Top 10 Most Difficult Items When Moving House

Packing up all your belongings to move home can be an incredibly challenging experience. However, certain items can leave you pulling your hair out trying to prepare them for transportation.

To help, we have put together a list of the top 10 most difficult items when moving house and tips for getting them to your new home safely.

Artwork

There are countless stories of moving day nightmares of unpacking in your new home to find that cherished, irreplaceable piece of artwork has been destroyed by sloppy packing.

When it comes to safely transporting artwork, it can be a real challenge. The best option is to bubble wrap your frames before stacking them up-right and side-by-side within a crate or sturdy box.

Kitchenware

When it comes to the most difficult items when moving house, the kitchen boasts more than its fair share. Alongside an array of appliances and foodstuffs, kitchenware can provide plenty of problems on moving day.

Plates, mugs, glasses and cutlery can all prove a pain to pack away safely. However, it is always worth taking the time to store items carefully to avoid boxes of smashed kitchenware at the other end. When packing, make sure all items are wrapped separately in newspaper or bubble wrap before placing them tightly in a box with padding to ensure there is no free space for movement.

Lamps

Lamps are typically very fragile, while their unusual shape can make transporting them from your old home to the next quite tricky.

To prepare your lamps for the move, first disassemble them, removing the lampshade, lightbulb and any other parts that can be detached.

If possible, pack the lamp in its original box, though if this has been thrown away, try to find one similar in size to the original. Wrap the lamp and its parts carefully with newspaper or other soft padding before placing it in the box and tightly sealing it with tape.

Electronics 

Expensive and often fragile, electronics, such as TVs and laptops, typically require extra care when being moved.

If you still own the original boxes, we highly recommend packing your electronics back into these. However, as many of us throw away the original packaging, there is a good chance you will no longer have this option. Instead, use a sturdy box of similar size, ensuring to pack the item in bubble wrap before tightly sealing.

Pets

Moving house can often have a huge impact on your pet, as a change of routine and upheaval within the safety of the family home can all have a negative effect.

If you have any uncertainty regarding your pets when moving house, speak to your local vet as they can provide you with the best course of action. On the moving day, leave your pet with a friend or relative, as this will make the process much smoother.

It is not just pets that can be troublesome when moving house. Pet items, such as fish tanks, can prove incredibly tricky to transport due to their fragility. Similar to other delicate objects, package your pet’s possessions carefully while ensuring related items are stored together to ensure you know where to find everything for your pet in your new home.

Heavy furniture 

Furniture removal is typically one of the toughest tasks when moving house due to the weight and bulkiness of the items. As furniture, whether it’s a sofa, dining room table or bed frame, can all throw up an array of issues as you attempt to manoeuvre them out of your old house and into the new.

The best way to tackle heavy furniture is to unscrew and break down all possible parts and check whether they comfortably fit through the doors of your new home.

Antiques

Usually fragile, incredibly expensive and with sentimental value, antiques are often the leading cause of moving day nightmares.

When packing antiques, it is best to bubble wrap carefully before placing into a box or crate with plenty of packaging. Finally, seal the items in the container and clearly label the contents as fragile.

However, if in doubt, speak with a professional mover, as they will ensure your valuable antiques are treated with considerable care and consideration during the move.

Food & Drink 

While not often at the top of the list for the most difficult items when moving house, food and drink can still present their own challenges.

Generally, it is best to use up or throw away foodstuffs in preparation for the move to ensure there is one less thing to worry over.

Though foodstuffs, including frozen food and glass-bottled liquids, can prove challenging. Your best option is to store all cold and frozen foods together in a cool box, while for glass bottles, wrap individually in newspaper before storing them in a leak-proof and secure container.

Musical Instruments

Whilst often delicate and awkward in shape, most musical instruments will have a sturdy and specially-designed case, making moving them relatively straightforward.

However, larger instruments, such as drum sets or pianos, can be tricky to transport due to their weight and risk of damage. As such, the best option is to hire professional movers, as they will have access to the right equipment, as well as insurance, to ensure your precious instruments reach your new home intact.

Houseplants 

As living things, houseplants can throw up all manner of issues when moving house. Typically, the best option is to keep them together in a crate and move them yourself, placing them in the backseat of your car on top of sheets, and ideally a day or two before the big more.

We hope our guide has provided you with an idea of what to expect when it comes to moving difficult items – whether that is how to tackle moving furniture or packaging valuable antiques.

At S.W. Leach & Sons, we offer an extensive range of moving services, including packing and storage solutions. When it comes to moving house, you can rely on us to get the job done.