Guide to packing and moving outdoor furniture

Well, moving is a complicated project that you have to take seriously and prepare thoroughly. To make your move a success you have to plan, organize, and execute it to perfection. Proper moving preparation entails planning and creating checklists and detailed to-do lists. Many people tend to forget a lot of things during the move. Among those things is usually packing and moving outdoor furniture. Your outdoor pieces can cost a lot of money and be a significant investment. That makes it wise to plan on its move and to do it correctly. So, here is a short guide to packing and moving your outdoor furniture.

Packing outdoor furniture

Moving outdoor items is not that complicated nor difficult. It is as simple as following some common moving steps that are part of your regular moving preparation. Following these packing rules will ensure that your furniture arrives at your new home intact and well protected. Make sure that your investment in outdoor furniture is well protected and that it will last for many years.

So, how to go about packing and moving outdoor furniture. The steps are simple:

• Decide what to move
• Inspect
• Clean
• Disassemble
• Pack
• Transport

Decide what to move

When moving outdoor furniture you should be wise and think things through. You must consider if your new place has enough room to accept all of your outdoor items. If not, you should select the things to be moved. You might not need all of the lawn chairs or a complete patio set. You should not waste time and money dealing with the items you won’t move. So try to be selective about what you will need.

Also, make sure to declutter these surplus items. Try selling some of the furniture pieces. Give them away to friends and family or throw it away if it’s not in good condition. On the other hand some of the pieces you might need in the future. If they are valuable or in good condition (not frequently used) consider putting them in storage for safekeeping.

Inspect the furniture

Outdoor furniture may be too worn or damaged to move and use further. Make sure to inspect it prior to packing to make sure you do not move items you won’t be able to use later. At the same time, this inspection will make sure you don’t encounter surprises in the future or during the move. Some outdoor items may become bug-infested so a thorough inspection may save you from additional problems. To be protected from bugs or nasty wasp bites make sure to use protective gloves and be careful.

Clean properly

Your furniture can get very dusty from being outdoors. Cleaning these items for moving means getting rid of any dirt, mud, or soil that can get stuck. Roughly clean the table, chair, or lounger legs to get rid of the dirt. Particularly dirty furniture can be hosed down to get rid of the dirt or any stuck leaves or grass. In other cases, a rough wipe down with a damp cloth or disinfectant wipes will be sufficient. Make sure you don’t skip this step or you may be transferring dirt to your other belongings during transport and you don’t want that.

Disassemble safely

Disassembly is a must and a piece of good advice when packing and moving outdoor furniture. Your move will be much easier and safer if you take apart any furniture you can. You also don’t want to damage your furniture during transport so make sure you disassemble everything you can. Any furniture piece that is too tricky to pack and protect should be dismantled if possible. First, check if the furniture can be taken apart. If so, try doing it yourself or consult someone. Make sure to remove all fragile components and breakable parts and pack them separately.

Remove any cushions and padding and pack and protect it in plastic bags. All the fastening elements, bolts, and clamps should be well protected and kept in a sealed bag so they wouldn’t get lost. One of the examples for disassembly is a table with a glass top. The glass should be carefully separated and packed and specially protected.

Pack adequately

Packing your outdoor furniture is crucial for protection. Prior to doing that you should check it for moisture. Any moist elements that are packed in plastic bags and wrap can get moldy so pay attention to moisture. Other than that try to get the best protection for your furniture. The key is to try and protect it from dents, scratches, and breakage. Make sure to acquire enough packing and protective materials. Get some plastic and bubble wrap, thick moving blankets, and a lot of packing tape.

Wrap fragile items with packing paper, bubble wrap, and blankets. Cover all sharp edges in bubble wrap and protective blankets. All furniture that can’t be taken apart should be specially wrapped. Try to wrap and protect the legs and arms of the furniture for protection from scrapes. The already dissembled pieces should be packed and wrapped separately and put in padded cardboard boxes. Make sure to label every box and bag with small pieces and assembly parts to prevent them from getting lost.

Transport carefully

Transporting outdoor furniture is easy but it requires some planning and care. These items can be susceptible to damage so be sure to take special care when carrying, loading, and unloading. If you are transporting wicker furniture it will be easy to load and unload as it is light. On the other hand, it is fragile and can get damaged during transport especially if it’s long-distance.

Try not to stack it too high or to put other items on top. Also, wooden or metal furniture can be heavy so it may be difficult to load and unload but it will be stronger for transport. This furniture will require a helping hand to handle and carry properly and safely.

Moving outdoor items is not that difficult. It is not that different from moving other furniture but it has some specific aspects that you must consider. However, you can consult this guide to packing and moving outdoor furniture to make it easier. If you are uncertain you can always seek additional sources of information to make you move safely and easily.