How to Prepare Heavy Items for Moving Day

Heavy items cause more moving day problems than anything else. Not because movers can't handle them — we can — but because most people don't prep them correctly. Here's what to do before we arrive.

Pianos

Upright pianos typically weigh 400–800 pounds. Baby grands are 500–1,200 pounds. Neither weighs what you think it does, and neither moves without proper equipment.

For upright pianos, the main concern is doorways and stair landings. Measure your widest point — the keys plus the body — and compare it to every doorway between the piano and the truck. If you have a tight doorway or a turn at the top of a staircase, tell us when you book. We bring piano boards and straps designed specifically for this.

Grand pianos require partial disassembly (legs come off, the lid is removed). If you have a grand, book in advance and mention it explicitly. We adjust crew size and equipment accordingly.

Your prep: Clear a 4-foot path from the piano to the nearest exit. Remove any items on top of the piano. Unlock the keyboard lid and leave it open so we can check key condition before and after.

Gun Safes

A rifle safe holds 12–24 guns and can weigh 300–600 pounds. A large home security safe can be 800–1,200 pounds. These are dense, awkward, and unforgiving on floors and doorways.

Before moving day: empty the safe completely. This is obvious for legal and liability reasons, but it also matters physically — even a half-full safe can be 100 pounds heavier than an empty one. Firearms and ammo travel in your vehicle, not on the truck.

Know where the safe is going at the destination before we arrive. Changing your mind once it's positioned means moving it again. On hardwood floors, we'll use furniture sliders — tell us what flooring you have so we come prepared.

Appliances

Refrigerators, washers, dryers, and chest freezers are the big four.

Refrigerator: Defrost and dry it 24 hours before moving. Remove all food. Tape the doors shut with painter's tape (not packing tape — it leaves residue). If it's a French door style, remove the doors for tight spaces — they're usually two bolts per hinge.

Washer: Disconnect the water lines the night before and let the drum fully drain. Front-loaders have shipping bolts that go back in — if you still have them, put them in. If not, tell us and we'll use towels to pad the drum.

Dryer: Disconnect the vent hose and the power cord. Gas dryers need a certified tech to disconnect the gas line — this is not a moving crew job, and any mover who says otherwise is lying.

Chest freezer: Same as the refrigerator — empty it and let it fully defrost and dry. A wet freezer will leak into your truck.

Heavy Toolboxes

A full mechanic's rollaway can weigh 500–900 pounds. Before moving day, remove every drawer and box them separately. Drawers go in boxes; the cabinet shell goes on a dolly. Don't leave tools in drawers — they shift during transport and can crack the drawer slides.

Lock the rollaway if it has a lock. If it doesn't, tape the drawer faces shut individually.

General Heavy-Item Rules

• Tell us when booking. Heavy specialty items affect crew size, equipment, and sometimes the size of the truck we bring. A surprise 800-pound safe on moving day creates real problems.
• Clear the path. Remove rugs, close pet gates, move shoes and boxes out of the route from the item to the front door.
• Know your destination clearances. Measure the space where the item is going at the new location before moving day — not after we've already loaded the truck.

Have a piano, safe, or heavy appliances? Book your move and note the specialty items in the comments field. We'll confirm crew and equipment before your move date.