5 Ways to Avoid Damage to Your House When Moving Out

Though you might be leaving your old home, it does not mean you need to have a don’t-care-attitude towards your old place! You certainly need to make sure that your home is intact just the way it was when you entered it for the first time! Also, when someone else is moving into their new home, they want it to be as nice as they expected.

Get all of the moving supplies needed. Prior to moving out, ensure that you buy supplies that will help you preserve the floors and fixtures of the home that you’re leaving behind.

Apart from preserving the home, you might need to take certain measures to protect your pocketbook as well. After all, the last thing you want when you arrive at your new home is a bill for damage to your old home!

Here are the top 5 ways to avoid damage to your house when moving out:

Get Moving Blankets
Prior to sliding any heavy objects across the floor, ensure that you have placed a moving blanket underneath. A proper moving blanket prevents your furniture from damaging hardwood or tile floors on your way out the door. Also, these quilts make it easier to slide large objects across unforgiving flooring.
There are many uses of these blankets. You can consider draping them overexposed banisters or short walls in your old house and secure them with packing tape. This prevents nicks or damage to the banister as your movers haul stuff out of your house.

Gather Flattened X-Large Boxes
You can use these for any areas where there will be heavy traffic on a hardwood or tile floor. You just need to place these massive pieces of cardboard on the floor and tape them together to create pathways for you and your moving team. Also, it provides an additional layer of protection from scuffs and damages your floor is bound to take as you’re moving out.

Get yourself a Carpet Film Protector
At the time of moving out of a place with carpeted floors, you can consider investing in this plastic sheeting. You can lay it down over any carpeted area to prevent leaving a soiled and stained carpet behind. This creates walkways for you and your team when moving everything out of the home.

Try to declutter first
If you don’t wish to keep it, you shouldn’t bother moving it. Make sure to prepare for a move is an ideal time to declutter. Thus, take advantage and let go of items you no longer love or use. Keep in mind that the fewer items you have to move, the quicker it will be to pack and unpack, and the less your move will cost.
Also, when the total number of items to move isn’t quite so overwhelming, you are less likely to dump things in a random box!

Focus on measuring large furniture, door openings, and stairwells
Keep in mind that your furniture may have fit into your current home without a hitch. However, it doesn’t imply that it will be as easy to move into the new place. Certain heavy items, like the sofas, might get jammed in stairwells. In the worst case scenario, you might even have to leave a few items behind simply because those wouldn’t fit through the door. Also, forcing items to fit through your doors can lead to ugly scratches that might be difficult to get rid of later on. Avoid such a messy situation by making necessary preparations ahead of time.

Apart from the above-mentioned ways, there are some other useful tips that you can follow to ensure a scratch-free move!

Take care of the fragile items well
You can use corner protectors on mirrors and art. There are many fragile mirrors and picture frames that need to be treated with care. You might consider using a mirror that comes with foam corner protectors. You can follow the instructions that come with your kit. When you have the corners secured, you can place the mirror or frame in a mirror or picture box. You can fill any empty space with paper. In case you have a lot of artwork, you can go for framed photographs and other delicate items. It is always a smart idea to start packing up your collection early. This way you can take your time and do the necessary.

Cover using furniture pads
You can cover furniture with pads or moving blankets. Covering your furniture well can make the difference between your treasured pieces arriving in perfect condition. You can purchase rolls of plastic wrapping material. However, pads and blankets provide more protection for delicate items.

You can detach small parts and store them together. Certain items knock into each other. The first things to sustain damage are usually the little bits. If you are able to safely remove the legs, handles or small protruding parts of a piece of furniture, go for it. You can wrap up the parts and keep them together in a labeled bag inside or taped to the furniture it came from.

Go for the right box for the job
Keep in mind that the heavier the item, the smaller the box. The fact is that a large box filled with heavy items is likely to either fall apart or injure the person carrying it. When boxes are left empty, they can leave their contents vulnerable to breakage. Make sure to choose the right box for the item you’re packing. Fill in the empty space with paper or packing peanuts.

Protect floors and stairs using nonslip runners
You cannot avoid foot traffic in your home on moving day. You can protect your floors and prevent slips and falls by rolling out non-slip runners in high-traffic areas. Your moving company may have reusable nonslip runners. However, you can purchase nonslip self-adhesive plastic floor coverings to protect your floors in key areas. If you have a large area of flooring, you can use a self-adhesive plastic floor covering.