Sometimes you run up against a moving challenge that leaves you scratching your head. Getting a wide sofa through a narrow doorway, sliding a king-size mattress up or down a tight stairwell, moving and protecting your flat-screen television, or packing your entire collection of hardcover books. We have some tips that will save you some time and frustration when it comes to these moving conundrums. When you are facing an obstacle that has you wanting to throw in the towel, take a deep breath and see if you can come at the problem from another direction.
Mattress
Something just about everyone needs to move at some point or another, often involving navigating tricky narrow spaces and stairways, is the mattress.
Measure the mattress– Before you start, measure your mattress diagonally (from corner to corner) to see if it will fit in the tight space you are facing.
- Twin XL- 38“x 80”, diagonal of 88.57”
- Full- 54” x 74”, diagonal of 91.61”
- Queen- 60” x 80”, diagonal of 100”
- King- 76” x 80”, diagonal of 110.34”
Measure obstacles– Next measure the height from stairs to ceiling to see if you will be able to slide the mattress up or down the stairs without getting blocked by a low ceiling. This is especially important for the box spring, which is rigid. Remember to also measure and take in to account any doorways or pivot points that will be encounter while moving the mattress.
Protect the mattress-Use a plastic mattress bag to protect the mattress and consider purchasing moving straps and bands. This will keep your mattress clean and safe from rips or tears while you maneuver.
Team lift– Lastly, whenever moving large, bulky, or heavy items, lift with a partner.
Couch or sofa
To get your couch or sofa into your house, it will have to come through a door. It may also have to fit through one or two other doorways before it gets to its final resting place in your moving truck, storage unit, or in your new home.
Measure – Always measure the width of doorways and the couch before starting the move.
Remove the feet – If necessary, you can remove the feet of the sofa to make it narrower. Another trick is to move the couch backside down, which also lowers the profile.
Remove door from hinges – If you still cannot make it fit, the next step is to remove the door from its hinges.
Disassembly/reassembly – The final solution is to hire a skilled upholsterer to disassemble the sofa and then re-assemble it inside your new home. This clearly is to be used as a last resort.
Flat Screen Television
Now that you have some of the larger items moved, what do you do about your flat screen television? You threw away the box it came in years ago, so how should you protect it and store it?
Protect the TV-Fortunately, flat screen TVs can be wrapped in blankets or moving pads to keep it from cracking or breaking.
Store Properly– Remember to store it upright. Laying it on its back could mess up the pixels, leaving them distorted.
Books
Finally, let’s tackle that mountain of books.
Packing– Use a larger number of smaller boxes for books. Twenty-five hardcover books will weigh around 40 pounds, so by spreading that weight over several smaller boxes, you save yourself a lot of unnecessary aches and pains later.
Moving the packed boxes-Using a moving truck dolly to lift the heavy stacks of boxes will make the job easier on your back and allow you to move more quickly.
Lift with your legs– If you do not have access to a moving dolly, remember to lift with your legs, not your back.
When it comes to storage, Value Store It has what you need: self-storage units in various sizes (including units with climate control) and convenient locations throughout Florida and Massachusetts. Visit our Homepage now to reserve your unit.
Leave a Reply