You have researched your options, shopped until you dropped and now it’s time to have your new furniture delivered! So what needs to be done ahead of your furniture delivery? Read on for five steps to success.
1. Measure, Measure, Measure
Hopefully you measured your space before ordering your furniture! However, you’ll need to take a few more measurements before the delivery truck arrives. Assess the width and ceiling height of all doorways and hallways your furniture will need to traverse. If applicable, also measure the width of stairways including handrails. If using an elevator to deliver furniture, make sure to measure it, too. Next, measure the width, depth and height of your new furniture pieces—these measurements should be less than the widths and heights of the doorways leading to the room where your furniture will reside. Be prepared to remove any doors if necessary, and it’s not a bad idea to also have a backup plan in place. For instance, if you have large French doors in the back of your home, it might make more sense to bring a sectional through that threshold as opposed to the front door.
2. Dispose of old furniture
Make sure your old furniture has been removed from the room. Otherwise, the delivery team won’t have anywhere to set up your new furniture and it might be left lingering in a hall. What fun is that? There are several organizations that will gladly take your donated furniture and some might even pick it up at no charge. A quick internet search will help you locate the organizations that serve your area
3. Clear the Clutter
In addition to removing your old furniture, you should clear out all pass-through areas. This includes not only accent tables and storage pieces in the halls, but also artwork and pictures hung on the walls. If possible, you should also secure low-hanging light fixtures. You might be surprised how easily your decorative items can hinder a successful delivery.
4. Secure your pets
Your door will need to be left open as the furniture is brought in, so be sure to secure your pets in a different area of the home. This is crucial—not only because Fluffy or Fido could escape, but also because they could pose a tripping hazard for the delivery team. And while it’s common sense, the same applies for small children!
5. Protect floors/secure area rugs
Speaking of tripping hazards, you should remove or secure area rugs and door mats. And, while our team takes every precaution to protect your floors from dirty footprints, it can’t hurt to shield your floors with drop cloths or paperboard that has been secured with low-adhesive tape.
Do you have any additional tips for preparing your home for a furniture delivery? Let us know in the comments—we’d love to hear them!