How to wrap furniture
Whether you have decided to hire professional movers or you want to do it yourself, it is useful to know how to wrap your furniture the right way. Most people who are facing moving - locally, across the country or to a long-term storage don't know how many moving blankets they need or how to use them and wrap their furniture professionally. Wrapping properly guarantees safety for your belongings and shouldn't be underestimated. It is important to understand that movers do not have any sentimental feelings for your items and won't see them the way you do. They do care about the safety of your items, of course, and want to make sure they are properly packed and wrapped and easy to carry and load. Most damage happens during carrying, loading and unloading, but this also depends on how well the van has been loaded. Before you start packing make a list of what you are taking to define how much material you need and how long it will take you to pack it all. This will also give you an idea of how much extra help you need. The material that is usually in need includes: bubble wrap, covers for sofas and mattresses, tape, old blankets and towels, plastic wrap, sealable plastic bags and furniture blankets. Before you start wrapping clean your furniture - you don't want to wrap dusty items and clean all that in your new home. The first thing to do after you have prepared your material is disassemble any items which allow so, like table legs and table leafs. This will make your furniture easier to transport. Wrap all the disassembled parts and store them in boxes. All the screws, bolts and other items belonging to the disassembled parts should be put in sealable plastic bag and kept next to the main parts. Cover any glass tabletops with paper or old blankets and towels. There are specially made covers for sofas and mattresses which keep them intact, dry and clean. Mattresses need to be placed upright in the van to save space. You can use plastic shrink wrap for chairs, cabinets, lamps and mirrors. When packing leather furniture use pads, shrink wrap and tape. Place the sofa or armchair on the pad and cover it. Then use the tape around the corners of the item to securely attach the padding. In the end use the shrink wrapping around the whole piece of furniture. This will make your furniture ready for the move. You can use shrink wrap for shelves, lamps and any items that you don't want to fall apart. The key to good wrapping is to use enough material, so make sure you don't save much on tape and plastic wrap. If you have to wrap bunk beds or baby cribs, try disassembling them first, by using their manual. If you can't disassemble a crib use its space to put inside toys, linen or other lightweight items and cover it all with shrink wrap so it stays in place. If you need to wrap certain furniture for long-term storage then clean and polish the surface first. For long-term storage it is better to use fabric pads, because other materials either trap moisture inside or eventually go flat, like stretch wrap and bubble wrap. When you wrap your furniture for storing it should be tight without any space between the wrappings, so that dust doesn't get in. Be extra careful with the corners and edges of the furniture. Follow these easy steps and next time you pack for a move you will be able to do it yourself like a professional.