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Best Ways to Pack/Protect Your Furniture Inventory?

By
Home Stager with Picture it SOLD! Home Staging

I am always looking for better and more efficient ways to prepare our furniture for moving it in or out of a client's house.  With the amount we invest in furnishings, I want this stuff to last! So, the goal is to minimize dings and scuffs and, of course, breakage. I'm curious what works for you all!

Here are some things we do:

Sofas and upholstered chairs: Wrap the piece in wide plastic stretch wrap.

Longer chair legs: Slide a foam pouch over the bottom of the legs, bound by tape.

Tables: Protect the bottom of the legs with foam pouches bound with tape. We used to wrap the perimeter of the table top with bubble wrap, but I really hated this!  The bubble wrap would come off and it was awkward. I like just throwing a blanket over the top. Sometimes we also use cardboard corner protectors.

Artwork:  Cardboard corners bound by stretch wrap. 

Smaller stuff: Bins, bins, bins. Clear plastic so you can see what's in there. Has anyone found a cheaper source than Big Lots?

 

Peg Prather
Vancouver, WA
Vancouver, WA

I've been looking for the foam pouches; may I ask where you get yours? Regarding artwork; this is not my idea, but I can't remember where I heard about it:  buy cheap sleeping bags at Goodwill (wash them!) and slip the artwork in, then stack them.

Aug 25, 2008 10:55 AM
Tanya Venable
Orlando, FL
SEO, Mobile SEO, and Internet Marketing Consultant

Good post, Erin! Thanks for sharing these great tips, especially for the sofa and chairs. I need to start doing that.

Aug 25, 2008 11:31 AM
Erin McGinnis
Picture it SOLD! Home Staging - Novato, CA
Marin Home Stager Staging

Hi Peg -- You can get them from uline.com. I think they're called Uline Foam pouches and they come in various sizes. Thanks for the sleping bag idea! Good luck!

Aug 25, 2008 02:03 PM
Ginger Foust
Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA
Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Erin, lots of bubble wrap and packing tape.  I have searched for the wide plastic stretch wrap and found a couple of sources on line.  Where do you get yours?  Thanks for the tips!  Good post.   

Aug 25, 2008 02:07 PM
Leah J. Armstrong
House to Home ReDesigns & Real Estate Staging Vancouver B.C. - Port Moody, BC
Home Staging Port Moody B.C.

I have heard of using a padded artist's carryall for artwork, which has a shoulder carry sling, which could be easier.  I have not priced one for myself as yet.  I use thick beach towels between prints for transport, but the ability to carry multiple pieces safely on my shoulder would be good.  I have seen homemade pouches made of bubblewrap & packing tape for vases (am still trying to source retailer rather than wholesaler, which requires purchase of min 1000 bags, all of one size.)  I use bins with fold-down lids that remain attached (Wal Mart) - it does reduce the unpacking clutter.

Aug 26, 2008 06:14 AM
Erin McGinnis
Picture it SOLD! Home Staging - Novato, CA
Marin Home Stager Staging

Hi Ginger -- It's from uline.com. To be honest, I don't know if it's the cheapest; I need to search a bit more.

Good luck!

Aug 26, 2008 12:29 PM