How to Plan Your Move With Appliances and Over-Sized Furniture

Your move requires careful planning-especially when you have appliances and larger items. You've hired a moving company, bought plastic bins, and decided on dates and times. Now what? Before the big day arrives, take a look at the prep steps that can increase efficiency, reduce costs, and make your move run smoothly.

Measure Appliances and Furniture

Can your large appliances and furniture fit through an entry door easily? Can these items also move freely through a hallway? Don't get stuck, literally, mid-move. If the appliances came with your house or you assembled furniture after it was already inside, you could run into problems as you move.

As you prepare to move:

• Measure the appliances/furniture . Measure the height, width, and depth of each item.
• Measure the hallways and doors . Measure the width and height of every hall and door your appliances and furniture may need to move through. This will help you to plan for the next step.
• Plan an exit route . Decide which hallways and doors items will need to pass through. In some cases, the shortest route isn't always the best. Make a selection based on size instead.

If every exit door seems too small, remove the door (or a screen/storm door) from the hinges and remeasure the space. This can add the extra inches you need to get your appliances and furniture through comfortably.

Decide What to Disassemble

You've measured your furniture and measured the doors. But you can't figure out a way to get large or awkwardly-sized pieces out of the house. Start with the movers. Ask the professionals if they have an alternative idea. If not, decide what you can reasonably disassemble for the move.

Before you start to take apart over-sized pieces consider:

• The manufacturer's instructions . Does the manufacturer provide instructions for disassembly? If not it's possible the item needs to stay as-is. Follow the directions to avoid damage.
• Organization issues . If you can disassemble larger items, do so in an organized manner. Create a plan to move the pieces together. Don't forget about accessories or hardware that goes with each item. Store these in baggies for the move.
• The sizes of the pieces . Will the pieces fit through doors and hallways? Bed posts, sections of a sofa, and other similarly large pieces may not move easily. Measure individual pieces before you attempt to disassemble or move anything.

What should you do if you can't disassemble an item and it won't fit through your main entry door? Read on for more information on the next steps to take.

Find Moving Alternatives

If your larger appliances and furniture pieces still won't fit through hallways or doors, it's time to get creative. You may find solutions if you:

• Angle the objects . Some items require an angle to reach the best moving position possible. Tall and awkwardly shaped items may move easily if you tilt them, turn them on a side, or choose an alternative angle.
• Remove roadblocks . Again, the door itself can get in the way of your ability to move larger items. Remove the door from its hinges to make extra space. You may also need to remove weather stripping, insultation, or other accessories.
• Use a window . An item that won't fit out of the room it's already in may fit through an alternative exit. Talk to the movers about the possibility of using a first floor window.

Use a different exit . A garage, patio door, or other exit may provide an easier option than your main entry.

Along with these alternatives, rely on the movers' expertise. The professionals have the knowledge and experience to handle this type of moving situation.

Contact us at Azalea City Moving Co. for more information and for assistance with your next move!