The taboo around emptying out your drawers or not before you move is one that causes much debate in the moving industry. Many believe that cleaning out your dressers prior to a move isn’t necessary while others, like us at FlatRate, think it’s a crucial step to get done before your movers arrive.
Let’s evaluate the situation: what kind of dresser is it? What’s in the drawers? How heavy is it? There’s a big chance that your drawer will need to be flipped to move through a door or be carried up the stairs and that’s already enough reason to empty everything out before the movers get started. Need more convincing? Here are 5 more reasons why you should always empty your drawers before you move.
1. It Can Cause Damage to the Drawer
When your drawers are filled with stuff, they are obviously much heavier and harder to carry. If the dresser is fragile or old, having full drawers will only add to the chances of the wood cracking or the piece breaking apart when it is in motion. In addition, the rolling mechanism that the drawer will slide on can get damaged in the process. To avoid breaking your furniture or damaging any of the moving company’s materials, empty out your drawers to facilitate your moving experience.
2. You Can Damage or Lose Your Items
Keep in mind that your movers will most likely be flipping and turning your drawer in order to move it from room to room, fit it through doors and carry it up and down flights of stairs — the chances of the drawers tilting, opening, and both dropping or damaging what’s inside are high. It’s extremely important to remove anything fragile and easily breakable like glass, porcelain, or any kind of art in case the drawer shifts. Jewelry is also notorious for getting lost during moves — because of size and fragility, jewelry gets stuck in corners or often slips through cracks. Items like books, types of vinyl, and CDs are also requested to be moved out due to being too heavy to stay inside of drawers — a lot of times they shift during the move and can damage the dresser.
3. The Movers Can Hurt Themselves
It’s no secret that being a mover requires a lot of physical work — carrying tons of heavy furniture for hours is not meant for the weak. But at the end of the day, movers are also humans and despite how physically capable they might be, carrying a heavy dresser for too long can cause some serious lower back pain. Emptying out a single dresser may lighten it up to 100 pounds, whereas clearing a triple dresser may lighten it by up to 200 pounds! Additionally, carrying heavyweight furniture also means more time spent and more movers focusing on just one piece of furniture. For more advice on how to properly take care of your movers, read our latest blog post.
4. It Can Cause Damage to the Floor & Walls
Floor and wall protection is a top priority during a move. You don’t want to leave marks all over your old house or your new home. Full drawers challenge the strength and agility of the moving crew. To avoid scratches and overall damage to your walls and floors, empty out dressers. When these pieces become lighter, they also become easier to maneuver.
5. It Can Compromise Your Privacy
Trust us, your movers don’t want to know everything that’s inside of your drawers. We understand that everyone stores their personal belongings wherever they feel are easily accessible and more importantly safe. Your drawers might be filled with personal items that are private and important to you. Empty out your drawers to avoid any hint of privacy invasion. Place important items away in separate boxes before the movers arrive. If you need some help with packing, we have an entire guide on how to pack like a pro!
Have more questions about moving, packing, or how to get a quote? Call FlatRate now and let us help you with your next relocation.