If you’re moving and you have some big and valuable possessions, hiring professional movers is your best option. By hiring professional movers, you can ensure that special attention and care is being taken when it comes to your heavy, large and valuable belongings.
Not quite sure which items should be left to the professionals?
- Pianos
Moving a piano by yourself isn’t going to be an easy task. Given that most pianos weigh hundreds (if not thousands) of pounds, the heavy lifting involved when picking up and moving a piano is quite strenuous. In addition, pianos are typically expensive (think: upwards of $100,000) – making them one of the most valuable items inside a household.
- Hot tubs
From gathering the right supplies and draining the water to planning a route and hoisting it onto a truck, moving a hot tub is not for the faint of heart. Unless you have a team of friends to help (and they actually know what they’re doing), we strongly recommend hiring professional movers to relocate the hot tub for you.
- Pool tables
Unfortunately, moving a pool table not only involves a complicated disassembly and packing process, but it also means having to lift extremely heavy parts. Overall, pool tables can weigh up to 1,000 pounds – making for quite the moving challenge, especially when stairs are involved.
- Appliances
Moving household appliances requires planning, prepping and a whole lot of manpower. Unless you’re prepared to move these heavy items yourself, hiring professionals to do the lifting and moving for you is a good idea.
- Art, antiques and valuables
Safely moving artwork, antiques and other valuables takes quite a bit of planning and prepping to keep items as safe and secure as possible throughout the moving process. Art is especially prone to damage when being moved from one home to another.
Tips for moving these items yourself
Hiring professional movers isn’t in everyone’s budget. If you are set on a do-it-yourself move, then know that it is possible to move just about anything with the right planning, materials and helpers.
- Have the right equipment and supplies
You’ll likely need more than just boxes and packing tape. Make sure to research specific packing supplies that are necessary for moving your household belongings. You will also need to rent various pieces of moving equipment prior to the move. Equipment that may come in handy includes dollies, wooden planks, trailers, a loading ramp for the truck and tie-downs – among other items.
- Get help
You cannot move this heavy stuff by yourself. Get a few strong friends and family to help with the heavy lifting and loading.
- Measure doorways, stairways, and other tight spaces
Any doorway, stairway or entryway space that the item must pass through in order to enter or exit a home should be measured. Items such as a piano and pool table will likely need to be disassembled in order to fit through these passages.
- Keep warranties and owner manuals close by
From hot tubs to appliances, most items come with an owner’s manual and warranty information. Be sure to keep this in a safe location throughout the moving process. If something breaks or becomes damaged during the move, the warranty information will certainly come in handy. You may also need the owner’s manual for details on how to remove and install an item correctly.