How to move furniture without damage
Most furniture damage on moving day is scratches, dents in corners and knocks against door frames. Wrapping each piece in a padded blanket and protecting the corners stops nearly all of it.
What you'll need
- transit blanket for most pieces, and transit blanket, large for sofas, wardrobes and big tables
- cardboard edge protectors for long edges and under straps
- foam corner protectors, small for picture frames and thin panels, and foam corner protectors, large for table tops and cabinets
- brown packing tape, and sandwich bags for screws
Step by step
- Empty it. Take everything out of drawers, cupboards and wardrobes. Furniture is designed to stand still full, not to be carried full.
- Take apart what you can. Table legs, bed frames, shelves and mirrors on dressers. Bag the screws and tape the bag to the piece it came from.
- Protect the corners with foam corners. Table tops and the corners of cabinets take the most knocks.
- Wrap it in a blanket. Cover the whole piece, then tape around the blanket, never onto the furniture itself, as tape can pull off polish and veneer.
- Add edge protectors along long edges, especially where straps will go in the van.
Packing tip: Lock or tape drawers and doors shut over the blanket so they can't swing open while you carry the piece.
Loading the van
- Heaviest furniture goes in first, against the front wall of the van.
- Stand sofas and mattresses on their side along the walls to save space.
- Keep blankets between pieces so nothing rubs, and strap everything so it can't shift on corners.
- Boxes go on top and in the gaps: heavy, small boxes low down, light ones on top.
Our furniture protection pack gives you a transit blanket, carpet film and 40 edge protectors in one go. To protect the floors as you carry things out, see how to protect floors and carpets.
Questions
How do I protect furniture when moving?
Empty it, take it apart where you can, protect the corners, wrap it in a padded transit blanket and tape around the blanket rather than onto the furniture.
Should I tape furniture drawers shut?
Tape over a blanket, not directly onto the wood, as tape can damage polish and veneer.
How many moving blankets do I need?
As a rough guide, one or two per large piece of furniture. A large blanket covers a sofa or a big table.