Moving day is supposed to be exciting. It can even be somewhat fun under the right circumstances. But moving can also be frustrating, especially when you get to the other end and discover you have damaged a valuable piece of furniture. Nothing puts a damper on moving quite like breaking something. But what can you do?
Actually, there is a lot you can do to protect your stuff when you move. So much so that a single post cannot do it all justice. So for this post, I’m going to focus exclusively on preventing furniture damage. It starts with planning ahead.
Try Some Moving Day Tetris
Do you remember that old puzzle game, Tetris? You are presented with tiles of various shapes descending from the screen. You need to arrange them to fit together at the bottom. Think of packing the moving truck the same way. Think of it as playing a moving day version of Tetris.
The game is a lot easier when you plan ahead. So measure all of your furniture. Take physical measurements of the truck space. Then lay everything out on paper before the big day. The point is to pack the furniture in such a way as to prevent as little movement as possible. You do not want the final pack to be extremely tight, but you do want it to be comfortably snug.
Disassemble What You Can
Some pieces of furniture can be disassembled to a certain degree. Take advantage of that. If you can remove the legs from the dining room table, do so. Likewise for your sofa and loveseat. Disassemble the bed frames as well. Disassembly eliminates the risk of damage to weak joints and parts never designed to withstand the rigors of moving.
Secure Loose Pieces
Some of your furniture pieces, like your china cabinet or buffet, will have loose pieces like doors and drawers. Secure them before packing the truck. Masking tape will do a sufficient job without damaging the pieces. Just wrap the tape around each piece a couple of times and you are good to go.
Tie Everything Down
This next step is often ignored despite it being so important: tie everything down before you pull away. Tie-downs are important even in box trucks for the simple fact that furniture can still move. Preventing damage means avoiding movement at all costs. Do not allow furniture to shift even a fraction of an inch.
I recommend cam straps over ropes and bungee cords. Though my favorite brand is Rollercam, any quality brand should be fine. Just don’t use ratchet straps. They are less forgiving and damage fragile furniture too easily.
Use Blankets and Edge Protectors
Also be sure to utilize moving blankets and edge protectors. Do not skimp on them, either. Moving blankets protect against both road vibration and contact between pieces. Each piece of furniture should be covered by a moving blanket prior to being tied down.
As for edge protectors, they get placed wherever a cam strap makes contact with a piece of furniture. The edge protector does exactly what its name implies: it protects the edge of the furniture against too much pressure from the strap. Likewise, it also protects the strap so that it’s not cut by a sharp edge.
These few tips will go a long way toward protecting furniture on your next move. Whatever you do, don’t rush things. Be patient and pack your truck with care. Then drive to your new home with equal care. On the other end, slowly and deliberately unload. You should find that your furniture came through unscathed.
