Moving? Well then . . . Prepare yourself because you are about to have some difficult situations on your hand when deciding on how to move the big stuff. By big stuff we mean, the dreaded furniture. When moving, there comes a time when we think to ourselves, “Do I really need to take all this stuff? I can always buy new furniture”. A fleeting thought that must be discarded quickly! Think about all the money you would be wasting.

Moving furniture that is heavy such as armories, tables, and couches are no child’s play. Our old furniture, which we have lots and lots of memories associated with, puts life and essence to our rooms. The only way to ensure that the furniture survives the moving van’s arduous journey is to pack it securely with adequate packaging supplies. Here’s the secret:

Supplies You Will Need for the Packaging Furniture

• Styrofoam Sheets 16″

• Corrugated Sheets

• Polypropylene Strapping

• Wire Buckles

• Pliers

• Box Cutter

• Packing Tape

• Wooden Palette

*You can buy all of these items from The Home Depot.

Forming a Box

Since you won’t find such large cardboard boxes in which you can fit an armoire or a couch, the first step is to customize a box according to the furniture’s size. Let’s take the armoire as an example – if the armoire has drawers, remove and empty them.

Securing it with Styrofoam and Corrugated Sheet

Lay down a Styrofoam sheet and put the armoire on it horizontally, with only ¼ of the armoire lying on the Styrofoam. If the armoire has legs, then when moving it, make sure its carried out and placed upside down. This will protect the legs and stop the armoire from falling.

Tip: If possible, take a wood palette and tie it to the bottom of the armoire, so that you have a solid base. You can also use folds of Styrofoam to create a spongy base and to fill gaps.

Form a box around the top and bottom of the armoire and tape the Styrofoam together. Do not tape it to the armoire or you will ruin its finish. Now cover the middle area with the sheets and avoid leaving any gaps in between. Since an armoire is a huge item, it’s better to double wrap the Styrofoam for added safety.

Now measure the opening of the box and cut a piece of Styrofoam in the exact same size. Press it on both sides and secure with tape.

Note: When packing a sofa, you can use plastic sheets instead of Styrofoam to protect the leather or cloth from wear and tear.

Now repeat this process with the corrugated sheet, but cover the sides with one sheet per side. When the four sides are covered, start with the lid.