Moving Large Furniture

Regardless of whether you’re moving from a tiny apartment or a four-story house, chances are that you have heavy, bulky furniture. Sofas, armoires, dressers, mattresses: all these items will require more than one person to lift, maneuver and haul out of your old space and into your new one. Your best bet for moving these cumbersome items is to hire professional movers. Even if you’re on a tight budget, hiring someone to help you will be worth the cost of a strained back or a move that takes four days instead of four hours.

Hiring inexpensive movers is possible! Even if you only need help with two or three larger items, you can find someone who will help for an hour for a small fee. Here are some tips for finding that special someone to help, without breaking the bank:

• Figure out what you need. Travel from room to room and make a list of the items you will need help with. Some movers will require this list in order to give you an estimate. If you are hiring someone like a day-laborer, you will want to estimate the number of hours you think you’ll need someone.



• Advertise. Find a free service, such as Craigslist, and state exactly what you need and when you need it. Chance are you’ll get dozens of responses from people who are looking to make a little extra cash.




• Be prepared. Make sure your heavy, bulky furniture is ready for moving. If it’s a dresser or armoire, make sure everything is taken out before your movers come. If you’re moving your bulky furniture yourself, be sure to pad anything you don’t want scratched. Using old blankets or moving blankets you’ve rented, pad the outside corners and damageable surfaces. Shrink-wrap is a great tool for keeping doors or drawers closed during transit.



• Get insurance. If your large bulky items are also expensive for treasured family heirlooms, be sure to acquire insurance for your relocation. You can get this from your moving company or possibly be covered through your homeowner's insurance policy.



• Be present. When your movers are loading and unloading the truck, make sure you are there to hold people accountable. If you can’t be there, find someone who can.