It is important to know how to move your appliances safely or you can injure yourself or damage the appliances during the process. Read the article for tips on how to carry this task easily and quickly…
Moving into a new house or apartment is a responsible task because you’re not only changing your address, but your entire home. From few knickknacks here and there to huge appliances, you have to make sure that everything is on the moving truck and on its way to the new place. For small and unbreakable items, you can easily use boxes of various sizes. And as for the small, fragile items, packing peanuts and bubble wrap is the right way to go. But what about your appliances? They are supposed to be moved as well and they end up taking majority of your time while moving. What’s the best way to move them without getting any scratches, damaging any parts, or losing parts on the way? What if I told you that we have some excellent tips on how appliances can be moved safely? I knew I’d grab your attention. To learn some helpful tips for packing and moving appliances, keep reading the article.
Safe Way to Move Different Appliances
The first thing you need to do is to make a list. Yes, a list is very important which has complete information on what appliances you have currently and their sizes. After you’ve made the list, divide the appliances by size – small, medium, and large. As you do so, you will quickly know which appliances will have to be moved as gently as possible and how.
Moving Small Appliances
As you go over your checklist for moving, you will see that your small appliances include blenders, steamers, mixers, juicers, dryer, straightening iron, iron, can opener, food processor, convection toaster oven, espresso machine, etc.; all these items need to be packed properly. Here are the steps on how to move small appliances safely once they are packed.
- Clean the appliances and remove the cords from them all, if you can.
- Wrap each appliance in individual bubble wrap and the cords too. Label the cords so there’s no confusion later on.
- Place each appliance in cardboard boxes properly; don’t stuff everything together.
- If there are gaps in the boxes, fill them up with crushed paper or packing peanuts.
- Label the boxes appropriately and keep them on the side or into the moving truck.
Moving Medium Appliances
Many a time, people like to keep all the kitchen items together which includes appliances, dry goods, utensils, china, glassware, and other small items. Although it might seem like an easy task to just label “kitchen items” on few boxes and be done with, it really isn’t a good idea. First of all, whichever items you place together in a box will get jumbled up and second of all, it’s messy. You want to make the transition from one house/apartment to another as smooth as possible. So while moving medium appliances like microwave oven, barbeque grill, lawnmower, vacuum cleaner, stereo, and gas stove, you need to be very careful not to put everything together.
Here are few steps on how to pack and move your medium appliances.
- Empty the medium appliances and wrap individual items of those appliances in crushing paper. Label them so nothing gets misplaced.
- Remove the cords of all the appliances and wrap them individually; label them as well.
- Unplug the appliances at least 24 hours before packing and moving them.
- Properly wash and clean the appliances. Let them dry completely so that you can move them easily.
- Wrap each appliance with cardboard and plastic sheeting. This will keep them from getting scratched and/or damaged.
- Get the utility dolly and keep each appliance on the side or inside the moving truck.
Moving Large Appliances
Finally, we’ve come to larger appliances. These take more attention and should be in fact packed and ready to load before any other appliance or household item. Your larger appliances will be the refrigerator, washer and dryer, big screen TV, desktop computer, and dishwasher. Safely packing each of these appliances takes time so don’t rush into it. Here are the steps on how you can do so effectively.
Washer & Dryer – To move the washer and dryer, drain water from the washer and don’t do laundry 2 days prior to moving. Use a towel to dry the interiors properly and leave them to dry completely. Remove the cords and accessories from both appliances and wrap them up in plastic bag; label them. Place a box of baking soda inside the washer and dryer (each), so that there is no risk of mildew. If you want, you can even keep clothes and linens in the washer and dryer so you don’t end up using more boxes for them. Bring in the utility dolly, secure the appliances with a strong rope, and take the appliances to the moving truck. The dishwasher will also have similar steps for packing and moving.
Gas Stove – To move a stove, wash and clean it properly. Remove the accessories and leave it to dry completely. Pack the accessories in plastic bags or boxes; label them. Place cardboard cutouts on all the burners and secure with duct tape. Remove the electric cord and place the stove onto a dolly. Secure with a strong rope and bring it in the moving truck.
If you want to see the specific steps on moving a refrigerator, then read the HomeQuicks article on how to move a refrigerator for information.
Whether you are planning on moving appliances on your own or are hiring movers, it is essential to know how to pack and ready all your appliances and items beforehand. This way, you’re not wasting time on the moving day and can finish the task quicker than usual. I hope that these tips on moving your appliances were helpful and will save valuable time.