Whether you’re moving houses or simply renovating your home, moving household furniture is a tiresome and stressful task. It involves clearing and preparing the space, strenuous packing, and heavy lifting, which can result in back pain and mental stress.
The good news is that moving household furniture can be a lot easier if you’re armed with the right tools and information.
Read on to discover furniture moving tips from Nairobi’s most reputable home movers.
1. Clear the Floor of Any Obstacles
Before moving furniture, clear the floor of any obstacles that could cause tripping or falling. Remove shoes, toys, crumpled carpets, and packing boxes from the walkways and floors and also wall hangings along the way. Ensure that kids and pets are not playing around nearby for enhanced safety.
2. Prepare a Settlement Layout for Your Furniture
Before moving into your new house, draw up a floor plan with accurate measurements for the rooms, then decide the spot you want the furniture. If you are working with professional home movers in Kenya, you can share this plan with them so they can help decide a better settlement layout for your furniture. Once completed, they can then unload the furniture and set it up once and for all when your belongings arrive.
3. Wear Protective Attire
Moving heavy furniture requires that you wear the right type of shoes and clothes. These include loose, light, and breathable clothes that you can walk around in and stretch comfortably and gloves for sharp-edged items. Wear closed shoes with rough treads for a non-slip grip and strong shock absorption to prevent accidents or injury.
Avoid sandals and high heels.
4. Use Proper Furniture Moving Gear and Equipment
Using the proper moving gear and equipment protects your furniture from damage while in transit. It also saves your arms, feet, and back from exerting too much effort and risking injury.
Many furniture movers in Nairobi use the following tools;
- Adjustable lifting and moving straps – Heavier furniture is moved using these straps. They help lower the furniture’s center of gravity to manage the weight and facilitate lifting. You can adjust them to your height so you can move furniture without straining your back.
- Furniture dollies – Dollies are ideal for moving pianos, wall units, and oversized furniture. Depending on the weight and height of the furniture, you can choose between the two-wheeled or the four-wheeled dolly. Remember to secure your belongings using straps, ropes, or tape before using the dolly.
- Sliders – Using foam or rubber sliders under the furniture protects your floors from damage and makes your move more manageable. There are also unique carpet sliders you could use for gliding furniture over carpets.
- Ramps – You can quickly and safely hoist bulky furniture onto raised areas such as the back of a moving truck using ramps. You can create ramps yourself using lumber and scaffold planks for furniture moving.
5. Disassemble What You Can
Separate all detachable parts from your furniture, including drawers, cushions, and dresser knobs. Removing parts that add unnecessary weight makes your furniture light enough to carry through doors, narrow staircases, and elevators.
Remember to keep disassembled pieces in well-labelled bags or moving boxes so you can easily find them later.
6. Use Protective Wrapping and Packing Materials During Transit
As is often the case with many residential moves in Kenya, your belongings may be subject to bumps and vibrations during transportation. To protect fragile parts and pieces of furniture, remember to wrap them using moving blankets and secure them with stretch film and packing tapes. If you are on a tight budget, old blankets and sheets also work just fine.
You can line up the floor and walls of the moving truck with furniture pads and cardboard to prevent scratches, scrapes, and dents. All these packing supplies for furniture are available at reasonable prices at Nellions Shop.
7. Proper Heavy Lifting Techniques
Experienced furniture movers in Nairobi recommend using safe lifting techniques to avoid stress and injury. Lifting techniques are especially important for hoisting and loading into waiting moving trucks. To avoid injury;
- Bend your knees and power up from your legs when lifting to avoid back injury. You should feel the weight on your arms and legs, not on your back
- Carry the items closer to your body so that it’s easier to find the right balance. This will keep you from tripping and getting hurt
- Avoid turning and sudden movements
- Watch your path, so you don’t trip over any obstacles
8. Moving Furniture Up and Down the Stairs
Some furniture, such as shelving units and filing cabinets, can be difficult to move up and down staircases. The best way to move them is to tip them at an angle and have a helper carry at the top and another at the bottom. This helps to center the weight and keep it balanced during the move.
Moving such furniture up and down the stairs becomes easier since the carrying angle almost matches the slope of the stairs.
Always remember to let the person at the bottom set the pace. Also, try going as slowly as possible to avoid accidents. Rest if you must.
9. Getting the Furniture through Doorways
Use the “hook” method for sofas and bulky chairs you can’t disassemble to move through doorways. You will be angling the seat around the door corner in an L shape to get it through. You may also try different angling techniques for larger sofas so they can appear narrow and fit through doorways.
10. Unloading After Your Move
Your furniture move is not yet complete without an unloading plan at your new space. Make an inventory checklist for all the furniture, including the detached parts, for easy tracking among the moving boxes.
Since the heavier furniture is likely at the back of the moving truck, you may have to start offloading smaller items first. Some moving companies in Kenya also provide furniture installation services for IKEA furniture and similar designs.
Final Thoughts
Moving household furniture may look simple from the outside, but in reality, it demands strength, planning, the right equipment, and experience. One wrong lift, one tight staircase, or one poorly protected item can quickly turn a “do-it-yourself” move into damaged furniture, injured backs, scratched walls, and unexpected costs.
That is why doing it yourself should not be the default option. It should be the last option.
A well-executed move is not just about carrying items from one house to another. It is about protecting your belongings, preserving your property, saving time, and setting up your new home with minimal disruption. With a clear layout plan, a proper inventory, and professional handling, your new space can start functioning from the moment the first item is unloaded.
Ultimately, the smartest move is not the one that feels cheapest at the beginning. It is the one that protects you from stress, damage, delays, and regret. With the right moving team, what could have been a tiring and risky task becomes a smooth, organized transition into your next home.
Need furniture movers in Nairobi? Nellions’ specialist team handles all furniture – from sofas to antiques – with expert wrapping, safe loading and delivery. Join over 15000 families and individuals we’ve served over our years of operation today.
Get a free quote via +254700000002 or email move@nellions.co.ke
