18 Nov A Guide on How to Move Large Furniture Safely and Efficiently

Whether you are relocating or simply remodeling your home, you are likely to move large, heavy furniture. This task seems fairly straightforward until you consider all the things that could go wrong. Moving big furniture, for instance, can cause aches and pains, particularly in your back, arms, and knees. It can even cause injuries like muscle strains. In addition, you might end up breaking your furniture if you move them improperly or damage your house if you make mistakes during the move.

Fortunately, you can reduce or even avoid those consequences by following the guide below on how to move large furniture safely and efficiently.

• Assess the situation and then make a plan. Preparation is key, so spend as much time listing all large pieces of furniture you need to move. Then, identify which of those things you can move by yourself and which ones you can move with a friend’s help. You should also plan out in detail how you will load and unload said items and how you will arrange them in your new home later on.

Alternatively, you might want to get furniture moving services at this stage. In doing so, you will get expert help right from the very beginning until the last piece of furniture is placed at its intended location. Professional furniture movers also know how to best protect all your furniture and can give you advice on how to do the same for those that you will be moving on your own.

1. Prepare moving equipment. Moving equipment are force multipliers, and they can help you move heavy furniture safely without overexerting yourself. Some of these equipment are:
   1. Furniture sliders. These devices are placed under the legs or corners of a large piece of furniture to reduce the friction between it and the floor. As a result, you can glide the furniture across the floor when you push or pull it, thus making it easier to move around.
   2. Lifting strap. These straps help you lift a heavy load by shifting part of its weight away from your back and arms. Just make sure that you adjust the straps such that they suit both your size and that of the furniture’s.
   3. Furniture doll. A furniture dolly is a platform with wheels. The way it works is you load the large furniture onto the dolly and secure it with a rope. Then, you can push or pull the dolly to bring the furniture where you want it.
2. Brush up on proper lifting techniques. While you are supposed to avoid lifting large furniture, there will be instances when you need to do so. Examples are when you need to load a piece of furniture onto a dolly and when you have to bring it up a flight of stairs. In such cases, make sure you observe the correct lifting techniques to keep yourself safe. Here are three:
   1. Don’t bend at the waist. The most important thing to remember is to never lift up any object by bending at the waist. Instead, squat near object, grip it with both hands, and then stand up forcefully but carefully. In this way, you let your legs do most of the initial lift and save your back from potential injury.
   2. Keep the object close to your body. Keeping the large furniture as close to your body as possible accomplishes two key things. First, it helps keep you balanced. Second, carrying the object closely involves both your upper arms and shoulders, which are collectively stronger than your forearms.
   3. Don’t make sudden movements. Keeping still helps minimize unnecessary movement that can ultimately lead to injuries. But if you really need to move, make sure you do it carefully and deliberately. Make sure, too, that you always lead with your hips before moving your feet when you change directions to avoid injury.
3. Disassemble what you can. Some pieces of furniture, especially modern ones, are actually made up of smaller parts that can be disassembled when necessary. So, identify these types of furniture and make sure you disassemble them when it is moving time. In this way, you will be dealing with smaller, more manageable components rather than a large, heavy one. Just make sure you know how to reassemble these pieces of furniture once you have moved them to their spot.

Before doing anything, however, bear in mind that the best way to move large furniture is to get as much help as possible. That help can come from family and friends, though the more logical step would be to enlist professional furniture movers. The latter option might cost you more, but at least you will have peace of mind that all your furniture—both large and small—will be moved safely and efficiently.