How to pack furniture and protect it correctly during a move
I'm sure it's happened to you: you think about moving house and the first thing that comes to mind is not the excitement of moving house for the first time, but the worry that the furniture is going to arrive in dusty condition.
Scratches, knocks or broken parts in transit are all too common scenes when you don't know how to pack correctly.
Not all furniture is the same: a large wardrobe, a sofa, a glass table... each one requires different treatment.
Packing furniture well is not about putting everything in boxes and hoping for the best, it's about make sure your furniture is still the same as it was when you arrive at your new home.
That's why in this article we tell you how to pack and protect furniture step by step, which materials really work and which mistakes you should avoid if you don't want any unpleasant surprises.
Why you can't improvise when packing furniture
Cheap is expensive, and when it comes to packaging furniture this sentence makes even more sense.
Many people are faced with moving house and throw away old blankets, sheets or cardboard that are “sure to work”. And you may think that's enough...
Until the sofa rubs against the wall of the lift or the glass table takes a knock that wasn't meant to happen and those sheets and blankets that used to be there haven't protected your furniture as well as you thought they would.
During a move, furniture does not sit quietly: no matter how much you fix it in place, it moves, vibrates, jostles and often passes through cramped spaces or temperature and humidity conditions that may not suit it at all.
Therefore, packing furniture using adequate materials is not a whim, it is a necessity if you want everything to arrive as it was..
The materials that really protect your furniture
When it comes to protecting and packing furniture, not all materials are worth the same value and do not offer the same security. And no, the old blankets you had in the storeroom are not enough if you want to avoid damage:
- Sturdy boxes: cardboard boxes that you have taken from the shop under your house or that you have reused from things you had around the house are no good.
These can be used to store clothes or light items, but for furniture you will need boxes. quality and of adequate size. This prevents them from deforming or opening during transport.
- Bubble paper: is almost magic for delicate surfaces. It absorbs shocks and avoids friction without being expensive.
- Padded blankets for removals: unlike the ones at home, they are designed to withstand several movements and to better protect bulky furniture.
- Protective film or plastic: helps to keep everything compact and prevents blankets or paper from moving.
- Quality adhesive tape: that sticks where it is supposed to. If you don't want the packaging to open in the middle of the truck, please don't use tape or masking tape.
These materials are not a “foolish” expense: they are the difference between a drama-free move and one full of calls and repairs.
How to pack according to the type of furniture
Not all furniture is packed in the same way. Each material and shape requires a different strategy so that it does not suffer in transit:
Large and bulky furniturefor furniture such as wardrobes, shelves or beds, the key is often in dismantle what can be dismantled.
This makes it much easier to transport and reduces the possibility of knocks. It does, however, keep screws and small parts in labelled bags. There is nothing worse than losing a piece and not knowing which piece of furniture it belonged to or where to find a replacement.
Delicate surfaces (wood, glass, lacquered)You really have to be careful here. First cover with cardboard or padded blankets, and then wrap everything in film so that nothing moves.
The film keeps everything compact and prevents the corners from being bumped by moving blankets or bubble wrap.
Sofas, mattresses or upholsteryThe ideal for these cases are specific covers that protect them from dust, moisture and shocks during transport. Not only are they cleaner, they arrive at the other house as good as new.
In the end, each piece of furniture has its own “language”.” and understanding it will prevent you from seeking remedies when it is too late.
The importance of packing sensibly and tidily
Packing furniture for the sake of packing will only give you headaches. If you label each piece of furniture or group of pieces with the room they belong to and if they need special treatment, everything will work out much better.
This will not only help you or the professional movers know where everything goes, but it will speed up the process of setting up and unpacking everything when you arrive at your new home.
You'll know where what you need first, you won't go crazy looking for what's not labelled, and you'll be clear about what parts need to be assembled next.
In addition, keeping a small record of the dismantled furniture, with photos or a piece of paper so that you can remember which piece goes where, will save you time and frustrations that are not at all pleasant when it's time to put everything back in its place.
Other common (and easy to avoid) mistakes
There are failures that are repeated in almost all removals that could have been avoided with a little foresight:
- Use of low quality materials: yes, we've told you about this before, but even if you really believe that old blankets are good for packing furniture... They're not.
- Failure to protect corners and edges well: these are areas that take the brunt of any movement, so give them extra TLC when packing your furniture.
- Trying to move large pieces of furniture without dismantling them when you can: sometimes dismantling half an hour earlier is better than breaking something because you're trying to get it through the door.
- Not fixing the packaging properly: if everything moves around inside the blankets, you are not protecting anything. Use film or tape to keep everything in place during transport.
These are small details that will save you much more trouble.
Packing furniture well is not just a matter of “covering it up a bit and that's it”: it's about understanding what each piece needs, choosing materials that really do the job and taking the time to organise it wisely.
If you do this, your furniture will not only arrive intact in your new home... will come with no drama, no surprises and less stress than you might think..
Gil Stauffer doesn't just do removals, we also offer professional packaging services so that your furniture is protected right from the start.
Do you want to know how we do it? Contact us at and discover how easy your next move can be.
