tip

Make a note of your shipment registration number found in the upper right hand corner of your Bill of Lading and keep it with you in case you need to call your mover with questions about your shipment

Moving Heavy, Cumbersome and Fragile Items the Safest Way

Packing up a whole house can seem overwhelming to say the least.  From booking your movers to trying to keep everything organized yet packed and ready for the big day is a huge task in and of itself.  There have been countless tips and blogs written on how to properly pack your home in boxes, but what about all your items that don’t fit in boxes?  What about your heavy, cumbersome, and fragile items?  How do you pack those properly?

As your premier movers in the Kamloops region for all your local and long-distance moving needs, we would like to discuss some of our strategies and tips on how you can best move your furniture, electronics, and heavy appliances such as your refrigerator safely, effectively and free from damage into your new home.

MOVING FURNITURE

Let’s start with probably the most space-consuming items that you will need to move – your pieces of furniture. Some might be bargain IKEA pieces, while others could be family heirlooms, passed down through generations and have a lot of value. In either case, you are going to want them to make a safe arrival at your new home and as your premier Kamloops movers we have some tips to help make this happen.

Lose the Weight

Aside from taking up space, a lot of pieces of furniture are also very heavy. What many people forget, is that you need to empty everything before you move them, therefore making them lighter and more maneuverable. Try to do this ahead of time, since it might be time-consuming; also, you may be surprised at what you find inside drawers and closets, this can be a great way to get rid of junk or even find long-lost items!

Downsize

The next step is to make it even easier to transport your furniture by making it as compact as possible. If you can, dismantle the piece completely, that is perfect. It is best to do this only if you have a manual to put it back together, or you are handy with that sort of thing. If not, try to at least take off knobs, legs, and any other protruding pieces, so that they do not break in the move and do not get stuck in doorways or scratch the floors. If possible, try to do this prior to the day of the move, this will help speed up the entire process.

Don’t Forget

Any pieces that you take off, bolts, knobs, screws, even doors and shelves, should be properly labeled. You may think in the moment that you won’t forget where everything goes, but the reality is, once you take apart a few pieces of furniture and have a pile of these tiny things, you won’t know which piece belongs where. Put all parts including hardware, fasteners, nuts and bolts in zip-lock bags and label them with a permanent marker. Put post-its with tape on the larger pieces.

Here’s the Deal:

By labeling all parts and furniture properly, the ease at which each piece is reassembled will be that much quicker, making the unpacking or moving in portion of the move that much easier and less stressful.

Protective Layer

Here comes the final step, for the more special pieces of furniture. The safest way to transport valuable items is to apply three layers of protection. One to prevent it from scratches, the other from bumps or vibrations, and the third to make it move-proof.

The first layer should be constructed out of cardboard or bubble-wrap, the second a cushion of some sort such as a blanket and the third a hard protective shell.

When it comes to moving your furniture, another often overlooked part of transporting such large, heavy and often cumbersome items is the injuries and difficulties that you as a mover will face.

INJURY PREVENTION

The best way to get around any type of injury is to leave the entire move to the pros.  With over 16 years of experience, we have moved every type and shape of furniture you can imagine without damaging walls or our backs.  However, if you are looking at getting some prep work in before the move here are some of our tips for you.

Make it More Manageable

During a move, the most dangerous task is moving your large furniture. This can include pieces like full-size beds and couches that will not easily fit through most doors. While it’s understandable to want to move these items whole so that you can quickly set-up your new home, this can make your moving day much tougher and far more dangerous than it needs to be.

To simplify your move and to avoid injuries, you need to break down your large furniture so that you can move it piece by piece. Not only will this make moving your furniture easier, it can lower your chances of damaging your major pieces.

The Right Tools

The main cause of injury when moving furniture is not having access to the right equipment. Without moving equipment, it makes it more likely that you will drop your furniture, causing damage to yourself, your furniture and maybe even your home.

Fortunately, there are a few moving tools that can increase the success of your move and reduce your overall risks. These tools include:

  • furniture slides – there are two types – felt and plastic. Felt sliders can be used on any surface such as hardwood without scratching or damaging the floor.  Plastic sliders are more commonly used for softer surfaces such as carpet.
  • a furniture dolly – this cart with two wheels and a long handle is used to move any type of heavy object.
  • moving straps.- also known as lifting straps allow you transfer some of the weight off your back and arms when lifting heavy items, making them far more manageable.

The benefit of working with professional movers is that experienced movers will already possess these tools and knowhow to use them effectively.

Dress for the Occasion

An issue that is easy to overlook and often forgotten when you’re planning on moving furniture is your attire. Like any important project, wearing the wrong clothes can make furniture moving much more difficult and can increase your risk of injury. For example, while you want to make sure you are comfortable, clothes that are too baggy can catch on furniture and interfere with the moving process.

On moving day, make sure to wear comfortable clothes that fit well to eliminate the possibility of snags. You should also choose close-toed shoes like sneakers or boots with good grip that will prevent you from slipping and sliding while trying to move your furniture – and remember to always tie up your shoelaces to prevent tripping.

MOVING YOUR ELECTRONICS

Your furniture is only one of the many things that you will be moving that does not fit nicely into a box.  Probably some of the most expensive things you will move are your electronics. We live in an age of technology. Packing up your televisions, computers, and surround sound systems to keep them safe is an important part of a move.

There are things that you can do to make packing, and ultimately unpacking, much easier.

Mark your Cables

It took you forever to figure out how to get your 7.1 stereo to talk to your Blu-Ray player. There is no need to lose all that configuration. Label all your cables by using coloured and numbered tags.

As you are disassembling your set up, tag each end of the cable and the port that it plugs into with a number or color that matches. This will let you keep what goes where straight when you arrive at your new home and want to hook everything back up.

Use Cable Ties or Wraps

A common mistake that can damage cabling is to not wrap it properly. Remember, inside those cables are small metal wires. If you are not careful when you pack your cables, wires can be bent, twisted and break, making the cable useless.   Some things to remember:

  • The ends of cables near connectors are particularly sensitive. Try not to bend them.
  • Do not wrap a cable around itself. As you wrap a cable up, secure it with a Velcro wire wrap or a zip tie.
  • Protect the ends of your cables. Dirt, debris, and other things can get lodged in them causing bad or no connections when you try to plug them back in.

Pack Everything in the Original Boxes

If you have saved the original boxes for your electronics, make sure to use them for the move. Nothing will protect your electronics better than their original packing material.

If you did not save the boxes, do not worry. Many manufacturer websites will have recommendations on proper packing methods for their products.

Wrap in Layers

When you move your electronics, you want to protect them from any damage that can occur from shock or vibrations (being dropped or banged around in a moving truck.) You will want to protect them from dirt as well. This means when you wrap them up, you want to take a twofold approach.

First, wrap them in linen or paper that is going to keep the dust and dirt out. You can secure this with something simple like packing tape. Make sure not to affix tape to the electronics, this can cause damage.

Once they are wrapped in a clean layer, pack them using bubblewrap or a similar paper to keep them safe from vibration and shock.

Always take great care with your electronics as they can be expensive to replace.  You may want to pack them separate from other belongings to ensure that they are not damaged during the move.

MOVING APPLIANCES

The final set of items that we would like to talk about in this page may be the most cumbersome and heaviest of them all:  your appliances and namely your refrigerator.  Depending upon your circumstances, you may or may not be including this item in your moving list.  If you are …well then…read on.

Moving appliances is the heavy lifting part of any move. Some appliances are cut and dried, but the fridge is one that can cause a lot of problems if it is not done properly. Here are some tips for how to prepare and successfully get your refrigerator into your new home.

Preparing your Fridge for the Move

While this might seem like a no brainer, the first step to moving your fridge is to remove all the items from inside. Do not attempt to move it anywhere with food items inside. Once you have all the food and condiments taken out, unplug it and if there is an ice maker detach the waterline. Remember, before you detach the waterline, turn the water off, otherwise, you will have a mess. If you have an older freezer you may need to give it time to defrost. If you do, remember to add this time to the move. Do not try to move the fridge until it has time to come to room temperature.

Next, remove the shelves and bins from the inside. These could shift around on the inside during the move and break or even cause damage to the refrigerator. Once the shelves are removed wash down the inside with warm water. This is a good chance to get rid of any spills or stains that might have been lingering underneath the shelves or bins.

Next, wrap up the shelving and bins with bubble wrap to prevent breakage and store them separately. Do not put them back inside the fridge unattached. Again, this could cause damage. Carry them separately or pack them into their own box.

Finally, secure the doors. If you have door handles, use a rope to tie them together. While you might be tempted to use packing tape, remember that the doors are heavy, and the tape might not be able to hold them.  The last thing that you want is for these doors to swing open at the most inopportune time causing damage to your refrigerator, your walls or yourself.

Moving Time

Now that you are fully prepared, it is time to move. Never try to move a refrigerator by yourself. Always have at least one person to help you. If you have access to a dolly or better yet an appliance dolly, you will want to use that for the move.

An important thing to remember, never turn a refrigerator on its side. If you do that, the coolant can leak out of the fridge or if there is oil in the compressor this could spill out as well. Either of these things can cause damage once you try to use it again.

Carefully lift and slide the fridge onto the dolly and then use the straps on the dolly to secure it in place. Use the dolly to maneuver the fridge to the truck you are going to be moving it on, and remember, try to keep the fridge upright.

These moving tips will help you prepare and safely move all the items that will not fit conveniently into a standard moving box.  If you have any tips or ideas to add, please feel free to comment below.  If you are looking to move or have any questions or would like clarification on any of the tips and suggestions mentioned in this page, please contact us today.

We have over 16 years of professional moving experience and our friendly and knowledgeable staff would love to assist you in any way possible.  We offer a wide range of moving services and would love to be a part of your next move.  Contact us today and let’s get moving.

 


We sell a complete line of packing and moving supplies, as well as providing professional Packing and Unpacking services.

Pioneer Moving and Storage

1284 Salish Rd, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
V2H 1K1
Tel: 250-573-6083
Cell: 250-682-1600
Toll Free: 1-877-746-5423

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  • Long time and active member of the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce and past President

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