The natural idea that comes to mind when moving furniture is a truck filled with your belongings. But, there are situations where you have to ship only a few pieces of furniture to another state. On the other hand, you might be an eCommerce manager shipping furniture to customers regularly.
Whatever the case may be, you need to consider costs, your choice of courier, and proper packing methods for furniture.
How Can I Ship Furniture Safely to Another State?
Whether you’re moving, gifting furniture to long-distance family and friends, or selling furniture to customers across the country, shipping furniture is always a big ordeal.
In this guide, you’ll learn more about the cost of shipping furniture, the most affordable options available, the best courier for shipping furniture, and the correct way to pack and ship furniture.
Get the Right Packing Supplies and Tools.
Having suitable packing materials sets you up for a successful move of your furniture. Depending on conditions like transportation distance and the items being sent, this could be a corrugated box or a wooden crate.
If the furniture is extra-large or unusually shaped and you can’t find the correct box, you can make one by cutting large cardboard box sheets to match the dimensions of your furniture.
Instead of producing acute folded corners, make them a little rounder to fit better with the furniture. Other protective packing materials you may need include:
- Bubble Wrap
- Sofa and mattress covers
- Plastic stretch wrap
- Sealable plastic bags
Aside from packing supplies, you’ll need tools like screwdrivers and spanners to disassemble some furniture.
Get the Furniture Ready for Packing
Before packing, clean the furniture pieces thoroughly, especially the underside and back, which are rarely cleaned. You should also scratch surfaces to remove stubborn stains.
Cleaning your furniture reduces the amount of grime you take to your new home and prevents them from being scratched while moving.
Even if the furniture is new, you need to still dust it a little before sending it to a customer.
Disassemble Furniture in Advance
Take apart all the parts of each furniture piece. From table legs, bed frames, and cushions to any part of the furniture that can be disassembled. Doing this makes it easier for you to pack the furniture and prevents any damage caused by hitting the door frames or the wall. Arranging the items is also easier when dismantled. Things to keep in mind while at it:
- Use the manufacturer’s manual to disassemble and reassemble them.
- Protect fragile furniture like glass tabletops with soft padding when dismantling.
- If the furniture is complicated, take pictures or record a video of the deconstruction process.
- Secure screws and tiny pieces in a sealable plastic bag and tape the bag to the furniture it belongs to.
Wrap the Furniture Properly
Moving blankets, plastic sheets, and bubble wrap are the best materials for protecting your furniture when shipping. However, each piece needs to be wrapped according to its materials, size, and components.
- For furniture with glass, detach the glass and wrap it exactly how mirrors are wrapped before placing it in a mirror box.
- A furniture bag is the best option when wrapping couches and wooden furniture. But a moving blanket is also a decent alternative. Wrap the couch entirely and secure it with packing tape.
- Check your drawer for hidden items and pack pillows or blankets in them. This will save you a lot of packing space. Secure the drawers with packing tape before wrapping the furniture.
Weigh and measure the package correctly
Having accurate dimensions and weight metrics will influence your choice of courier and shipment cost.
To determine your shipping prices and courier alternatives, visit the websites of various couriers and use the calculator tool. If you’re searching for something economical, quick, or the best overall value, you need to carefully examine your options.
Pick your courier and shipping service.
You can log on to their website and schedule a pickup online if you prefer to ship from home. Alternatively, you could simply drop off the shipment at the nearest courier site.
However, most carriers provide a pickup option for heavy furniture, so if you ship frequently, sign up with your preferred carrier to see if you can take advantage of any volume shipping savings or membership privileges.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship Furniture?
When considering the best way to export furniture, there are a number of critical aspects to consider.
Here are some of the important factors:
- Dimensions of the item
- The item’s weight
- The item’s worth
- The shipment’s distance
- Courier Choice
The size and dimensions of the item are typically the most crucial elements in determining the cost of any shipment, but they’re extremely important when shipping furniture.
eCalculating the size and dimensions accurately can save you a lot of money on furniture shipping fees, so make sure you measure the shipment carefully to avoid overpaying.
Item weight is another important consideration when it comes to shipping furniture. Because big packages are more difficult to transport, the cost of shipping your furniture may rise as a result of the limited ways it can be shipped, which is typically by sea freight or moving truck.
Some furniture pieces may need insurance as an extra safety measure, which is another cost to think about.
Another essential part of deciding your furniture shipping prices is the distance of your cargo. Short-distance deliveries can be made with relatively inexpensive delivery truck services, but if you need to ship furniture to another state, you’ll most likely need another form of transportation.
Generally, the further the distance of your shipment, the higher you’ll be charged by your courier.
What is the Cheapest Way to Ship Furniture?
Similarly, the cheapest option for shipping furniture is determined by a range of factors that should be considered while selecting the most cost-effective courier. Most individuals will utilize one of these four strategies to move furniture long distances for a low price:
LTL (Less Than Truckload) Shipping
Moving furniture as LTL (less-than-truckload) freight is often the most cost-effective solution. The cost is minimal because the vehicle is filled with numerous shipments traveling in the same direction.
This implies that your furniture may have to stop many times and switch trucks, making specific dates more difficult to determine. However, if you aren’t in a hurry, this trustworthy approach is likely to be the cheapest option for transporting furniture.
Bus Freight Shipping
One approach to saving money when shipping furniture long distances is to contact a bus company like Greyhound and inquire about their freight services. Like with LTL shipments, you’ll need to know how to pack your furniture for shipping to avoid damage.
Size and weight constraints are another consideration. If your furniture goes above these limits, you’ll rapidly move from a low-cost solution to a high-cost problem.
Pods or Shipping Containers
Typically, shipping containers or pods are delivered to your front yard, and you are given a timeframe to pack all of your belongings into the pod before the firm picks it up and delivers it to your new apartment.
Pods are best used for moving a huge number of boxes and objects in one go, such as a full family or a 4-bedroom house’s load of belongings because they combine a somewhat flexible schedule with a substantial quantity of packing space. When merely transporting a few boxes or pieces of furniture, this will not be the most cost-effective or expedient alternative available to you.
Train or Plane Freight Shipping
Ground transportation is always the option that comes to mind when transporting furniture. People tend to forget about the skies and trains. However, additional limitations and restrictions apply to trains and airlines, which can drive up the cost of delivering furniture.
Larger items, for example, may necessitate registration as a TSA-approved shipper. You’ll also have to transport the item to and from the railway station or airport, which will add to your charges.
Independent Furniture Transporters
Independent furniture transporters often have spare space on their trucks and are looking for ways to fill it. They usually cut prices because they have other packages to deliver and end up becoming the cheapest way to send furniture long distances.
If you’re not sure how to pack your pieces of furniture for freight transit, this will be an excellent option for you. Uship‘s marketplace can match you with precisely the transporter that will guide you.
Tips for Packing Furniture
Packing is essential when shipping large items like furniture. If an item arrives with a scratch or tear, it will almost certainly be returned. Meanwhile, using the smallest box available will help you to avoid additional charges that come with dimensional or DIM weight.
DIM weight is a calculation used by carriers to calculate shipping costs based on size. You will be billed for the DIM weight of a shipment if it is higher than the actual weight.
This won’t be a problem with flat-pack furniture, but it might be with lighter goods like lamps or chairs. You can learn more about how to manage dimensional weight from our article on How to Ship Large Items.
Here are some guidelines for shipping furniture:
- Don’t forget to ask about discounts, as well as commercial and AAA rates, from the rental business.
- If you’re moving furniture from or to an apartment building, make sure you tell the property manager and make sure the move is authorized in accordance with moving rules.
- If you’re shipping furniture because you’re relocating, getting rid of anything you don’t want, don’t need, or can easily replace is one way to save money quickly. These items can be donated, sold, or given as gifts to friends nearby.
- Check the manufacturer’s description sheet for the actual dimensions and weight of the furniture.
- It’s a good idea to strengthen the box with straps on the outside if it’s extremely hefty.
- A bill of lading is required for freight shipments. Most freight carriers have forms you may download and fill out.
