It’s easy to remove some furniture, however, removal of heavy items can be a rather risky business. The first rule to DIY furniture would be to make it as easy for yourself as possible. Fortunately, some tools can help you during furniture removal. You don’t have to rely just on your hands these days. It’d be of advantage to get help with larger items, though. You could hire a team to finish it more effectively.
Get Some Professional Tools
Every mover has a dolly, but you might not have one. Depending on how often you expect to need it, you should buy one. There are furniture dolls with a flat top and four wheels underneath, so you can easily move furniture from A to B with it.
A furniture slider could also be of huge help for bulk items. Simply place a pad under each corner of your furniture. You could theoretically move an entire china cabinet with such sliders or also washing machines.
Don’t forget about getting some heavy-duty gloves. They provide you with a better grip on the items you intend to haul out for the removal. In case of sharp edges or nails sticking out somewhere, your hands will be protected.
You may also want to think about getting a pair of safety boots. They’re equipped with a steel cap from the inside. Should you drop anything during it, you won’t end up with a broken toe.
You may want to ask a professional for help if you can’t access the above-mentioned accessories. They’re equipped with all the tools and safety gear you can imagine. It might neither be worthwhile to get a dolly or safety boots just for this one removal.
Wear Some Comfy Clothes
No matter what day it is, it’s always advisable to wear comfortable clothes. Don’t wear jeans or shirts that are too tight and mess with your movement. At the same time, you shouldn’t resort to clothes that are too baggy. It’s easy to get hooked at the edges and risk injuries with baggy pants.
If you pass on safety boots, make at least sure to wear comfortable shoes covering your toes. Your shoes should provide you with support at the ankles. High heels, flip flops, sandals or basketball shoes might not be the right footwear for DIY furniture removal.
Disassembly is Advantageous
Before you start with furniture removal, try to disassemble the items. It might be near to impossible with older furniture that’s properly constructed and glued together. Most furniture, however, is only screwed together. That means, it should be easy to disassemble it. By disassembling your furniture you turn large items into smaller pieces that are easier to handle.
If you looked at your old bookcase, you might think it’d be easy to move. Try to lift it when it’s emptied. Now think about how you’re going to move it out of your home. You’ll first notice it’s heavier than it looks. It’s also quite difficult to hold. Most importantly, you can’t see much.
Apart from that point, some furniture is simply too heavy to carry at all. It might also simply be too large to fit through your doors. Once you’ve disassembled it, its parts are a lot lighter and they won’t block your sight either. It should be easy now to move them through your door frames, too.
Do you still have the assembly instructions? If so, follow them in reverse order. You’ll certainly find your way without instruction, but it’d be handy to have. Of course, you also have the choice of using a saw. But only use the saw for furniture that’s beyond any options for upcycling, selling, or donating.
Ask Someone For Help
Truth be told, you can easily remove chair and side tables as well as disassembled tables. But some furniture items are still hard to haul out on your own. Despite the fact you’ve disassembled what you could, the single parts might still be difficult to hold.
Ask around if any one of your friends or family was available to give you a hand. Maybe a neighbor would be up for the job, too. It’s safer to move the heavy pieces not on your own. Remember, you don’t want to break your back. Unfortunately, thousands of people end up in the ER every year, because they hurt themselves during the removal. If that happens you won’t have a choice but to ask a furniture removal team for assistance.
You could also simply avoid ending up in the ER from the start. Get in touch with a furniture removal team and schedule an appointment. You won’t have to do any heavy lifting.
Make Sure You’ve Got a Clear Path
It’s one thing to have all the tools in the world and to have disassembled your furniture. It still needs to leave the room it sits in. For this purpose, you need to create a clear path from the spot of your furniture to your front door.
There should be no obstacles in the way. Move side tables and sideboards to the side, remove valuable painting and mirrors from the walls. You never know if you lose the grip and accidentally smash a mirror.
Start furniture removal with items that are placed closest to your door. This practice may contribute to creating a clear path. Moreover, it keeps up your motivation since those items are out of the door much quicker.
Parting Words on DIY Furniture Removal
Before I go, I need to give you all a friendly reminder. There are certainly some movements you cannot avoid during furniture removal. Pushing, pulling, or twisting might all be part of it. But you should always look out for proper lifting techniques to avoid injuries to your back. Don’t just bend down if you want to lift an item. Bend your knees and use all the strength from your legs as you push up yourself to lift furniture.
If you already have a bad back or other physical limitations, it’s best to hire a team from the very start.
