If you’re planning an upcoming relocation, you might be struggling with the idea of packing and transporting your large, heavy, or awkwardly shaped household items. While you can certainly sell or donate them to lessen your hassle, purchasing new furniture and appliances for your new home may be more trouble and expense than it's worth.
At Ace Moving & Warehousing, we understand packing and moving oversized items can be a struggle. That’s why we offer our clients full packing and moving services to eliminate this particular moving hassle.
However, if you err more on the do-it-yourself side, we’ve got a few tips up our sleeves that can help you successfully get your huge, heavy belongings where they need to go. Read on to learn more.
1. Measure First, Pack Second
Before you do anything else, measure your doorways, hallways, stairwells, and any other areas through which you’ll need to transport your oversized items. Often, furniture that was assembled inside the house is too large to fit through small door frames and stairwells, which means you’ll need to disassemble such items before wrapping or packing them.
The last thing you want is to completely cushion and wrap items only to find out they’ll never fit through the door. Before you wrap or tape a single thing, make sure it can fit through each passageway in your current residence.
2. Use the Right Equipment
Though you can certainly try to move your oversized items with your own two hands (and perhaps a few helpers’ hands too), there’s an easier way to transport your big, bulky stuff. Rather than relying on manpower alone, just a few simple pieces of moving equipment can help you get the job done much faster, and even better, with less effort.
If you’re not planning to opt for full packing services from professional movers, make sure you rent or purchase the following pieces of moving equipment prior to your relocation:
These pieces of equipment are specifically designed to not only help you move your large, awkwardly shaped items but also to ensure you complete the process without damaging your things.
Beyond their applications for large appliances and furniture, you can also use dollies to make the rest of your move easier by transporting multiple smaller moving boxes in a single trip.
3. Use Protection
If you’re planning to move any large, heavy items that have enamel finishes (like appliances), you’ll definitely want to protect them from scratches, dings, and dents. You can wrap these things in moving blankets and secure the blankets with plastic wrap or grab some air-filled wrap from a moving store and use that instead.
For furniture, moving blankets work great too. But if your furniture features anything made of wood — or it’s entirely wood — that needs special protection. You can wrap any wood components in bubble wrap and secure the wrap with plastic wrap or packing tape. Often, plastic wrap works a bit better since it won’t leave behind residue when you remove it.
For more helpful protective tips, check out 8 Ways to Prevent Damage When You Move.
4. Secure Loose or Moveable Parts
If any of your oversized items have moveable or loose parts, be sure to properly secure them prior to moving these objects. Tape down doors and drawers; roll up and secure long cords; and if you plan to remove screws or other hardware, store them in a bag and tape them to their corresponding item.
Securing any moving parts will help protect your large items from damage during transport and ensure everything is intact when you arrive at your new home. If you’re transporting anything with multiple moving parts that seems especially prone to breakage, it’s best to perform a full disassembly before packing and loading such items onto the truck.
Appliances tend to have many loose and moveable parts, and not coincidentally, they’re also some of the toughest oversized objects to move. To keep your range, fridge, dishwasher, and washing machine in great shape while you move, check out our appliance moving tips.
5. Plan Out a Safe Route
This tip might seem like a no-brainer. However, you’d be surprised at how many people end up damaging their belongings or injuring themselves because they fail to plan a safe route for moving large things through their homes.
When you’re moving oversized, bulky, or heavy items, it’s often difficult to see the route in front of you. That’s why we highly recommend defining a route in advance and identifying potentially hazardous areas before you begin the packing and loading process.
Keep an eye out for any uneven areas in your floors, raised doorway thresholds, and any other potential obstacles. If you can, try to avoid these areas and plan a more convenient route to get your stuff out of the house.
In addition to planning a safe route, you’ll also want to ensure children and pets have no chance of getting underfoot while you’re moving oversized things. Be sure to check out our tips for moving kids and tips for moving with pets for helpful advice on keeping little ones safe.
6. Push Things; Don’t Pull Them
When you need to move heavy, bulky items, pushing them across your floor (on top of sliders or moving blankets, of course) is usually much easier than attempting to pull them.
What’s more, pulling large, heavy objects may strain your back due to the way you must position yourself to pull. It’s not only easier to maintain a safe posture when you push large things, but your legs can also contribute more to the effort, which will put less stress on your upper body.
For more advice on keeping yourself safe during your move, check out 16 Tips for Avoiding Injuries Before, During, and After Your Relocation.
7. Crate Your Items
If possible, try to order custom crates to transport any items that are either awkwardly shaped or very valuable. A crating company can measure any belongings and create custom containers in which you can transport them. This is especially beneficial for items that may be prone to breakage with less sturdy protection.
If you plan to hire a professional moving company to help with your relocation, inquire about crating services when you request your initial quote. It’s easiest to work with one company that handles all aspects of your move (like our team at Ace Moving & Warehousing) rather than attempting to coordinate services from multiple businesses.
Get a Free Moving Services Quote in Minneapolis
If you’re planning a relocation and need professional movers to get the job done right, our team at Ace Moving & Warehousing is here to serve you. Since 1958, we’ve proudly served the moving needs of Twin Cities residents, and we’re ready to assist with your move too!
To learn more about our services, get a fast moving quote, or schedule an appointment, give our Minneapolis office a call today at 763-755-2045 or contact us online, and we’ll be in touch!