A Pro’s Guide to Moving Heavy Furniture Without Hurting Yourself

Publish Date: July 10, 2025

Last Modified Date: July 10, 2025

Category: Loading & Unloading Guides

Tags: Tags: budget, fridge, furniture, furniture moving, heavy furniture, how to move a couch, ikea, ikea furniture, loading, movers, moving, moving couch, moving fridge, moving furniture, moving truck, penske, professional movers, rental truck, uhaul, unloading, washing machine

Learning how to move heavy furniture by yourself can be difficult and risky. In 2018 alone, 184,470 workers in the transportation and moving sector sustained injuries on the job that were serious enough to require time off to recuperate. And they had professional experience!

If you’re considering tackling a solo move, it’s important to plan ahead and know how you’re going to handle all the heavy lifting. From getting organized and assembling the right supplies to having proper posture, these tips will help set you up for success.

1. Plan Your Move

Your plan to get organized for your move should start ASAP. Kevin the Mover, a HireAHelper expert with years of experience in the moving business, puts it like this:

“Abraham Lincoln once said, ‘Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.’ Okay, that’s a little weird, but moving heavy furniture is the same idea. You gotta really, really prepare.”

Whether you have a room full of home gym equipment, a collection of inherited antiques, or just a living room with a nice sectional and loveseats, chances are you have some heavy furniture to transport. Planning ahead allows you to sort through your belongings and single out heavy pieces that will be more difficult to move.

For each large piece, ask yourself:

Will this fit through my doorways?
Can I get it down the stairs?
How will I get it into my vehicle/the moving truck?

The answers to those questions will inform your next steps and your shopping list. You need the right gear to protect yourself and your furniture. This is not a task to skip over or minimize — your well-being and wallet depend on developing and sticking to a safety-first strategy.

Also, always let someone know you’re planning to move furniture by yourself. They can sound the alarm if you are injured and fail to check in.

When to Call a Professional Mover

While moving furniture by yourself is typically an option, in some cases, it just isn’t practical or safe. Call a professional mover to take over if:

You feel pain or discomfort.
The item you’re moving is too fragile or valuable.
Stairs or narrow spaces make the move dangerous.

Your health and well-being should always come first. If at any point you feel unsure, you should stop and reevaluate before getting extra help. It’s really not worth it to damage your furniture, your home, or yourself trying to tough it out.

2. Gather Your Tools

Moving heavy furniture requires the right tools. Some of which are almost universally necessary, while others are specialized for certain types of furniture.

A furniture dolly for easier transport.
Furniture sliders to go under the legs of bigger pieces to facilitate movement and protect your floors.
Moving blankets to protect furniture, walls, and floors.
Protective gloves to protect your hands and enhance grip.
Stretch wrap to keep drawers closed.
Lifting straps help evenly distribute the weight of items being carried, and are usually used for heavier furniture like big dressers and couches.
Hand trucks for moving items over uneven ground.
Packing tape for extra security and keeping moving blankets in place.
Ratchet straps and grips to secure cargo during transport.

If you have a prior injury, you may want to wear back or knee braces for extra protection and support.

3. Prepare Your Furniture and the Space

It’s not just materials you have to prepare for, either. Your furniture and home should also be set up so you can have an easier, smoother, and safer time on moving day.

Disassemble Heavy Furniture

Disassembling furniture can make it easier to move items, secure them, and increase the amount of space you have to work with in the moving truck or container. But you don’t need to take items apart completely if that’s not feasible for you. Instead, you can simply take the legs off your dining room table or the mirror off the back of your dresser. Always put nuts, bolts, and screws in a labeled baggie for stress-free re-assembly at your destination.

Some items may not be sturdy or high-value enough to bother taking apart and moving. As Kevin says:

“If you have any pressboard furniture or any furniture that – be honest with yourself – is generally cheap and flimsy, consider selling it or giving it away. Moving it costs time and money and will more than likely turn it into an unusable piece (or pieces) of trash.”

Wrap and Attach Straps

Use wraps and straps to make lifting items easier by redistributing weight and improving your grip. Sometimes, moving items as-is to the truck and then prepping them for secure transport gives you more leverage while lifting and loading.

Kevin the Mover explains it best:

“Moving pads can make it hard to keep a firm grip on your furniture. I always preferred to wrap everything in the staging area, or right there on the truck.”

Use Sliders

Place furniture sliders under the feet of couches, tables, chests, desks, appliances, and any other heavy furniture you plan to slide out instead of lifting. These feet, which come in plastic and felt versions, help furniture glide over the floor without damaging your carpets, hardwood, or tile.

4. Clear a Path

Another key to successfully moving furniture alone is to pinpoint potential hurdles before they happen. Before actually picking anything up, walk the path you plan to take heavy furniture through. Look for anything that could trip you up, such as extension cords, loose tile, or frayed carpet. You should also protect your flooring and walls by following these steps:

Use sliders or towels to safeguard the finish on areas with hardwood or tile.
Use plastic sliders or a dolly over carpeted areas.
Cover door frames and walls with moving blankets, foam strips, or bubble wrap.
Lay down cardboard or blankets to keep the floors clean.
Place temporary runners or mats on the floor to help sliders and dollies move more easily over uneven surfaces.

If you have a large space to traverse and a limited budget, you can create a staging area in the middle. Move everything to that staging area first. Then, move your pads, blankets, and runners to the second half of the path, and relocate everything from the staging area to the truck.

5. Use Proper Lifting and Moving Techniques

Just like your floors, walls, and furniture, you should protect yourself when lifting heavy items. Use these tips to protect your body along the way:

Warm up. Do some stretches to warm up your muscles rather than just lifting “cold.”
Wear the right clothes. Cover your arms and legs to protect your limbs from scrapes and bruises, and wearing closed-toe shoes with grippy bottoms is also recommended.
Practice your posture. Lifting starts with a spine in natural alignment — no stooping or slouching. Stand close to the item you’re lifting and place your feet about shoulder’s width apart for a stable base.
Lift from your knees, not with your back. It’s an old adage, but it’s great advice. Tighten your core and squat down to pick up something heavy. Never arch your back.
Get a grip. Ensure you have a strong grip before lifting anything. You may need gloves to help mitigate sweaty hands.
Straighten up strategically. Use your legs to stand up, keeping your load close to your body at or around waist height.
Keep your body aligned. As you walk, always make sure your feet, hips, shoulders, and head point in the same direction. No twisting or abrupt pivoting.

Avoid lifting heavy items above waist height. If you need help getting items into an elevated truck bed, rent a ramp or ask for help.

Finally, always listen to your body. If you need a break — or a complete change of plan — it’s worth the delay to keep yourself healthy. Injuries to the back, ankle, shoulder, knees, and hands are all common when moving. Being aware and planning ahead can prevent you from joining those ranks.

6. Check Yourself and Your Furniture

One of the last steps when you move heavy furniture by yourself is to ensure you and your furniture are in good shape at your destination. Furniture that has been disassembled needs to be reassembled and checked over to make sure everything is tightened and in proper alignment.

“[A]lways let someone know you’re planning to move furniture by yourself. They can sound the alarm if you are injured and fail to check in.”

After unpacking, walk through your main pathways again to clear any debris that could cause trips or falls as you get used to your new space. Items like leftover stretch wrap, a dolly sticking out, or a bunched-up moving blanket can be unexpected hazards if you don’t notice them.

Also, check yourself for injuries. Don’t ignore minor pains that don’t seem to ease up. A simple anti-inflammatory or Epsom salt bath may be helpful for easing basic aches and pains. Anything more serious should be checked by your new primary care physician or a healthcare professional at your local urgent care. Back injuries, in particular, should never be ignored.

Considerations for Moving Heavy Furniture Up or Down Stairs

There’s a reason movers sometimes charge extra for stairs — it’s not easy moving furniture up or down them. The best way to prepare is to look into equipment designed for navigating stairs during a move, such as a stair-climbing dolly. Don’t push or slide items — they’ll likely be in for an unfortunate landing.

This may also be the one time you simply can’t go it alone. Kevin the Mover recommends using the buddy method for moving stuff when stairs are involved:

“Hauling large pieces of furniture – more importantly, heavy pieces of furniture – down a flight of stairs is a dangerous proposition if you don’t take it slow (and smart). Make sure you have a strong friend(if not two) on the lower end as you go down (or up) the stairs. Take those steps one at a time. Rest as often as need be.”

Also, watch out for walls, banisters, artwork, and hanging light fixtures. Remove anything that can be taken down before you start moving.

Keep in mind that moving furniture downstairs increases the risk of injury or property damage. You may want to consider moving insurance that includes coverage in case of a stairs-related accident.

Bonus Safety Tips When Moving Heavy Furniture by Yourself

Here are a few extra tips to help you think outside the box while moving heavy objects by yourself.

DIY furniture sliders by cutting circles from plastic lids.
Move during cooler times of day, like mornings and evenings, to maximize comfort and lessen the risk of things like heat stroke.
Take breaks and hydrate often.
Consider renting tools instead of buying them.
Take photos of your furniture before and during disassembly to use as a guide for reassembly later on.
Take doors off their hinges to gain a couple of extra inches of clearance and help large items fit through.
Bungee or strap items to your dolly to prevent slippage.

FAQ

How to move a dresser by yourself?

To move a dresser by yourself, start by removing its contents and drawers. Take off any protruding elements, such as a large mirror or spindle legs. Use furniture sliders or a dolly to help move the dresser from your room to the staging area or moving truck.

Make sure you’re using a dolly with straps or moving straps if you need to carry or roll the dresser instead of sliding it. It may be harder to move heavy furniture by yourself downstairs. In that case, call a friend or hire professional movers to put safety first.

How to move a heavy bed by yourself?

To move a heavy bed by yourself, start by clearing a path to your staging area or truck. Then, take apart the bedframe. Separate the mattress and wrap it in a protective cover, and use furniture sliders or a dolly to transport the disassembled pieces.

You should also use lifting straps to maneuver bigger pieces, such as the headboard and footboard. Lift with your legs, not your back, and take as many breaks as necessary. Always secure furniture to your dolly and in the truck for safety and to prevent damage.

My Top 10 Moving Tips for Professional Movers

Author: Kevin The Mover

Publish Date: March 7, 2023

Last Modified Date: March 7, 2023

Category: Customer Service, Moving Company Resources

Tags: Tags: crew member, furniture, furniture pads, heavy furniture, how to move furniture, mover walk through, mover walkthrough, movers, moving, moving company, moving pads, moving tips, moving truck, professional movers, professional moving company, set box, shoulder straps, towel

As movers, we like to move fast and efficiently. But we also like doing everything right.

But there’s truth to the old adage “Work smarter, not harder.” With that phrase in mind, take advantage of these smart moving tricks and hacks I picked up over the years to help you and your crew from working any harder than you need to … but while still doing that 5-star service you’re known for.

1. Set up as SOON as you step off the truck

What’s the first thing we do when we show up for a move? Ring the customer’s doorbell, say hello, and do a walk-through of the place.

Use this opportunity to have a crew member bring stuff you’ll need into the house. As your customer shows you around,

Leave a roll of shrink wrap in the living room for the O/S
Bring your tools inside/upstairs (along with a few plastic bags!) so you can get right to disassembling the beds
Bring in some markers and tape (if there’s any packing to be done)

Note: Even if you are moving someone into their brand-new home, you’ll still want to bring in tools; they always come in handy. (At minimum, use your free hands to bring in the first few boxes while you’re saying good morning.)

2. Make practical use of the walk-through

Once you’ve seen the upstairs (or the farthest parts of the apartment), grab a box or two and carry them with you back downstairs and/or toward the door. This will keep the move flowing and snappy.

If you need to inventory the customer’s goods first, leave those boxes inside, for now. But if it’s a same-day local move, then carry the beginnings of their stuff out to the garage or driveway (or wherever you’ll be staging things), if not right out onto the truck.

Note: The very beginning is not the time to start hauling heavy furniture down the steps. Leave that sort of stuff for once you’ve got the necessary paperwork signed and the necessary furniture pads prepared.

3. Tape nuts and bolts to the furniture it comes from

Me? I love it when putting a bed frame or a dining room table together, the nuts and bolts are all right there for me, taped in place and waiting for me.

Some people prefer using a parts box, but honestly? Just tape those bits of hardware securely to the bed frame or the underside of the tabletop and you’re good to go.

DON’T tape the bolts THEMSELVES directly to the surface of any metal or wood (please, no!); put all those screws and wing-nuts and everything else in a plastic bag, tape a piece of packing paper around the bed frame or one of the table legs, wrap up that plastic bag of bolts in more paper to prevent any scratches, then tape the protected bag to the bed frame, or the underside, or one leg of the table.

Note: If you are worried about leaving scratches or sticky tape residue on the customer’s bed frame or table leg (or whatever else), or if you just prefer not to tape plastic bags to things, there’s nothing wrong with using a parts box. Go with what works for you.

4. Both you AND the customer should take pictures of everything before you move it!

Before unhooking electronics, it may prove supremely helpful down the road to have pictures of all the cords and wires so we – or the unloaders, or the customer – can see how to hook everything back up again.

The same goes for anything else we will be disassembling: exercise equipment, partition furniture, and even something as simple as a dresser mirror. Of course, take pictures of any pre-existing damage you find, whether it be on an item or somewhere in the customer’s home (e.g., a scratch on the floor or a nick in the wall.)

Note: I recommend using a filesharing website like Dropbox or wetransfer for photos. Both you and the customer can send their pictures to one online folder created specifically for that move.

5. It’s almost always better to empty heavy furniture before moving it

Sure, it might make sense to transport a dresser as is, without emptying it and packing all those clothes in boxes. But depending on how bulky and heavy that dresser is, or how treacherous a staircase might be, to first take out all the drawers and carry them downstairs (and maybe all the way out to the truck). A dresser without its drawers (and all the clothing inside) weighs a lot less than it does when full, making it easier to maneuver without any danger of a drawer sliding out and crashing into the wall or onto the floor.

6. Try shoulder straps

shoulder straps furniture movers — photo credit: northerntool.com

Shoulder straps are for when we are faced with a heavy piece of furniture and a narrow staircase. If you have furniture straps, great, If not, you can use ratchet straps (as long as you remove the part with the ratchet). Either way, using straps can make it a lot easier to control a heavy piece as you ease it down those stairs. Slide it down if it has a sturdy, flat surface (pad it up first!). Otherwise, lift it and go down one step at a time.

7. Pad-up the furniture at the truck, not inside

Sure, if you are going to slide a piece of furniture down a set of stairs you’ll absolutely want to pad it first, and pad it very well.

But for furniture you are simply going to carry out to the truck, wait until later to pad it up. Why? No matter how securely you tape your furniture pads in place, they are bound to slip once you try to carry what they are wrapped around. Your mileage may vary, but I always found it much easier to handle furniture that was not padded, and much more importantly, much faster not to have to do the same thing twice.

8. Save your back with a “set box”

A set box is a box for putting other boxes on top of, and it saves everyone a lot of unnecessary bending and lifting.

Whether moving your customer in or out, it’s a great idea to have a few solid boxes left at key loading or unloading places; when you have one crewmember or two hauling boxes out of the house to the staging area and another crewmember or two hauling them onto the truck, a set box on either end will speed you up!

9. Tape cardboard OVER a furniture pad that’s covering glass

It’s common — and smart — to place a piece of cardboard over the front of a china hutch or a curio, or any piece of furniture with glass that can not be removed and wrapped. Usually, this is done before wrapping the piece up in furniture pads. But for an extra layer of protection — and to give everyone a clear warning that there is glass under that pad — tape another piece of cardboard over the glass ON TOP OF the furniture pad.

10. Bring towels

In hot weather, we sweat. In bad weather, things get wet. In any case, it’s a great idea to have a few towels on hand.

Have CLEAN towels for your crew to wipe the sweat off their hands and arms (and faces and legs too). Have some big old towels your crew can use to wipe their feet and keep the truck ramps as well as the inside of the truck as dry and safe as possible.

And one final tip: Please, don’t run. Yes, we are movers. We love to move. But one missed step, one uneven edge, one loose rock and your extra hustle could lead to a whole lot of hurt, not to mention a slowdown for the rest of the job and maybe beyond.

“Work smarter, not harder.” To that, I’d add, “Work safely.”