As you prepare for your big move, one important consideration is how you’re going to fit all your belongings in the moving truck while ensuring everything arrives at your new home safely. Of course, the best way to do this is by hiring a professional Manhattan mover. However, one way to accomplish both of these goals on your own is by disassembling some of your larger furniture before loading it up for moving. While this process might take a little more time on both ends, the results will certainly be worth the time involved. Furniture that has been disassembled is easier to remove from your current house, easier to fit into the moving truck, stays safer during the move, and is easier to move into your new house.

1. Beds

Without some level of disassembly, most beds would be nearly impossible to move successfully. Considering an average-sized queen mattress measures in at 60″ x 80″, a bed frame will be even larger and harder to move. Start by removing the headboard, if your bed has one, then remove all the slats so you can separate the bed rails.

Stack the slats in groups of three or four, then tie them together using rope or twine. These stacks make good space fillers as you finish packing the truck. Wrap the headboard and bed rails in blankets or bubble wrap, then secure the blanket to the headboard or rail using rope. Moving Dallas professionals indicate that the headboard should be one of the first items on the truck, upright against the wall, or placed as a space filler behind an irregularly-shaped piece of furniture. Rails can go flat on the floor under couches or between larger items.

2. Tables

Many, especially modern tables can be fairly easily disassembled to make your move easier. When you consider the weight and size of most tables, this is a welcome feature to take advantage of. Carefully remove the legs of the table, securing the screws in a plastic zip-top bag. Roll the legs in a blanket, placing one leg every one rotation or so. Then, secure the bundle together using rope or twine.

The tabletop should be wrapped securely in a blanket, then tied using rope or twine. Legs are typically small enough to fit inside a more significant piece of furniture, such as a cabinet, that can’t be disassembled. Tabletops should be placed vertically on the side or front of the moving truck.

3. Desks

Given that an average desk has about 14 pounds of clutter, just on the top, it’s not surprising that most desks are quite heavy to try and move. Before you take your desk out, remove all the drawers and set them aside. Then, if you can, disassemble the desk further by removing drawer holders or integrated keyboard trays.

Use a separate box for the items from each drawer, then number the boxes, so the items find their way back into the correct drawer. Wrap each drawer in a blanket, then insert them, thin side first, into spaces between other items that have already been loaded. The drawer holder can be stacked near the top of a stack of regular boxes, and a keyboard tray can be wrapped in bubble wrap and placed inside the drawer holder.

4. Plan Well

Part of a successful move involves successful planning. Knowing when you can disassemble your various pieces of furniture is an important part of that planning process. Determine those items you don’t use as often and get those taken apart sooner, so you have extra time to do all the last-minute tasks that always seem to be forgotten. With this planning in place, you’ll set yourself up for an easier, less-stressful move that will leave you with more energy to begin settling into your new home.