How to Prepare Furniture for Moving Day

Empty what needs to be empty

Drawers in light timber and flat-pack furniture should be emptied. The weight puts strain on joints that were never designed to be carried loaded, and a shifting drawer is how doors and door frames get marked.

Solid timber dressers can often travel with clothing left in the drawers. Ask when you book rather than assuming either way.

Beds, wardrobes and flat-pack

• Strip beds and bag the linen so mattresses can be covered.
• Dismantle bed frames if that was agreed in your quote, and tape screws and bolts to the frame or bag and label them.
• Empty wardrobes, or use port-a-robe cartons so hanging clothes travel upright.
• Treat older flat-pack carefully: some items will not survive a second dismantle and reassemble, so tell us if you are worried about a particular piece.

Whitegoods and appliances

• Defrost and dry the freezer the night before so it does not leak in the truck.
• Empty and drain the washing machine, and fit the transit bolts if you still have them.
• Disconnect the dishwasher and fridge water line before the crew arrives, or arrange a plumber if it is plumbed in.
• Keep power cords taped to the back of each appliance.

Glass, mirrors and timber tops

Remove glass shelves and tabletops and set them aside so they can be wrapped separately. Glass travels on its edge, never flat under weight.

Timber surfaces mark easily against buckles and belt hardware, so the crew will blanket-wrap them. Leaving them clear and accessible keeps that quick.

Tell us about the difficult items

Pianos, safes, pool tables, large aquariums, treadmills and oversized wall units all need to be planned for. So does anything that came in through a window or balcony, or that will not fit back down a stairwell. Mention these when you request a quote and the right equipment and crew size can be arranged.