| Moving your furniture made simpler |
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- Furniture pieces are among the most cherished, beloved components of any home. It is important to carefully pack and ship each individual piece in order to be able to enjoy the warmth and comfort they bring to a new home for many years to come.
- Before packing your furniture, decide which pieces you will take with you. It is not always possible to bring every piece of furniture into a new home. Sometimes, it makes sense to leave obsolete pieces behind instead of paying to haul them. Consider many factors when deciding on which pieces to take and which to dispose of. Several factors include legacy value, climatic conditions, space restrictions, styles, and production quality and materials used.
- Generally, if a piece has intense hereditary or legacy value, it is worth keeping. Examples include antique pieces and those handed down in families. If you are moving from a warm climate to a much cooler one, it might make sense to dispose of many outdoor accessories that will no longer be used. If you do not have space in the moving truck or in your new home, you’ll need to decide whether or not you’ll bring certain pieces. If you’re planning to update the style of your home, you may elect to get rid of old or mismatched pieces. Finally, if you have an inexpensive piece (especially one made of a difficult-to-ship material such as glass), you might forego the trouble of shipping it by instead disposing of it.
- During the selection process, you may need to eliminate perfectly good furniture from your home. Rather than simply throwing it away, consider donating it to a charitable organization or a local hospital. Visit the Salvation Army’s website to donate items including furniture that will be resold and used to benefit the charity’s work. Another option is to use a networking service such as Freecycle.org that allows you to gift your item to another individual seeking a similar piece for free.
- Before moving the furniture, remove any parts that can be detached, including legs, leaves, doors, and shelves. Keep each piece neatly labeled and seal all hardware in a marked container. If you are moving items that could damage one another, take extreme care in order to eliminate the possibility of problems. For instance, if shipping a metal base with a glass tabletop, separate the glass tabletop and wrap it separately from the base. Make sure that all sharp edges are wrapped securely to avoid scratching other pieces.
- Bubble wrap should be used liberally for glass and other fragile furniture. All exposed areas should be covered fully and can be wrapped with additional materials for added security. Soft woods and lacquered surfaces should be treated similarly to avoid dents, scratches, and other damage. Label the exterior of all breakable objects with the word “FRAGILE” and specifics about what is contained within the package.
- When furniture is loaded or unloaded, keep an eye on your moving company to ensure that it is handled appropriately. Any bumps against walls, doorways, or the truck itself can be extremely costly in terms of damage. Make note of any suspected incidents and which movers were involved. When removing or placing furniture, do not allow the pieces to be pulled, pushed, or slid across any floors. The weight can scratch hardwoods and linoleums and can distort carpeting or cause stains. Carry the furniture at its strongest points, generally located along the major horizontal planes (such as tabletops or support beams). Carry the furniture with both hands and move slowly in order to maintain a steady, firm grip.
- Do not wipe or clean the furniture with a wet cloth before moving it. The moisture from the cleaning can damage the piece during extreme climatic variations and can leave permanent marks. Additionally, the moisture can make the furniture slippery and cause it to shift when being carried by the movers. Apply furniture protectors as needed to keep your pieces secure. Chemicals can strengthen finished woods, coverings can protect fabrics, and special supports prevent legs from doing damage to floor surfaces.
- Finally, when moving your furniture, always keep all paperwork handy to avoid fines. This includes all bills of sale, repair notices, receipts, handling instructions, and other papers associated with the pieces. Keep the paperwork in a safe place with any other important relocation documents including the bill of lading. If anything happens to the furniture during the move, you will be able to file a claim for all damage with little trouble. Plus, if there are doubts about a pieces ownership or origin, you’ll be able to claim it easily.
- Furniture is not easy to move due to its size and special needs. However, with caution and foresight, it is possible to transport furniture safely and without any chance of becoming damaged during transit. Follow these guidelines so that you can use your tables, sofas, hutches, beds, and other pieces of furniture in your brand new home. The extra effort will be certainly be savored for quite some time.
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