How to Prepare Your Home for Furniture Delivery

Getting a new sectional sofa or bedroom set can be exciting, but before the delivery crew gets there, you need to make sure your home is ready. After all, no one wants an unexpected trip hazard to send your new furniture flying. Knowing how to prepare your home for furniture delivery protects both you and the delivery crew.

Prepare Your Home for a Large Furniture Delivery

When it's time to prepare a home for furniture delivery, consider things from the delivery team's perspective. The quicker and easier it is to move your new piece from the truck to its new location, the smoother the delivery will go. Here's a step-by-step guide for furniture delivery preparation.

Step 1: Measure Your Space

Preparing your house for furniture delivery starts with making sure you have the space for your new furnishings. Measure the room where you intend to put the furniture, but don't forget to also measure any doorways, halls, corners and rooms between your front door and the new furniture's intended destination.

Step 2: Clear Out Old Furniture

If you're replacing a major piece of furniture in your home, you need to move out the old one before the new one arrives. Some delivery companies offer old furniture removal as an add-on service. If you're handling it yourself, you can hire a junk removal service to come get your old sofa, bed or dresser. Of course, there's also always the option of offering your old furniture to a friend as long as they haul it away themselves.

Step 3: Clear the Indoor Path For the Movers

Nothing ruins delivery day like an accidental bump that knocks over your favorite antique vase or someone tripping over a cat toy while trying to navigate a tight hallway. Prevent accidental mishaps by keeping floors clear of anything that could become a tripping or slipping hazard. Also remove any delicate furniture or items, such as console tables or decorative plants, close to the path your delivery team will travel.

Step 4: Clear the Outdoor Path

If the path between the delivery truck parking spot and your front door is a mess, delivery could get complicated. Check the weather before delivery day and clear any fallen leaves, snow, ice or debris before the delivery team arrives.

Step 5: Keep Pets and Small Children Out of the Way

On delivery day, lock pets in a room away from where the delivery team will be working. Make sure small children also know to stay out of the way and not to open the rooms where pets are kept.

Step 6: Protect Your Floors

You might want to put down a floor covering, such as a tarp, cardboard sheets or blankets, in the room where your new furniture will be located. This helps protect the floor from scratches and scuffs as the delivery team places your item in the correct spot or rearranges other furniture around it. Consider getting floor protector pads to put under the feet of your new couch, bed frame or chair before it's placed in its final location.

Step 7: Secure Building Access

If you live in an apartment, condo or other shared building, secure access to the front door and any elevators your delivery team might need to use. If your item is too large for a standard elevator, you might have to request temporary access to the building's service elevator.

What Are Some Tips From Delivery Workers for How to Prevent Damage to Your Home During a Delivery?

Delivery workers who frequently move large pieces into homes and apartments have plenty of tips for furniture delivery. Here's a furniture delivery checklist of things professionals recommend to protect your home during the process:

• Clear a path for furniture delivery to prevent accidental bumps or slips from damaging household items, walls or floors.

• Communicate beforehand about any potential issues, including access codes, tight stairwells or tripping hazards.

• Make room for your new furniture before delivery day so there's less need to move other items around.

• Put floor coverings in the delivery room, and pad any corners or doorways along the route to reduce the chance of accidental bumps.

• Stay nearby during the delivery process to handle any problems that might occur.

Now that you know how to prepare your home for furniture delivery, you can feel confident about arranging your home in just the way you want.