Few things on earth induce higher stress levels than moving. The organization and planning alone can turn even the most cool-headed and composed mover into a raging shell of a human, spitting barbs at their friends and family and calling for divine intervention to pull them out of the hell their world has become.
Amidst the chaos, the mover has to load up a truck with their furniture. They can throw it all in and hope for the best but doing so runs the very real risk that their furniture will emerge at the new destination scratched and damaged beyond repair.
Like anything, there are secrets to success when it comes to moving furniture. The first secret is to recruit professional help. For more information on how professional movers can reduce the stress of your moving day visit Matco.
For those that insist on doing it themselves, these are the three dos and don’t of moving furniture.
DO Plan Ahead
 If you can disassemble your furniture, do it. Not only will this make moving the item lighter, but it will also help you organize space in the removal truck. You will have to reassemble it at the other end but putting a bed back together is far simpler than spending half a day manoeuvring the bed up a narrow staircase and through a series of small doorways.
DON’T Attach the Screws to the Item
 In the process of disassembling your item, no doubt you had to remove screws. You will need to keep these safe and accessible so you can put the piece back together again. It can be tempting to tape these to the furniture piece but avoid it at all costs.
Tape often gets dislodged in the move and while it may appear safe, it probably isn’t. Also, if items move or topple during the journey, these taped up screws can scratch both the furniture piece itself and those around it. A far better solution is to put the screws in a small plastic bag and label it with the name of the furniture item they came from.
DO Use Blankets to Protect Glass Items
 Blankets and bedding are a great source of protection for fragile items and glassware. Wrapping them around glass items in the back of the truck will protect them on the journey.
DON’T Try and Lift Heavy Items on Your Own
 In an attempt to save money, you may decide to do all the legwork yourself. That is fine but recruit some friends to help you with the heavy lifting. The last thing you need on moving day is a trip to the hospital because you dropped a sofa on your toe or put your back out carrying a coffee table.
DO Learn Safe Lifting Techniques
 Before you attempt to carry items out of your house, if you are not accustomed to carrying heavy boxes and furniture, research safe lifting techniques online. A few minutes spent reading and watching videos on how to move items safely could prevent a neck or back injury.
DON’T Stack Boxes in the Truck
Boxes look like they were built to be stacked. Like children’s building blocks they fit neatly on top of another in a convenient and space-saving manner. However, while it may be aesthetically pleasing, a tower of boxes is a disaster waiting to happen in the back of a moving truck. A pothole or speed bump will send the tower crashing to the ground, burying your furniture and possessions in a pile of cardboard and broken crockery.
