All the Single Ladies: How to Move Furniture Alone

A lot of people may say they’ll lend a hand when it’s time for you to move, but when the big day finally arrives, good help can be hard to find. If your friends and family pull a disappearing act on moving day, don’t stress! Most items in your house can be moved with just one person.

Safety Note: Don’t try to be a hero! If you don’t feel in control of a heavy piece of furniture, don’t move it! A hospital bill is a lot more expensive than a mover’s fee, and sometimes hiring help is the only safe option. If you’re on a budget, check out these eight ways to cut your moving costs by $100 or more.

1. Strip it. If you struggle to shift your dresser just a few inches, getting it down a flight of stairs can be downright intimidating. But, a lot of heavy furniture can be disassembled, which makes it much lighter and easier to move. Basically, anything that’s screwed on can be taken off to lighten the load. Tip: Use an ice cube tray to keep track of small parts during the move.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

2. Rent moving gear. One dolly can prevent a lot of sweat and frustration (and possibly a hernia). Plus, the cost of renting a few moving tools for the day is a drop in the bucket compared to hiring professional movers. Visit your local hardware store and check out their furniture jacks, scissor lifts and dollies. They’ll do the heavy lifting for you!  Photo Credit: Getty Images

3. Don’t lift, slide. You could rent commercial sliders, but a large blanket or throw rug all work just as well! Lift the legs of your furniture one at a time and put them onto your makeshift sliders. Then, drag! Patience is key – move slowly to avoid damaging your floor, walls or furniture.

Photo Credit: Alamy

4. Walk it out. If you don’t have a slider handy, and you’re moving a chair, use it’s legs. It’s time consuming, but you’ll avoid the heavy lifting! Put the chair on its back two legs and “walk” the chair left foot and then right foot. You’ll eventually get it out the door.

Photo Credit: jupiterimages

5. Remove the hinges. If you ordered some furniture and then had it assembled inside of a room, getting it outside can be tricky! Before you think about sawing that entertainment center in half, try taking the doors off of their hinges. You’ll gain a few inches of wiggle room – which can sometimes be enough to slide that bulky furniture right on out!

Photo Credit: Getty Images

6. Beware of the second floor. If you have extremely heavy pieces of furniture on a second or third floor – such as a big sofa or desk – it’s really not safe to move it by yourself. This is because once you angle something down the stairs, gravity will actually increase the weight of the furniture, and it’s very easy to lose control!

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Resource: Homesessive.com

How to Build a Rolling Storage Bench

HGTV's Carter Oosterhouse shows us how to build a movable bench with wheels and open storage.

Materials and Tools Needed:

Plywood
3-1/2"x1" pine trim
Narrow crown staples
Casters with screws
Stain
Tape measure
Pencil
Pneumatic stapler
Clamp
Screwdriver
Paintbrush

Steps:
1. Cut the plywood down to size. You'll need three large pieces to serve as the box frame of the bench and four smaller dividers to fit inside the box to create the open storage.

2. On one of the long pieces, measure and mark four equally-spaced lines, beginning with the two side pieces along the edge. When the four perpendicular pieces are in place, you'll have three equally-sized cubby holes.

3. Glue and staple the four dividers into place along the marks. The two side pieces should overlap the edge of the long piece.
4. Place another long plywood board on top of the perpendicular boards so that it meets at an angle with the first long board. Glue and staple it into place.
5. Flip the unit over and attach the final long piece so that only one side of the dividers is exposed. This will serve as storage cubbies.
6. Secure clamps on to the unit to hold the pieces together tightly while the glue dries.

 

7. Now the framework is done, it is time to decorate the bench. Add 3-1/2"x1" pine trim with mitered corners so the pieces fit together flush. Glue and staple the trim along the top with a 3/4" overlay to comfortably hold cushions. Continue adding pine strips along the exposed edges. (Tip: Hold a 3/4" block up to the trim as you nail it into place to make sure the pieces are lined up consistently.)

8. Screw casters on to the bottom of the bench for mobility.
9. Stain or paint the piece as desired. Add cushions and you're done.