When moving out of a home into a new one, most people leave their appliances behind for the new owners. However, if you have negotiated to take your appliances with you, you may be looking to hire a moving service to assist you. 

Moving appliances on your own is challenging. They can be heavy, bulky, and if not secured and transported correctly, can become damaged during transport. If you have never hired a mover to help with appliance moving, you may have many questions. Ace Moving & Warehousing put together this guide to help!

Here is everything you need to know as you consider appliance moving services.

Moving Appliances Safely: Your Top Priority

Safety should be your #1 concern when moving appliances. Some of the common problems that most homeowners have to deal with may include:

  • Disconnecting and reconnecting appliances that do not have standard plugs

  • Moving heavy appliances such as refrigerators and stoves

  • Fitting large appliances into tight space either in the truck or their new home

  • Toting the large appliances on a hand truck or dolly

These issues constitute the need for local residential movers who have the skill and the equipment necessary to help you move. Save yourself the hassle of doing it yourself and hire Ace Moving & Warehousing to help you pack and load or unload your appliances.

Tips for Safely Moving Household Appliances

If you insist on DIY moving, ensure you do it as safely as possible! Here are some tips.

Moving Small Appliances

Most of your small appliances include countertop items such as toasters, blenders, can openers or food processors. 

Remember the following when moving small appliances:

  • Clean the appliances and remove the cord, if possible.

  • Wrap each appliance in bubble wrap. Keep each cord with the appliance even if you detach it.

  • Place the appliances in boxes. If you pack multiple appliances together, make sure there is plenty of padding between them. 

  • Label all appliance boxes accordingly. Try to keep your kitchen and bathroom appliances separate.

Moving Medium Appliances

Medium appliances may include mini-ovens, microwaves, ice boxes, or small grills. Though not as heavy as large appliances, you may want to enlist some help in packing and carrying the items. 

Remember the following when moving medium appliances:

  • Unplug all appliances at least 24 hours before you pack them. Some appliances still hold a charge after you unplug them. 

  • Clean all appliances after they are unplugged. Make sure the microwave is clean.

  • Remove cords and empty all appliances. Keep all cords and accessories with the appliances. 

  • Wrap the appliances in crushing paper or bubble wrap. 

  • Pack the medium appliances in larger boxes and label them. Separate the kitchen items from all other items.

Moving Large Appliances

Larger appliances include the refrigerator, stove, washer and dryer, and dishwasher. Although you may be able to tackle these items on your own, you are less likely to sustain an injury or damage the appliance by hiring a moving company to do it for you. 

There is no reason to pack a large appliance. You may, however, want to protect it with moving blankets, pillows, or some cushioning. This will keep the appliance from sliding around, as well as protect the outside finish. 

Disconnecting & Reconnecting Your Appliances

Before you can get your appliances out of your current home, you’ll need to disconnect them from water, power, gas, etc. If you’re unsure how to do that properly (and safely!), you can easily find videos online detailing the process. Make sure you secure any cords and hoses to each appliance with tape to ensure they don’t get damaged in transit. 

After you get your appliances into your new abode, you’ll (obviously) need to reconnect them. You should also be able to find videos online detailing that process. 

If you have any very high-end appliances with special features, it may behoove you to call the manufacturer for advice. That way, you’ll know for sure whether you need to perform any special procedures when disconnecting or reconnecting them. 

Read the User Manuals

Make sure you take the time to read the owner’s manual for your appliances before you start. For example, your washing machine most likely has special moving rods that you should use to immobilize the drum during transport. 

Most appliances have similar vital steps that are designed to provide protection during transit. If you overlook those steps, your appliances could suffer irreparable damage during the move.

Tools You Will Need to Move Your Appliances

Beyond knowing how to prepare to move all sizes of appliances, there are several types of equipment and tools you will want to move your appliances safely.

Appliance Dolly

Not all dollies (aka hand trucks) are designed for moving large appliances. So, if you decide to use a dolly, make sure it has the capacity to support the weight and the size of an appliance such as a refrigerator, stove, or dishwasher. 

Standard hand trucks are designed to handle furniture and boxes primarily – not bulky, super-weighty items. If you try to use a furniture hand truck to wheel your large, heavy fridge out of or into a house, chances are you’ll end up damaging it or yourself. 

The piece of equipment that can safely wheel around a big fridge, chest freezer, washer, or dryer is, unsurprisingly, called an appliance hand truck or appliance dolly. And it’s uniquely designed with heavy-duty, attached straps that can be used to secure hefty appliances to its frame. Many such hand trucks also feature additional hand holds that allow for more control and stability.

The right dolly features:

  • Thick nylon straps

  • Heavy-duty D-rings

  • An adjustable handle

  • Protective rub rails

  • Big rubber tires

You can also purchase a dolly with smooth rolling stair-climbers that make it easier to move the heavy item up or down the stairwell.

Forearm Forklift Moving Straps

There is a difference between regular straps and forklift moving straps. If you use forklift strap, you can place your forearms through the strap loops and lift a heavy item while transporting it on the dolly or small forklift.

The straps give you leverage and allow you to lift or move an appliance without hurting yourself. You can also use shoulder straps or a shoulder dolly.

Braces & Gloves

It never hurts to use a back, leg, or ankle brace. You may also want to explore options for wrist or arm braces. They will protect your back and joints. 

Since appliances have rough edges on the sides or the bottom, a good pair of gloves will protect your hands and help you endure holding on to the appliance or the dolly handles. 

You Also Need the Right Means of Transport

You might be able to use your vehicle to move your appliances, but that depends on the kind of vehicle you have and how much physical labor and time you’re willing to invest. Obviously, hefty appliances won’t fit in the back of a sedan or even inside most SUVs. While they may fit in the bed of a pickup truck, they won’t have much, if any, protection from the elements there. If you’re planning to move multiple appliances, chances are you’ll need to make several trips. 

If you’re conducting a local move in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area, a pickup truck could work for the job. However, a box truck is ideal because it not only shields the contents inside but also has much more space to accommodate large, heavy items. 

For a long-distance move, a box truck is a must, or if you’re moving lots of stuff in addition to appliances, a semitrailer may be necessary. 

Don’t Forget to Properly Secure the Appliances!

After successfully getting appliances into a moving truck, you must secure them properly to ensure they don’t get damaged in transit. The bigger the object, the more important it is to properly secure it.

Brush Up On Your Moving Safety Skills

Taking all necessary safety precautions is a must with sizable, heavy objects like appliances. Hurting your knees or back are both plausible outcomes if you decide you’ll attempt to move your appliances on your own. 

When moving during summer, dehydration and heat exhaustion are very real risks. If you’re moving during winter, snow and ice can easily put your safety at risk. That’s especially true if you attempt to lift and load bulky, weighty items without professional assistance. 

Still thinking about doing a DIY move? Check out our moving safety tips for avoiding injuries during your relocation. 

Common Hard-to-Move Appliances

You’ll need to prepare to transport some of your larger appliances before you move them. Let’s look at some of the hard-to-move appliances and what preparations you’ll need to make to ensure they are moved correctly. 

Refrigerator

Refrigerators are large, bulky, and extremely heavy. They require two or more movers to move them. Avoid moving the refrigerator yourself. You may experience back pain or injury. 

  • Unplug the refrigerator a day or two before you move it. 

  • Remove all the food from the refrigerator and the freezer.

  • Let the ice thaw.

  • Disconnect the water line located in the back of the appliance.

  • Clean out the refrigerator. If possible, remove any smell. 

  • Strap the refrigerator shut. Make sure the door cannot move at all.

Oven

The oven is not as large as the refrigerator. However, it can be heavy and bulky. The oven will also require two or more movers to ensure that you safely move it without injury. 

  • Clean the entire oven inside and out. Make sure that it’s free of any grease, chemicals or other substances.

  • If your oven is wired into your wall (without a plug), then contact a certified electrician to disconnect it from the wiring and the gas line. A technician from the gas company may be willing to come out and do it for free. 

  • Strap the oven door and the pull-out bottom tray shut. Leave no room for the door to open. 

  • Remove any eyes from the stove and store them in a box.

  • When you move in, contact a certified electrician to connect the stove to the wiring and the gas line. 

Dishwasher

The dishwasher is larger, but not as heavy as the stove or refrigerator. You may have difficulty pulling the dishwasher out from the counter. So, be careful, because you may damage some of the components. 

  • Pull all dishes out of the dishwasher. Do not use it to store kitchen items.

  • Unplug the power and remove all water connections. Make sure you turn off the water line that feeds into the dishwasher before you remove the water connections.

  • Remove the bottom plate from the dishwasher before move it. Remove the plate will keep it from incurring damage. 

  • Carefully remove the dishwasher from the counter all the way to the middle of the floor so that it is completely clear of the counter. 

  • Place all hoses and connections inside the dishwasher so that you do not lose them. You may also want to disconnect the power cord from the back of the dishwasher and place it inside. Put all loose screws in a baggie, seal it up, and place it inside the dishwasher. Keep all components together. 

  • Lock and strap the dishwasher door. Leave no room for the door to open. 

Clothes Washer

The tub in the dishwasher adds a tremendous amount of weight to the appliance. Therefore, it will take two or more movers to transport it to eliminate any chance of injury. 

  • Remove all clothing from the dishwasher. Do not use it to store clothing. 

  • Unplug the dishwasher. If possible, disconnect the power cord. 

  • Turn off the water line that supplies water to the dishwasher.

  • Disconnect all hoses from the dishwasher. Place all hoses and the power cord inside the tub. Put all loose screws in a baggie, seal it up, and place it inside the tub. Keep all components together. 

  • Strap the door closed. Leave no room for the door to open.

Clothes Dryer

The clothes dryer is surprisingly light. However, it will take two or more movers to transport it due to its size and weight. 

  • Remove all clothes from the dryer. Do not use it to store clothing.

  • Unplug the power cord. Try to disconnect it, if possible. 

  • Remove the dryer vent from the dryer. 

  • Place the dryer and the cord inside the dryer. Put all loose screws in a baggie, seal it up, and place it inside. Keep all components together. 

How an Appliance Moving Service Moves Your Appliances

As you can see, there is no simple way to move appliances. These large and bulky machines often require a team of strong movers who can transport the device without damaging it or causing injury to anyone around. 

One of the benefits to hiring a professional mover to move your appliances is that they have the right devices to move your appliances. When moving them themselves, many people use a furniture dolly. This is much easier than having people carry the appliance. However, a furniture dolly isn't designed for appliances. It may not support the weight of certain appliances and appliances may have a hard time balancing on this type of dolly. 

A professional mover has an appliance dolly, which is designed to support the weight of your heaviest appliances and help them balance, ensuring they are not damaged while being moved in or out of a home.

How Your Appliances Are Secured During Transport

Once the appliances are moved onto a truck, they need to be secured in place. This is extremely important, as the appliance can move, tip or shift if it is not properly secured. A professional moving company will often use ratchet tie down straps to secure your appliances in place in their trucks. 

These straps have a tiny amount of give so that the strap does not dent or ding the appliance. But they are strong enough to hold the appliance in place and prevent it from shifting, destroying itself or other items in the moving truck while it is being driven to its new home.

Aside from straps, movers also use protective blankets to protect appliance coatings from scratches and other forms of damage during the move.  

Movers Handle the Appliance Disconnect & Reconnect Process

The last thing you need to know about appliance moving services is whether they handle the appliance disconnect and reconnect process. Some moving companies will unplug your appliances and disconnect them from their power source, such as gas. They may then reconnect them to the power source when the appliance arrives at the new destination. 

Other companies may not handle this process. Always ask a company if they do this or not as you look to hire an appliance moving company.

Should You Hire the Professional Appliance Movers at Ace?

Given the considerable amount of work and safety precautions involved in appliance moving, it may be in your best interest to hire a professional moving company for the job. And when you hire our team of expert appliance movers at Ace, we’ll handle your items with the utmost care. 

We Use High-Quality Appliance Moving Equipment

When we move appliances, we use commercial-grade appliance hand trucks and dollies, which are specifically made to support, secure, and safely balance heavy appliances. Both our equipment and experience reduce the chance of appliance damage during your move. 

We also use floor gliders, floor protection, moving blankets, and wall protection to ensure both your home and appliances don’t suffer damage while we work, and of course, we always secure appliances with the appropriate tie-downs inside our trucks.

We Have Our Own Fleet of Moving Trucks

When you work with our team at Ace Moving & Warehousing, you can rest assured our trucks are properly maintained in clean, safe, working condition. If you rent a DIY moving truck, there’s no guarantee you’ll get a quality, properly maintained vehicle. 

We Have Extensive Appliance Moving Experience

At Ace, our professional movers have extensive training and experience in both safety best practices and appliance moving best practices. We’ve been helping Twin Cities residents move locally and long distance for several decades, and our hundreds of glowing customer reviews wouldn’t exist if we didn’t provide top-notch service.

We’ll Disconnect and Reconnect Your Appliances

When you hire our team for appliance moving, we do it all. We’ll disconnect the appliances at your current home and reconnect them once we get them inside your new abode. That way, you can rest assured they’re properly attached and secured from the moment you move in. 

Get Started Today With a Free Quote!

Appliances are among the most fragile and cumbersome items to relocate. They are also quite dangerous if you do not have enough help moving the items. Moving the small appliances can create as many challenges as moving the larges. 

Ace Moving & Warehousing offers moving services for homeowners in the Twin Cities metro area. Whether you are moving across the state or cross-country, we can help you with every aspect of your relocation. We are a local Minneapolis moving company that can assist with residential moving, commercial moving, corporate relocations, appliance moving services, packing services, military moves, crate, and storage services. 

Call us today to learn more, or get a quote here for your upcoming move!