How to Protect and Pack your Furniture for Moving

By Richard Farrell
Special to VanLines.com

When moving your furniture you will have to make sure that everything is well protected and securely positioned in your moving truck. Observe these easy steps in order to properly plan and pack your furniture.

Supplies You Will Need:

• Heavy blankets.
• Moving dolly.
• Quality plastic sheeting.
• Decent plastic wrap.
• Sturdy ropes, cords or adjustable straps.
• Plastic bags (reasonable thickness or micron rating).
• Proper packing tape
• Furniture pads.
• Pair of sharp scissors.

Ten Steps to Protecting Your Furniture:

Step 1
Use the heavy blankets and/or furniture pads to wrap your furniture and protect it from bumping and scratching.

Step 2
When moving bureaus with sliding drawers tape them up to prevent them from opening during the move (but be careful when applying the tape to wood as it may leave hard-to-remove marks or even stain some wooden surfaces).

Step 3
If possible, remove table legs from larger items as this will facilitate easier handling during the move, as well as saving on packing space in the truck. And of course there is also less risk of damaging other articles.

Step 4
Secure large furniture inside the moving truck with ropes and cords to prevent it moving during transit.

Step 5
Fill gaps in the spaces left between furniture by carefully placing pillows and cushions in the gaps.

Step 6
Cover and tape mattresses and upholstered goods in plastic sheets to prevent scuffing and tears.

Step 7
Pack the moving truck sensibly and tightly. Loose items will wobble about in transit and may even fall over causing damage to other possessions.

Step 8
Maneuver heavy pieces onto a furniture dolly and use straps or harnesses to hold the item firmly in place as you push or pull it to the truck.

Step 9
Enlist the help of a friend or hire a professional long distance moving company.

Step 10
Do not attempt to move heavy or bulky items on your own – you could end up with a nasty injury, not to mention risking loss or damage to the item.

As you can see, protecting your possessions is not rocket science and the benefits of a well planned and carefully coordinated move are well worth the effort. If you don't (or can't) pack and secure your furniture yourself look into hiring an experienced and licensed moving company who can easily do the job for you.