardrobe, should be carried out using high and low techniques. This technique puts the weight of the furniture at the centre and prevents it from tipping over. In addition, it allows the furniture to pass through the doorway without it getting stuck and makes it easier to carry the furniture down the stairs. This technique requires two people.

Turn Couches and Chairs On their Side

If you are having difficulty carrying your chair past the doorway, you can turn each chair to its side so that it forms an L shape. Equally, turn the couches and stand them on their ends to maneuver each couch past the doorway. This technique will help out with small doorways.

Move the Heaviest Items First

It is an excellent idea to start with the heaviest items because such furniture requires lots of strength. It's better to carry them while you still have lots of energy.

Remember to Give Yourself a Pat on the Back

The task of moving heavy pieces of furniture is tedious and challenging. After a successful move, pat yourself on the back, celebrate your small and big wins. Feel free to reward yourself.

Get In Touch With Professional Movers

Moving heavy furniture items is a difficult task that not everyone can handle, and sometimes it is best to leave it to the professionals. Consider getting professional movers if you have many heavy items and are not physically fit enough to lift heavy objects. In addition, if you are advanced in age, it is best not to subject yourself to the stress of lifting heavy objects.

Some moving companies in Sydney and the environs of NSW offer furniture removal services. They use effective techniques and moving tools to safely move your furniture, even the most fragile and delicate ones.

Remember that adequate planning is key to successful execution so, take your time to plan and prepare yourself and your furniture for the move. In addition, two pairs of hands or more are always better than one pair so, do not be afraid to ask for help from a friend or relative.

If you know you cannot handle the whole moving process, employ the services of professional movers to get the work done for you.