Scheming how you’re going to shuffle appliances around for your upcoming renovations without scuffing the floors? Maybe you’re wondering how to best pack your appliances, big and small, for your upcoming move. Either way, whether you’re moving appliances around the house or across the state, Moveline’s rounded up the best tips from our in-house experts to keep everything intact.

An ounce of prevention…

Small appliances need just a bit of extra TLC during the moving process to make sure they end up A-OK on unpacking day.

• Make sure the appliance is completely clean and dry to avoid mold or mildew.
• If there are removable parts (like a glass tray inside a microwave), take them out and pack them separately. (Pro tip: attach a note with re-assembly instructions to each appliance as you pack it.)
• Tape all electrical cords to each appliance.
• Be sure to choose the right box and fill all empty spaces with packing paper, packing peanuts, or other small, non-breakable items.

Appliance moving prep

Erik Christensen, one of Moveline’s many resident move experts, has a few pro tips for moving large appliances that will make the process as easy as pie:

1. Measure, measure, measure. Otherwise you won’t know if your doors need to come off their hinges until it’s too late. Don’t forget to include the handle!

2. Rent an appliance dolly. They’re specially designed to withstand the pressure of appliances and have soft wheels that won’t damage your floors.

3. Disconnect electricity and gas. In some places, it’s illegal for you to disconnect your own gas, so check with your gas company as regulations vary by state.

4. Disconnect water. Remove the hose from the wall and drain all water out of the hose, as well as any that may be pooled in the bottom of an appliance below the hose. This is important to know: movers are not insured to cover anything related to water damage. (If you want third party coverage, Moveline is happy to set it up for you!)

5. Thoroughly clean and dry everything. And keep all doors slightly open during transport, especially if items are going into storage. Nobody likes a weird-smelling, moldy fridge.

6. Secure loose or movable parts. Items like front-load washers can easily be damaged in a move if the drum isn’t properly secured to the frame. Shipping bolts come with appliances for this purpose, but if yours got lost in one of those seemingly bottomless junk drawers, get in touch with the manufacturer.

7. Protect those floors.Make sure the floor is clean (less friction, less scratching), avoid pivoting the appliance as much as possible (it unnecessarily grinds the feet into the floor), and use plastic furniture sliders under the feet of the appliance (thick carpet scraps work, too).

From handling appliances to moving with a pet and even making moving more fun, Moveline’s got your back. Check us out online or give us a call and get started today — we make moving as delightful as a freshly-laundered set of sheets. Well, almost, anyway.