Moving furniture to another state can be tricky.



The moment you know for sure that you’re soon moving to another state is roughly the time you’ll start wondering whether to move your furniture or not to move your furniture.

That’s the big question, of course. And finding its answer is not always that easy either.

There are advantages and disadvantages of taking furniture pieces with you when moving to a different state. And as you may have already guessed, you’re the only one who can make the right call given the specific circumstances you’re in at the time of the house move.

In most cases, moving furniture to another state is not recommended because of the extra expenses when disassembling any large and heavy furniture pieces and then packing them, taking them out of the house, loading them into the moving vehicle, and transporting them across multiple state lines until reaching the destination address.

But if you do decide to move some of your furniture, then you’re going to need to know just how to move furniture to a different state.

Follow these 10 steps for the best way to move furniture to another state.
Step 1. Decide whether to move your furniture at all
Before you make up your mind to move any furniture interstate, you must keep in mind that each and every large and heavy furniture item you take with you – a bed, a couch, a table, chairs, a dresser, a desk, a nightstand, etc. – will cost you extra time and, more importantly – money.

And when that move is long distance, as in your case, then it’s possible that you end up paying more money to transport the bulky household items than buying them brand new after the move.

So, is it better to move your furniture or buy new after the move? Base that important decision on your furniture’s
practical value, monetary value, sentimental value, and aesthetic value.
Also, factor in the dimensions of the larger furniture pieces you’re moving, especially when there’s a chance that some of them won’t readily fit through the doors or won’t fit into the smaller living space of the new place.

Ultimately, the current condition of your furniture should what tips the scales one way or the other.

Should You Move Your Furniture or Buy New After the Move?
Step 2. Decide how you will move your furniture
How to make a big move to another state? The best way to move furniture to another state will depend on your specific relocation case and the circumstances that surround it.

In most cases, organizing a self-move will not work because of the great distance between the two homes. Can’t wait to rent a moving truck and drive that big cargo vehicle hundreds or thousands of miles across the country? Of course not.

In addition to all the expected and unexpected risks of driving a van full of furniture items across multiple state lines, the DIY costs of doing so should be nothing short of astronomical.

Transporting furniture from state to state is all about choosing the relocation option that will make the most sense from a financial standpoint. So, in order to pick the cheapest way to move furniture to another state, you’re going to have to compare the two moving options: Do-It-Yourself or Hire Furniture Movers.

Going with the cheapest way to transport furniture to another state is the logical choice but you should also think about the easiest way to do it as well, which will inevitably involve some level of professional assistance.
Step 3. Inventory your furniture pieces
Chances are that you will want to move some furniture pieces no matter what.

Once you’ve decided who will move your furniture to the new state – do what’s best for you and your valuable pieces and let experienced furniture movers handle the heavy task, it’s time to inventory your furniture items to know exactly what you’re up against during the house move.

The whole idea of doing a detailed furniture inventory is to determine exactly which pieces you will be taking with you. Remember that each item you choose to move will cost you extra money to transport it – the bigger and heavier a furniture piece is, the more money you’ll have to pay to have it delivered to the new house or apartment.

Choose to move an additional piece of clothing and the final moving cost won’t change. But choose to take with you an extra piece of furniture and the price will jump considerably, all due to the added substantial weight.

You’re not seriously thinking of moving your queen-size bed, are you? Think about this:
The average weight of a queen-size mattress is 100-150 pounds, up to 300 pounds in some instances. The average weight of a bed headboard is 70-170 pounds. The average weight of a bed frame is 50-200 pounds (wooden) or 50-80 pounds (metal). The average weight of a queen-sized box spring is 50-100 pounds.
How to make a home inventory when moving
Step 4. Measure up your furniture items
Before you move furniture out of state, make sure that each piece you do decide to move to the new residence will be able to first fit through all doorways and hallways of both homes (it’ll need to be partially disassembled if it doesn’t). Also, the couch or the dresser or the china cabinet you want to keep with you will have to match the layout and the interior design of the destination place in order to be worth the hassle.

Measure up your furniture pieces and see what those measurements tell you – no problems or trouble ahead? During a complicated house move, you won’t need to create any additional issues for yourself, so finding out that a furniture piece is just too big and cumbersome can help you see the right path.

It’s all fairly simple – measure the height, width, and length of a furniture item and then compare those measurements with the dimensions of the doors and hallways along the intended exit path.

In most cases, chairs, nightstands or compact (coffee) tables won’t need any partial disassembly.
Step 5. Get rid of the furniture pieces you’re not moving
It’s important to note that the cheapest way to move furniture across country is to NOT move any furniture at all. That way, not only will you be able to save transportation money, but you can also profit from the sale of all those furniture pieces you’re leaving behind. And then, the moment you move into the new house, you can purchase any furniture you want to match its home décor.

However, moving to another state with no furniture is seldom a viable option – in most cases, it’ll be a few select furniture items that you just have to have with you no matter the moving cost.

But what to do with the pieces you’re not taking with you? Depending on their current condition and value, you should be able to do one of those three things:
SELL them at a garage sale for extra cash; GIVE them away to family members or friends – a close one who you know will be glad to have some of your furniture for free; or DONATE the furniture pieces to charitable organizations that take preserved second-hand furniture in your area.
How to get rid of unwanted items when moving
Step 6. Disassemble partially the really big furniture
Hire professionals to help you out if you get stuck while disassembling your furniture.

Having followed Step 4, you should already know whether the larger furniture pieces you’re moving will need to be partially disassembled. When planning to ship furniture to another state, the furniture disassembly step will enable you to keep the items protected during the actual transportation stage.

Also, you’ll be able to carry the individual disassembled furniture elements out of the house and load them into the moving vehicle much more easily and safely.

Here are the major points when disassembling furniture for transport:
Remove carefully all protruding elements from large furniture units – any legs, arms, and decorations that can be detached safely without any damage. Take out extra-fragile glass elements such as doors, shelves, or panels. Remove any delicate elements that may not survive the house move anyway – most often super fragile furniture decorations and ornaments. Unscrew or unbolt all fastening pieces, then place them into resealable plastic bags to keep them from getting lost during the move.
If you’re not confident that you can manage the furniture disassembly task on your own, you should either ask a friend who’s more experienced than you or ask top-rated furniture movers to do it for you.

Furniture disassembly is an extra moving service offered by the best furniture movers in the country.

How to Disassemble Furniture When Moving
Step 7. Protect your furniture for moving
The best way to move furniture out of state is to protect it well for the relocation journey.
Wrap any removed glass elements in soft packing paper first, then add bubble wrap sheets as the second protective layer, and finally, wrap them all in a moving blanket. Place cardboard cut-outs over glass sections you haven’t removed or over other super-delicate parts of the furniture item. The thick cardboard will absorb most of the undesirable shocks or harmful forces during the move. Again, use thick blankets as the most outer protection layer. Secure all doors, drawers or other furniture parts that are moveable and may get open during transport. Use stretch wrap to immobilize them – never use simply packing tape because due to the residue stains it can leave on the delicate furniture surfaces. Protect the corners of your furniture pieces as they are very susceptible to accidental damage. Use specialized corner protectors, if available, or just pieces of thick cardboard to act as mini-shields to those high-risk areas. Wrap the furniture legs (unless removed safely) with moving blankets first and then sheets of bubble wrap as outer protection. Cover any remaining exposed areas of a furniture piece in thick blankets to keep safe.
How to protect furniture when moving
Step 8. Move your furniture out of the house
Don’t underestimate the complex job of moving furniture from state to state. But before those large pieces can start their actual relocation journey, they will need to be taken out of the property and loaded securely onto the moving vehicle.

To do that, you’re going to need more people to help you out – a few good friends to provide the manpower required to move furniture out of the home in the safest possible way.

The disassembled furniture pieces should not be a problem because they will be much smaller in size and much lighter too. It’s the furniture items that couldn’t be taken apart safely or the large units left after the partial disassembly.
Gather the required manpower to lift and carry your furniture – damage- and accident-free. Use furniture sliders to slide heavy furniture across the room with zero damage to the floor (and zero efforts too!). Have a furniture dolly (the 4-wheel flat platform) to save your back and make things safer for everyone. Use proper lifting techniques to prevent personal injuries.
What to do when furniture will not fit through the door
Step 9. Load your furniture into the moving truck
Consider organizing a DIY move only when you’re moving your furniture to a neighboring state.

When moving furniture to another state that’s very far from where you are, then the recommended course of action is to let professional furniture movers handle the tough job. As mentioned above, organizing a self-move over great distances is a risky endeavor that often turns out to be too expensive in the end as well.

However, when moving furniture to a different state that’s located within a 100-mile radius (a neighboring state, for instance), then you can try to rent a moving truck and complete the house move on your own.

And now that you’ve managed to save some money by not paying professional packers to protect your furniture pieces, you may as well save further by loading the moving vehicle with the assistance of your friends only.
Load all furniture pieces and other heavy household items (appliances) first onto the truck. Be sure to use the loading ramp to wheel up the furniture items into the back of the truck, one by one. Slowly, pull the dolly-secured furniture up the ramp while one of your friends pushes the load from behind. Secure the loaded furniture items to the side of the rental truck using ratchet straps or rope. No furniture item should be shifting around during transport for safety reasons.
6 Safety tips for moving furniture
Step 10. Pick the cheapest furniture moving option for yourself
Unless you’re only moving to a neighboring state and you’re willing to organize a self-move as a result of the manageable move distance, the cheapest way to move furniture to another state can only be achieved if you
hire low-cost furniture movers. Get free quotes from several top-rated interstate moving companies and compare those moving cost estimates to pick the most affordable offer, take only the furniture that you can’t part with no matter the cost – like antique furniture, for example, disassemble and protect the large and heavy furniture pieces by yourself so that you don’t have to pay professionals to do it for you.
Remember that moving furniture across the country is never a joke so you must be ready for the challenges ahead. Arguably, the most important piece of advice you can get is to be really careful which furniture items you choose to move with you to the new home.

Must-read: How to choose a long-distance mover

The post How to Move Furniture to Another State: 10 Steps appeared first on The Moving Blog.
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