Moving Appliances & Special Furniture

Moving a front load washerSome appliances and furniture need a little extra TLC in transit.  Olympia can either service and prep these special pieces, or we can bring in one of our experts to make sure these items are 100% ready to be safely moved to your new home.

If you have any of the appliances or furniture called out below, be sure to bring them to the attention of your moving consultant during your in-home survey.

If you’re looking to save some money, here are some things you can do yourself to prep these items:

Refrigerator & Freezer

First, remove all the contents and either pack them in a cooler to bring to your new home or throw the perishables away.   Unplug the fridge and freezer and let the freezer defrost over night.   If your freezer has an ice maker, turn off the water supply, disconnect the water line, and turn the ice maker off.  Wipe the fridge and freezer down in the morning and remove and pack all the interior shelves.  You can see our video on how to pack a refrigerator here.  The moving crew will properly wrap the fridge before they move it.

Washer & Dryer

For the washer, turn off the water hook-up, unhook the hoses, and unplug the washer and drain hose.  Be careful of excess water.  For the dryer, remove the metallic hose, unplug the dryer (electric), or turn off the gas then remove the hose (gas).  If you have a front load washer, then you will need to use transit bolts in order to lock the washer for damage-free movement.  If you do not have these bolts from when you purchased the appliance, ask your mover to bring in an expert to prepare the washer for the move.

Grandfather Clocks

The pendulum and weights must be detached from the clock before it can be moved.  Additionally, we highly recommend crating this fragile piece before moving in order to avoid damage.  Because grandfather clocks are so complex, it’s probably best to ask your moving company to bring in a clock expert to prep the timepiece, but you can also learn how to move your grandfather clock yourself.

Waterbeds

Your waterbed should be completely drained, the heater should be unhooked, and the mattress should be properly rolled or folded before moving.  Then, disassemble your bed.  Read about how to drain and move or store your waterbed.

Televisions

Use a special TV box to move flat screen and plasma TVs without incident.  You can find detailed instructions on how to pack a television for moving in our guide to packing and moving electronics.

Pool tables

The pool table will need to be completely disassembled before it can be transitioned to your new home.  This includes removing the bumpers, felt, slate, and legs from the table.  Since pool tables can be both complex and heavy, we highly recommend not moving it yourself, but you can learn more about the steps to moving a pool table.

Pianos

Only the bravest would attempt to move a piano without professional help.  Fortunately, our vanline is the official mover of Steinway and Sons, so we’re experts! Check out our essential guide to piano moving.  Again, we highly recommend hiring movers, but you can learn more about how piano moving is done on your own.

6 Essential Tips for Packing Fragile Items

Our How To Pack Video Series