It’s patio season! Even though this summer, while we all continue to fight the spread of COVID-19, may not be the summer of restaurant or bar patios, you can still enjoy your own outdoor oasis at home. If you are moving this summer and want to bring your favourite outdoor furniture with you, we have some tips to help you along the way. With the proper care, your outdoor furniture can last for years to come so you want to invest the time and effort into carefully moving them to your new space. Here are our team’s top 6 tips for correctly and safely moving your outdoor furniture.
1) Decide What Furniture You’re Taking
Before even beginning the moving process, make sure you know exactly what outdoor pieces you want to bring with you and which you can donate, sell, or throw out. What kind of space do you have at your new place and is there even enough space for outdoor furniture? Will all your current furniture fit or do you need to narrow down your favourite items? Do you want to start fresh with new or updated furniture? Take time to really plan this out before even beginning to pack your items. Remember that there is no sense packing, moving, and unpacking your outdoor furniture, or any items for that matter, if they will not fit or be used in your new space.
2) Inspect and Clean
Now that you’ve decided what furniture is coming with you, it’s time to inspect them for any hidden surprises. Put on some thick gloves and check for any pests including spiders and wasps. Trust us when we tell you that you want to know about the bugs now before you try to pack any of your items. Once you are bug-free, do a deep clean of your furniture before moving them to your new home. You don’t want to bring any dirt to your new space so try to be as thorough as possible – remember your outdoor furniture is constantly exposed to the elements so it can get dirty! Get rid of any dirt, mud, dust, leaves, and any other type of debris before packing. In most cases, a hose or disinfectant wipe will do the trick. Try to clean your outdoor furniture ahead of time so that everything has time to dry before your moving day.
3) Disassemble Larger Furniture Pieces
You want to disassemble as much as you can before packing your furniture so that you can move safely and easily. You will not need to take apart all of your furniture as some items like patio chairs may be okay to move as is. However, larger furniture like patio tables (especially the kind with glass tops) and patio sets with cushions and padding should be disassembled and packed separately to make your move as easy and safe as possible. Take off any fragile or delicate pieces and wrap them separately in a labelled bag or box so that you do not lose them; we even sometimes recommend taping these bags to the furniture itself to keep everything together.
4) Pack Safely
For items that you cannot take apart, we recommend taking extra precautions and adding as much padding as possible. Wrap patio furniture arms and legs in moving blankets to prevent breaks, scratches, and dents. Get enough packing materials so that you have bubble wrap, packing paper, and thick moving blankets at the ready. To avoid injury, make sure you add extra padding around your sharp edges and secure all moving parts with tape or rope to prevent them from opening mid-move. Again, we recommend taking extra time to carefully wrap all your fragile items and fasten any smaller elements so that everything arrives to your new outdoor space safely. Remember to properly label all of your moving boxes, bags, and bins so that you do not waste time looking for everything once you are fully moved in.
5) Move and Unpack
Take your time lifting, loading, and unloading your outdoor furniture to avoid slips, falls, strains, and pains. Try to avoid stacking furniture on top of each other without proper padding and weight distribution. Each type of patio furniture will require different precautions. Wicker furniture is nice and easy to carry because it is so light, but this also makes it more susceptible to damage. Try not to stack wicker items so that they do not fall or get crushed during transit. On the other hand, some outdoor furniture can be made out of heavy materials like solid wood or metal. These will obviously be more challenging to lift and carry around safely simply because of their size and weight. Never push yourself to lift something that is too heavy or awkward or you risk injuring yourself and damaging your items.
6) Leave the Work to Professionals
If you are unsure about any of the above tips, do the sensible thing and hire Deluxe Moving & Storage to move all of your outdoor furniture properly and safely. We have years of experience moving your indoor and outdoor belongings so we have the correct expertise that will ensure your items get to your new home safely. Our team knows how to properly pack, move, and unpack your patio furniture so that you don’t have to stress about doing it all yourself.
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We hope this blog helps you start thinking about and planning to move your outdoor furniture this patio season. Do not rush or skip steps when it comes to moving your larger, heavier and/or more fragile items. Nothing is worse than an injury on moving or broken items on moving day. For a damage-free and stress-free move, contact our team today!
Want more moving tips and advice? Never hesitate to contact our team with any questions you might have about the moving process. Whether you’re moving across the street or to a brand new city, choosing Deluxe Moving & Storage for your next move is the best thing you can do to ensure a safe and healthy moving experience for you and your loved ones. Learn more about our moving services and packing services and don’t forget to fill out our FREE, no-obligation quote form. We can help make your move easier and safer. Leave the work to us!