Pianos, Pool Tables, and More – Our Guide to Moving Large Furniture

If you’re anything like us, you love the feeling of crashing on your couch after a long day. If you’re moving, you might be wondering: how am I going to get my favorite couch out? Moving items like couches, pianos, and pool tables can be a real pain (literally and figuratively) if you don’t know what you’re doing. Before you get started moving large furniture, take a look:

Safety Precautions

Safety Precautions

Furniture can be heavy and awkward to carry. If you don’t do it properly or aren’t strong enough, you could seriously injure yourself. Take a moment to consider if you are physically fit enough to perform the job, or whether you should be relying on help from a mover or friends/family. If you insist on doing it yourself, it might be wise to invest in safety equipment such as straps, good shoes, or other helpful items.

Phone a Friend

Even if a piece of furniture isn’t heavy, its shape or material can still make it difficult or impossible for you to move it on your own. One of our most important couch, pool table, or piano moving tips would be to ask for help. Yes, it isn’t the most fun thing to do in the world, but if it’s just a quick moving job then your friends or family shouldn’t have an issue helping you out. If it’s more labor-intensive, consider offering to buy them lunch or take them out to a movie after. Remember: many hands make for lighter work.

Measure & Map it Out

Measure & Map it Out
There is nothing more frustrating than getting everyone together, picking the couch up, and trying to move it through a door that is too small. Or, once you get it through the door, discovering that the piece of furniture doesn’t fit into the room you want to move it to. Before moving large furniture, measure it out very carefully. Then, measure any doorway or hallway it will go to, and the final place where it will end up. Double-check everything before you call somebody over to help you. Otherwise, you may just be wasting their time.

Ramp it Up

This is one of the most forgotten pool table or piano moving tips. Carrying a heavy object up or down the stairs can be really difficult and potentially dangerous. If you have a ramp, you can lay it down the steps to make it easier and safer for you to move the furniture. Being able to slide it will take almost all the weight off of your arms and you’ll be able to control how quickly it moves.

Break it Down

If you don’t have a ramp, you can create a makeshift one using wood or other objects you may have around. Just be very careful that it’s smooth and that your furniture is covered so that nothing is scratched or ripped.

Break it Down

Most bigger pieces of furniture are actually comprised of small pieces that have been put together. By breaking it down, you can make them easier to carry and transfer. For example: taking the drawers out of the cabinet makes it much lighter and prevents any moving pieces from jostling around while you’re carrying it. Sofas might have feet on the bottom that make them too big to carry through the door. These can be quickly unscrewed, making moving large furniture much easier.

Moving Your Piano

Pianos are very tricky to move because even though they are large and bulky, the pieces inside are very delicate and fragile. They also tend to be very expensive, which means you have to be even more careful. If your piano is valuable or if you are going to need to carry it up and down stairs, we highly recommend hiring professionals to move it for you so you can avoid making any costly mistakes. If you’re doing it yourself, follow our piano moving tips.

Before you do anything, wrap the piano carefully with thick blankets to prevent any damage. It helps to tape them in place to ensure that they don’t move while in transit. You’re going to need a sturdy four-wheeled dolly and a few friends to help you monitor the process. Very carefully take it out to your moving van and gently set it inside. Straps will help to keep it in place while on the dolly.

Pool Tables

Depending on the year it was built, there are many different ways a pool table can be made. Some older tables, for example, use a few very heavy slates placed next to each other on the frame. These slates can weigh around 500 lbs each, so you’ll need help. Just like with like our tips for moving other large furniture, you’re going to want to break it down. This will take time and careful planning, as you don’t want to damage the table in the process.

Try to take notes and pictures during the process, because when you arrive at your new home, you’re going to need to reassemble it again.

Cabinets & Couches

These are probably the two most common large items that people have trouble moving. If you’ve followed all of our other tips, you should have an easier time with it. Another thing to keep in mind is how you’re moving it. If you stand your couch on its end, you will have an easier time getting it through your doorway, assuming that it isn’t too long to fit through. Be careful though because you never want to slide anything on the ground!

For cabinets and other tall items, tip them at an angle and have one person carry high while the other carries low. This makes it more comfortable for both people. With heavier items, you might be tempted to move quickly so that you can set it down. Avoid this! Be careful and be smart.

With a little bit of preparation, moving large furniture can be a safer and much easier experience. Remember: our advice, including our piano moving tips, aren’t always enough. Some special situations require professional help. For those situations, or if you just want the best move of your life, don’t hesitate to call the Pasadena Moving Company at (818) 495-8006 or send us a message.