A lot of furniture looks as if it will fit through the door. Until it gets stuck in the hallway. Good preparation here saves both time and scraped walls.
Almost always taken apart
- Wardrobes and tall cabinets - they rarely fit through the stairwell and lift in one piece, and they are dangerously heavy.
- Bedroom sets and beds - the headboard, frame and slats are moved separately.
- Corner sofas - most are made of modules that separate.
- Large tables - the legs come off and the top gets wrapped.
- Wall units and bookcases - especially if they have glass or mirrors.
Usually not worth it
Small cabinets, chests of drawers, bedside tables and chairs are usually moved whole - taking them apart takes more time than it saves. The drawers are simply secured or taken out.
How not to lose anything
- Take a photo of the piece before you start - putting it back together afterwards is much easier.
- Put the screws and small parts of each piece in a separate bag and tape it to the furniture itself.
- Label the parts - “left”, “right”, “top” - especially for panels that look the same.
- Keep the instructions if you still have them.
The kitchen - a separate matter
Fitted kitchens and their built-in appliances need more care - disconnecting the worktop, the sink and the appliances. If you are not sure, it is better to leave this to people who do it every day.
Let us do it
Taking apart and putting together furniture can be part of the move. See more about furniture assembly and disassembly or about a complete home move.