MOVERS CALGARY

 You need to disassemble the frame. Turn the sofa on its back and remove the staples at the base with a Flathead screwdriver. This should allow you to take off (or at least roll back) the upholstery, exposing most of the sofa’s frame. Using a screwdriver or an Allen wrench, remove the screws and bolts that hold the arms, the seat and the back of the sofa together. You should be left with a pile of upholstery, pieces of wooden frame and screws. Make sure everything is wrapped thoroughly and safely – a dismantled sofa is still prone to damage if it isn’t packed properly. We recommend taking photos while you work, too, so you know how to reassemble the sofa again once it's in its new home.

 If you work from home (and your work involves a desk) then a quality desk chair is a big priority. Fortunately, most desk chairs are really easy to disassemble. Start by pulling off the wheels – most desk chairs have wheels that pop off pretty easily. After that, there should be a knob on the bottom of the seat that you can turn until the seat is loose enough to remove. Do the same with the back of the chair. You’ll then be left with just the chair's central structure. Cover each part in bubble wrap and box it all up. If your chair looks difficult to disassemble then simply refer to the original instruction manual (if you still have it).

 This is quite easy. Turn the table upside down and remove all the legs. This should be pretty easy to unscrew but it may take a bit of elbow grease. Most table legs are attached by something called a ‘leg assembly’, which is a combination of screws and braces. Go at it with a decent screwdriver and you should be done in no time. Once the legs are off, wrap them in a combination of cardboard and bubble wrap. The table itself should be protected by a thick blanket and a few sheets of corrugated cardboard. Make sure you’ve done everything properly; if your table gets damaged on the way then you might be eating your first meal in your new home off the floor.

 You’ll have other belongings that don’t classify as furniture but are still worth a quick mention. It’s fairly simple; if the item is small enough, just put it in a box. Dishes, glasses and crockery should go in robust cardboard boxes, although you shouldn’t put too many things in one box. Use blankets and newspaper to make sure small delicate items won’t hit each other during their time in transit. Dish towels and kitchen roll are also useful ways to create buffers without adding too much weight to your cargo. Similarly, books should go in boxes but never too many in the same box as it will become too heavy to carry.

 Select the size of your move to get free quotes

 Cleaning your furniture

 When you hear the word ‘quarantine’, you probably think about people and pets. Well, you should think about furniture too. Some countries , such as Australia, have some serious restrictions on the cargo that people import, and they can get really fussy about items of furniture that appear unclean. Small things like bits of dust, dirt and mold can have a damaging effect on local ecosystems, so you need to arrive with your cargo looking pretty spotless.

 If a customs official finds one dirty item of furniture then they might end up unpacking everything, and you don’t want that. Obviously gardening items such as tools and outdoor furniture are the main culprits for bringing dirt into other countries, but all your indoor furniture needs a proper inspection too.

 It sounds a bit gross but wood is a popular place for tiny insects, so you need to check it for signs of infestation (eg. tiny holes). The other incentive to dust and clean your belongings is that is reduces the chances of stains and scratches during transit. Spend a bit of time sprucing up your furniture and you’ll be doing everyone a favour.

 How much does it cost to move furniture abroad?

 The cost of moving furniture abroad depends on a number of factors including how much furniture you’re moving, where you’re moving it to and from, and whether you move it by air, sea or land. In general, you should expect to pay anywhere between £1,000 and £5,000 to move your furniture overseas. Additional services such as hiring a professional company to pack your furniture will drive up the cost.

 How can I move abroad cheaply?

 It is possible to cut costs when moving abroad. Transporting your belongings by sea instead of air, selling the possessions you no longer need, and packing your stuff yourself can help save you a bit of money. Check out our guide on the cheapest ways to move abroad for more advice on how to cut moving costs.

 Moving your pet abroad requires a lot of planning. Firstly, your pet will need to make a visit to the vets and undergo a series of medical checks to obtain a pet health certificate. You’ll then need to buy a suitable travel crate and book your pet onto a flight to its destination country – either in the cabin or the hold. Once it’s arrived in its new country, your pet will have to pass through customs and (possibly) quarantine before it’s allowed to go home. For a full rundown on how to move your pet abroad and the costs involved, visit our guide to pet relocation costs.

 We hope this page has made you feel super confident about packing everything yourself, but we also understand that professional assistance during such a stressful time is invaluable. A moving company will come round to your house and do the relevant preparation, assessing all the items you’d like to bring and deciding what materials are required. After that, they’ll pack everything with great care and load it onto the container for you. It sounds wonderfully helpful, but then again some people relish a challenge. Especially if the challenge saves you a lot of money. Just do everything properly and you’ll avoid the horror of smashed mirrors, broken tables and wobbly chairs.

 A key way to make sure you end up with the best shipping deal, and trusty movers, is to shop around for the quote that most suits your needs. Rather than leaving you in the lurch to do this on your own, we’ve created an easy-to-use tool that can do this for you!

 Simply provide a few details about your move, and let us take the reins. We’ll pass on your details to a handful of our trusted suppliers, who’ll then be in touch with free quotes for you to check out – it’s never been easier to lug your stuff halfway across the world.

 Even well-made furniture is surprisingly fragile, and contingency plans take on a new meaning when you’re moving across the country. Moving anything long-distance can feel like a gamble, but with the right mindset, equipment, plan, and a little luck, the process can go just as smoothly as moving down the street. Here are our tips for how to move furniture across country — safely and with as little stress as possible.

 A man and woman are unloading a loveseat from the back of a moving truck. The man is outside of the truck, and the woman is still in the truck. There are boxes and chairs around them.

 As you can imagine, how you decide to move your furniture will impact how you prepare for the journey to your new home. Consider how much furniture you have to move, your budget, and how much time and effort you’re willing and able to spend.

 If you have many oversized furniture items (especially big-ticket items like a piano) that may be difficult to move on your own, you may elect to use a traditional moving company. This is effective, but it can be costly — and sometimes risky. In fact, thousands of customers file damage claims every year. That’s because items are often unloaded and reloaded several times during their journey, or even shipped co-mingled with other people’s belongings. If you do decide to go this route, make sure to get insurance. Your items may emerge unscathed, but it’s worth being covered just in case.

 A man with a moving company is getting a woman to sign a bill of lading in front of a moving truck that still has some furniture and boxes on it.

 You can also hire a freight shipping company to ship your furniture long-distance. You’ll have two shipping options to choose from: LTL (less-than-truck-load) and FTL (full-truck-load). Depending on your selection, your costs, shipping time, security, and other factors will vary, including the following:

 LTL shipments may be transferred from truck to truck multiple times during transport, but FTL shipments remain on the same truck the whole time, which can significantly lower the chance of damage or loss.

 If you have lots of furniture pieces that require delicate handling and you need to move long-distance fast, FTL is probably the best choice — but it will cost you more.

 On the other hand, if you’re only shipping a few items, and it doesn’t matter when it gets to its new destination, LTL should work just fine.

 Also, you’ll want to explore both ground freight and air freight. The better option for you will depend on what you’re shipping, how much it’s worth, and even whether you have any perishables. Note: We don’t recommend moving any perishables packed among your furniture! But if you have sensitive things you absolutely must get to your new home, here’s some guidance from the pros at FedEx.

 A family of four is carrying things out of their house to load into a PODS portable moving container in their driveway.

 Using a portable moving and storage container (also called a moving container or a storage container) is a great option for long-distance moves for many reasons. First, they provide one solution for both moving and storage. You can easily store your container if needed at a secure facility or keep it in your driveway, which means you can take your time loading and unloading your furniture.

 Portable containers also offer more control over how your items get loaded, because you can do the loading yourself, which — trust us — can mean the difference between your favorite side table and your favorite side table with a big chip in it. Compared to the full-service moving industry, PODS has 10 times fewer damage claims, according to the AMSA (American Moving & Storage Association). We don’t know about you, but that certainly makes us feel more at ease!

 Insider Tip: If you’re moving just a few pieces of furniture long-distance, the PODS 8-foot container* is an ideal size!

 *PODS is constantly upgrading its container fleet and container sizes may vary slightly from one model to another. Suggested container sizes are for guidance only. Larger items and how efficiently containers are loaded can significantly impact the size and quantity of containers you’ll need.

 Hybrid Moving — Portable Moving Containers With Hired Packing & Loading Help

 To add just a bit more on portable containers, you also have the freedom to hire professional packers and loaders to do the hard work for you — and the easy stuff, if you prefer! PODS can connect you with highly rated, moving-labor companies in your area who are experienced specialists when it comes to PODS containers (and they definitely know how to move furniture across country). They’re very friendly, too!

 Now that you’ve selected your moving method, here’s a quick common-sense pro tip before we get into the nitty-gritty of packing: Maybe this goes without saying, but before you haul a piece of furniture, say, all the way across the country, make sure it fits first! This is especially true when downsizing to a smaller living space. Measure that chaise lounge before loading it (Hint: your new 600-square-foot apartment may not have quite enough space).