Millions of people buy IKEA furniture each year. The stylish, yet affordable offerings are a popular choice for both homeowners and renters. The major challenge is how to move IKEA furniture. Not only can IKEA furniture be tough to assemble, but taking it apart for a simple move can be even more challenging. So what happens when it’s time to pack it all up? We’ve got some tips, tricks, and must-tries on how to move IKEA furniture. My Town Movers can also move your furniture into your new space.
1. Measure Before You Move IKEA Furniture
IKEA furniture isn’t the easiest to disassemble. Before you go to all the trouble of taking it apart, measure the space at your new home to ensure everything fits. If it doesn’t, you may decide to leave the furniture behind, toss it, or donate it. You may also want to check your moving day mode of transportation before taking apart any furniture. Most moving vans and trucks can easily hold IKEA furniture when assembled so there’s no reason to start taking things apart unless it’s necessary.
2. Recruit a Friend (or Two)
Once you start pulling screws and dowels out, your IKEA furniture won’t be as structurally sound – no surprises there. While that’s not usually an issue for smaller pieces, once you start deconstructing larger bookshelves, beds, and other oversized pieces, that can be problematic and even dangerous. Grab a friend or two to help with the disassembly process. Just having someone on-hand for literal support can be a huge plus.
3. Keep Everything Together
IKEA pieces often come with tons of small pieces – dowels, screws, hooks, and plastic sachets, among a host of other tiny but essential parts. For sanity’s sake, keep everything together in a small Ziploc bag. When you’re done, seal it tightly and label the bag so it corresponds with the furniture it belongs to.
4. Ditch the Instructions
Following the instructions is typically essential for putting together IKEA furniture, but there’s no reason to hang on to all of those manuals. The IKEA website has downloadable PDF instructions for every single piece they’ve produced recently. When you get to your new place, simply search for the item you’re building and download the instructions to your computer or smartphone.
5. Don’t Go Too Hard
IKEA screws, dowels, and other assembly pieces can get a little weaker after being assembled, disassembled, and reassembled again. To avoid this, be very careful when you’re taking your IKEA furniture apart. When you’re reassembling, go easy on the screws, as they can easily shred through the board, making it harder to “catch” and stay together.
