Packing dishes and clothing seems like a breeze once you finally assess the rest of what needs to be packed in your home. With heavy, bulky statement pieces mixed with fragile décor in every room, how do you even know where to begin the packing process? We are here to take out the guesswork! In the content below, we explore how to pack furniture for moving by breaking down each type of furniture based on its most common originating room.

 #1. PREPARE THE PACKING SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS

If you’re planning an upcoming move, you’ve likely heard that the only moving supplies you’ll need are some cardboard boxes and packing tape. While these items are undoubtedly a necessity to have on hand during the process, it’s worth it to invest in some additional items to ensure your move from one location to another is nothing but seamless. You can visit your local hardware or home improvement store (or shop on Amazon) to purchase the additional packing supplies that you’ll need:

  • Bubble wrap
  • Packing tape
  • Sofa and mattress covers
  • Plastic stretch wrap
  • Sealable plastic bags
  • Corrugated cardboard sheets

When in doubt, purchase more supplies than you think you’ll need. You’ll be surprised how quickly you burn through these items!

#2. CLEAN AND PREPARE THE FURNITURE FOR PACKING

Before you move forward with the packing process, you’ll want to take some time to thoroughly clean and dust your furniture. If there is built-up dust and debris on the surface of any furniture, it has the potential to cause damage to your expensive or sentimental furniture items during the moving process. Cleaning your furniture ahead of time is also a beneficial way to ensure you’re not bringing in dust or grime into your new space. 

Remove any casters, knobs, or pull drawers from your furniture which will only take a few minutes. You should also make it a point to take the drawers out of your dressers and desks. You can even pack other items inside of them for extra storage space while lightening the furniture for your move.

clean the furniture

#3. DISASSEMBLE AND WRAP THE FURNITURE

Once you have the furniture disassembled, wrapped, and put into their appropriate boxes, make sure to clearly label them so you’re able to find the pieces on the other side of the move. When you’re wrapping your furniture, keep the following in mind:

  • If you have wooden furniture, make sure to use moving blankets or furniture blankets to keep it protected during the move. You can also use some of your corrugated cardboard pieces to give the furniture an extra layer of protection and prevent scratches while your furniture is on the moving truck.
  • Wrap glass shelves or doors in packing paper.
  • Use a furniture blanket or sheet of cardboard when you’re wrapping or packing your dressers for the move.
  • Use furniture blankets to cover glass tabletops and carefully place them in cardboard boxes. You can also use towels or blankets for protection.
  • Sofas and mattresses can be packed in specially made plastic covers that are designed to keep moisture out.

How to Pack: Bedroom Furniture

Regardless if you currently live in a studio apartment, two-bedroom townhome, or five-bedroom house, categorize each large furniture component in every bedroom.

Mattress

To safely pack and protect your mattress during transit, purchase a mattress moving bag or moving box according to your mattress size. By doing so, you shield your mattress from accruing moisture and attracting any unwanted pests.

Before placing the mattress in the moving bag or box, remove all bedding and linens from the mattress for a perfect fit. Fold and pack your linens in a separate box or bin, label it accordingly, and set it aside. Then, with the help of one or two friends or family members, slide the mattress inside the moving bag. Please use caution when doing so to prevent any muscle straining as mattresses can be quite heavy.

Bed Frame

Whether your bed frame is made of wood, metal, or a combination of the two, the main packing process stays the same. When taking apart each component, document every step through pictures or video to help you remember how the bed frame, and headboard, came apart.

To best keep track of the smaller hardware pieces, secure them in a plastic bag and tape the bag to the largest piece of the bed frame. Then, with moving blankets, bubble wrap, or a combination of these, wrap together the larger bedframe components. Doing so protects not only the bedframe but also nearby items in the moving truck.

Nightstands and Dressers

With nightstands and dressers, you have two packing options: disassembly or keeping the unit together. If you plan to keep the unit together, secure the drawers by taping them shut. Additionally, to protect the furniture’s frame, cover bubble wrap around the exterior and tape it in place. Alternatively, you can use cardboard to secure the exterior of your dressers and nightstands, if you run out of bubble wrap.

If you decide to disassemble these items, follow the procedures within the bed frame paragraph above. Be sure that you thoroughly document which hardware piece goes where and secure all small items in a plastic bag or Tupperware container.

How to Pack: Living Room Furniture

Your living room could be either minimally or extravagantly furnished. Regardless, it’s best that you start with the simpler pieces and work your way to packing more difficult furniture.

How to Pack Furniture

Sofas, Armchairs, and Sectionals

To best protect your living room seating, use bubble wrap to safeguard any delicate wood pieces. Additionally, utilize plastic, stretch wrap, or specially-designed plastic sofa covers for all upholstered sections. If you find yourself in a pinch, old blankets or packing blankets will work as well. It is also a good idea to use corrugated cardboard sheets between wooden pieces.

Bookshelves, Coffee Tables, and End Tables

Whether your furniture originates from Ikea or Pottery Barn, carefully disassemble each item to avoid damage. In this case, bubble wrap and packing tape will be your greatest resources. As you take apart each item, have a labelled storage bag or container to hold the nuts, bolts, and screws. Additionally, tape the bag of hardware to one of the coffee table legs to keep track of everything during your move. If possible, store the table legs, hardware, and tabletop in a single box so all components remain in the same area throughout transit.

This same process works just as well with bookshelves. Additionally, as you take apart each shelf, stack one on top of another with a thin layer of cardboard or bubble warp in between to prevent damage.

How to Pack: Dining Room Furniture

Although dining rooms typically have the least amount of furniture and are among the simplest furniture items to pack, there’s still some work to be done.

Dining Table and Chairs

For dining tables, simply remove any leaf attachment that extends the table’s length, shrink the tabletop back to its original size, and securely wrap the leaf extension and tabletop with bubble wrap. If you can disassemble the tabletop from the legs below, safely remove and store the hardware in a secure plastic bag or Tupperware container labelled appropriately. Then, either store the table legs in a box or wrap them together with bubble wrap and secure them in place with packing tape.

Seamlessly, dining chairs are just as easy to pack! You can disassemble the legs and back from the chair base and pack them separately, just as you would with a dining table. Alternatively, you can keep the chair intact and secure all elements of the chair with cardboard, bubble wrap, and packing tape.

Hutch or China Cabinet

Filled with precious heirlooms and valuable dining essentials, hutches and china cabinets are paramount furniture for some. Therefore, it’s best to be extremely cautious when packing the ornate dishes inside.

After safely removing and packaging the contents within your hutch or china cabinet, packing the actual storage furniture takes a few simple steps, once you disassemble the top and bottom pieces to your hutch or china cabinet. First, secure the glass with blue painter’s tape and create a grid of vertical and horizontal strips. Then, cushion the front and back of the glass by using bubble wrap or cardboard, securing those layers with packing tape. Finally, protect the exterior frame of the hutch or cabinet with cardboard and tape the pieces together. Ultimately, you want to ensure that you can transport your furniture safely onto and off the moving truck while keeping everything intact.

How to Pack: Décor

Books, decorative pillows, blankets, and other knick-knacks can easily go in a box or bin without a second thought. But what about the miscellaneous items in your home that are harder to move? Below, we discuss what to do with a-typical and oddly shaped décor in your home such as mirrors, artwork, and house plants.

How to pack furniture moving

Mirrors and Artwork

Whether a small, tabletop display or a grandeur masterpiece covering an entire wall, artwork is a delicate moving element. To prevent any damage to your artwork, do not combine multiple pieces in a single box. Instead, pack each item separately, especially if the paintings are oil-based, so the paint does not transfer or leave residue. For framed artwork, you can easily box one at a time after carefully wrapping the picture in a layer of bubble wrap and securing with packing tape. When moving, you will find that packing tape and bubble wrap may be your saving grace.

Similarly, mirrors require separate packaging. To prevent damage, begin by securing the glass with blue painter’s tape, creating a grid of vertical and horizontal strips. Then, cushion the front and back of the mirror by using bubble wrap or moving blankets, securing those layers with packing tape.

House Plants

People don’t realize that dealing with heavy pots, dirt, and different temperatures during a move can be difficult.

First, if the plant is currently in a heavy, ceramic pot, consider transferring it to a plastic pot to increase safety of both you and the plant during transit. Doing such a few weeks before your moving date helps give them time to settle in a new pot. On moving day, transport them in your own car rather than a moving truck to better control the temperature and ensure they do not shift while in transport.

#4. LOAD THE FURNITURE ON A TRUCK

Your furniture should be fully disassembled and wrapped at this point. Now, you’ll begin loading the items onto your moving truck. If you aren’t opting to hire a professional moving company, here are some tips to keep in mind when you’re moving furniture by yourself:

  • Use a dolly: Heavy, large items such as chairs or a pool table are best moved with the help of a dolly. This not only makes the moving process easier but also helps you prevent damage to your items and reduces the risk of injury.
  • Use ropes: Upholstered furniture requires more care. Rope pieces can secure the furniture to hooks or paneling on the inside of the truck to keep your furniture in place
  • Use gliders, furniture sliders, or cardboard: Slip any of these options underneath the legs of your furniture to prevent damaging your floors during the move.
  • Prop open all doors throughout the move so you don’t have to open them with each item you carry outside.
  • When you’re loading a mattress, place it upright in the truck to create additional room
  • Keep the truck balanced by placing objects that have a similar weight on opposite ends of the truck.

When in Doubt, Let Alliance Move Your Furniture Out!

Sometimes, disassembling and packing your larger furniture items can feel overwhelming, if not impossible. If packing your furniture and the rest of your home feels untimely – and you are unsure how to safely pack and move everything in time – we are happy to help! At Alliance Moving and Storage, our moving experts are devoted to helping you through every part of the moving process. From the first point of contact and offering our packing and disassembly services to transporting and storing your belongings, our professionals are ready to assist. Are you ready to pass the packing and moving on to us at Alliance? Contact our team today to receive a free quote for our services!