How to protect your furniture when moving

01Inspect the furniture and measure the route

Empty drawers, shelves and storage compartments. Remove loose parts such as glass shelves. Identify delicate legs, loose joints and existing marks. Photos taken before wrapping help you record each item’s condition and configuration.

Measure the furniture, doorways, landing, stair turns and lifts at both addresses. In a Biel apartment building, a few steps between the entrance and lift may change how items are handled. Include those steps and measurements rather than simply writing ‘lift: yes’.

02Dismantle only what needs taking apart

Take furniture apart when it will not fit through the route, when its structure cannot safely travel assembled or when its instructions recommend it. Photograph each stage, discreetly label parts using a suitable label and keep fittings in an identified bag. Put all fitting bags in one accessible box.

Large panel-built wardrobes can distort if moved full or pulled from one side. Remove doors and shelves where the design allows, then arrange help or suitable equipment for handling panels. If you are unsure about stability or wall fixings, have the item assessed before starting.

• Record the dismantling order and keep the instructions.
• Protect doors, shelves and panels separately.
• Agree who will reassemble each item at the destination.

03Match the protection to the material

For varnished or painted wood, start with a clean, dry surface and a soft blanket. Add protectors to exposed corners. Apply tape to the wrapping, never directly to wood, leather or varnish: it may leave residue or pull away the finish.

Use a suitably sized cover on a dry fabric sofa or mattress. Do not seal damp fabric inside plastic. For leather or a delicate finish, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and add a suitable protective layer before securing the wrapping.

Protect a removable glass tabletop or mirror separately, with covered edges and faces inside suitable rigid packaging. Never leave it loose inside furniture. Send dimensions and photographs of very heavy, antique or stone pieces so the transport method can be confirmed.

04Prepare lifting and loading

Clear the route and agree safe gripping points before lifting. A handle, armrest or tabletop is not necessarily a lifting point. Do not drag furniture over the floor or attempt to carry a heavy piece alone on stairs.

Inside the vehicle, preventing scratches and preventing movement are separate tasks. Belongings need suitable positioning and restraint without pressure on fragile parts. Avoid placing heavy boxes on upholstery or hollow furniture. Leave loading to the person responsible for organising it.

• Avoid wet or dusty blankets.
• Do not tape fittings unprotected against a panel.
• Do not hide an unstable joint underneath wrapping.
• Identify furniture whose route remains uncertain in advance.

05Unwrap in the right room and check before reassembly

Confirm the item’s position before removing its protection. Open wrapping carefully, keeping blades away from fabric and finished surfaces. Check that all parts and fittings are together before reassembly.

Follow the instructions on a stable floor and observe fixing requirements before use. Keep children away from furniture that is still unstable. Tell your contact promptly about missing parts or marks you notice, and keep the wrapping until checks are complete.