The first step is removing the bed’s slats. This can be done with a hammer and pry bar or screwdriver, whichever tool you prefer. Next, break off any attachments that are holding the headboard from the mainframe.
UNSCREW the sideboards from the bed frame. You can use a screwdriver or a small wrench. Unscrew the screws holding the bed to its frame and remove it from the room (or place).
Unhook any sideboards attached to your bed’s headboard, using a hammer and pry bar if necessary. Use this opportunity to sand down all of these surfaces as your previous furniture assembly process may have damaged them.
Next, unscrew anything that is screwed into one of your desk’s four legs–beginning with those on its corners and following in order around each leg until you reach either end. Finally, pull off any attachments for shelves or drawers so they’ll come out more easily when you undo their fasteners with pliers later on.
- Determine whether to move your furniture at all
Before you can reach the furniture disassembly task, you must consider whether to move your furniture at all.
The first question is: How much do I have to carry?
If the answer is “a lot,” then it’s best for one or two people to pack and transport everything independently. Conversely, if there are only a few items of furniture that need carrying–mostly smaller objects like lamps and pictures–then it might be sensible to leave them in place until you can hire professional movers later down the line (when moving day arrives).
- Compare the Furniture Measurements
How can you work out whether this is the case? Measure your furniture, compare the measurements to that of your house and ask yourself: Can I see any way around it? Decide how much space will be required. If there’s not a lot of room in the van or on-site storage unit, then decide whether some pieces should stay behind because they’re too large or heavy. Make sure those items are well protected from dampness and rusting before storing them at home!
Carefully disassemble all loose parts with precision. This includes hinges, screws, etcetera. When packing up a piece of furniture with many different removable components (say an armchair), these must also be bagged individually.
- Disassemble in a Wide Space Area
You might need to clear out a large space of your house to dismantle the furniture. A good rule of thumb is that you should always have at least two or three times as much space for disassembly as originally when the furniture item was assembled.
Identify what can be salvaged. The condition of an object depends on how long it’s been in your home and how often it’s been moved, so don’t expect all items to be salvageable! If any parts are broken beyond use, consider tossing them rather than taking up precious suitcase/van room with something unusable. Take note of any cracks or corrosion before deciding if they’re worth saving, and lay down protective sheets wherever you plan to work. You can also consider hiring removals storage.
- Check the Manuals
There’s always a chance that you’ll come across something more complicated and, in those cases, it may be worth your while to take some time looking up the instruction manual online.
When moving home, it can be tempting to try and pack as much stuff into your car or van as possible, but this will only lead to frustration when any mistakes are made on account of lack of space instead, plan and get rid of anything which is no longer wanted so that all items will fit neatly together with room for other essentials too.
- Use Proper Tools
At the beginning, you’ll need to have the right equipment on hand. We will already own a screwdriver for many of us, which can come in useful for unscrewing any screws on furniture items or panels, and this is what most people will use as their primary tool. However, if there are bolts involved, then it may be worth buying some bolt cutters so that they can do all the work instead. The same goes with locks, too – don’t start trying to drill out locks when you could buy a set of lock picks from your local hardware store instead!
- Prepare Closed Bags For Small Parts
If something works loose and falls to the floor, it’s not going to want to stay there as people will be walking over it, but if you put these small pieces into bags, they can go in with your other items when you move. During a chaotic house move, smaller items are easy to get misplaced or lost, so it’s worth putting the time into sorting them out now.
It is easy for us to dismantle furniture before moving house when we know-how, but it seems that not many people do! It can save a lot of work and hassle if you have dismantled your big items – like beds or sofas – as they will be much easier to get in through doors and upstairs than if you leave them whole.
