Moving day is here and it’s time to load everything into the truck. But wait, won’t your nice furniture get all dinged and scratched up on the way over? Thankfully, you can bypass this worry with a little thing called furniture pads. The Miami Movers (http://themiamimovers.com) have shared some details on how to get the most of these handy items.
Also called moving blankets or furniture quilts, furniture pads are thick padding that drapes over or in between pieces of furniture or the ground so as to protect them. It is considered just one part of furniture protection and can work in conjunction with certain techniques to ensure safe transit.
How Many Furniture Pads Do I Need?
It really is based on the amount of furniture you are taking from one space to another, usually measured by the size of the truck you need to rent. You will also need more space if you have more costly furniture like antique or dark wood.
You’ll need approximately a dozen moving pads for every five feet of truck bed. A 10 to 12 foot bed, for instance, will need around 24 pads. Something really big, such as around 50 feet, can need upwards of 120 pads to give total protection.
Taking your belonging to and from the truck can cause all sorts of bangs and dings, not just on your furniture but your new home’s walls and floor as well. That’s why it’s recommended to get extra moving pads, so you can put some blankets on the floor or even over the piece of furniture as you are putting it inside.
What Are the Different Types of Furniture Pads?
Furniture pads typically come in three forms. Blankets are probably the best, as they are the thickest and most manageable, but they are also the most expensive. There are also textile blankets that are a step lower, and paper pads, which are the least expensive and by far the least protective. They aren’t completely useless though, as they do easily mold around items and do offer some protection from dirt, dust, and light impacts.
Textile blankets are a step higher in both quality and price over paper pads while falling just short of being the best. Like the other pads, these are often sold in singles or as a bundle, and are often best for those that can’t rent pads.
Overall, furniture blankets are the best when it comes to protection and are recommended over all the others. Not only are these the thickest, but they have a real weight to them, proving that even a large amount of movement or shaking of furniture will protect them.
Where Do I Get Moving Pads?
Many moving pads can be purchased at most hardware stores, but this can be an expensive option especially if you aren’t going to use the pads more than once. Many moving and truck rental places offer some sort of blanket rental as well, making this a much cheaper option.
Some more economical options for moving pads include breaking down cardboard boxes and squishing them between pieces of furniture, or using things from your closet and draping them with towels and blankets. Smaller items can be wrapped in thick towels to prevent them from breaking.
What Other Moving Items Should I Invest in?
Boxes are an obvious purchase, but the question is how many to get. It is always recommended to order just a bit more than you think you need when it comes to boxes. You need to make sure that you get a variety of sizes as well; large ones for light things like clothes and smaller boxes for heavy items so they are manageable to carry.
A roll of tape is going to be mandatory to seal all those boxes. If you have a lot of things to pack. you might want to take it up a step with a tape gun to make assembly even faster. For fragile items such as plates, there is also packing paper and bubble wrap.
Make sure you have a marker to label all of your boxes; many boxes have a space for you to write on them. When you are packing, try to keep the items from the same room together; mixing and matching will create a headache for yourself when you go to unpack.
How Should I Prepare If I’m Using a Moving Company?
All packing should be done before moving day. This is incredibly important, as it will make the whole process less of a hassle. Important personal belonging like cash, paperwork, or medication should be kept with you, as you might need to access them.
Furniture pads are great for protecting your furniture when it is in transit and even when putting it into your new home. There are a couple different versions, but blankets are definitely the best way to go.