Whether you’re moving into a new place or out of an old one, you have to be mindful of damaging the floors and carpeting. Here are five ways to do just that!

If you’re like us, the whole process of packing your things and moving from Point A to Point B feels more like a hassle than the beginnings of a new life. This is especially true if you’re moving out of a rental and you need to make sure you get your security deposit back. If the floors are damaged, you can kiss that money bye-bye. 

Regardless if you’re moving in, moving out, or cleaning house due to COVID, it’s going to be a stressful time. However, here are just a few ways you can reduce that stress when moving simply by protecting the floors.

1. Light boxes are easy to carry

You know how they say, “Work smarter, not harder?” Well, that can definitely be said when you’re moving boxes! Instead of trying to cram as much as you can into each box (less boxes = less to carry), try not to fill the boxes so they weigh over 20 pounds. Sure, you may have to carry more boxes, but you are less likely to lose your grip along the trip. Not only would the contents be broken, but the floor could be damaged too!

2. Wrap up and stay safe

As you pack, you need to keep safety in mind so that’s why you pack the boxes lighter than you might be inclined to do. However, you should also pay attention to how you’re carrying things like tables and chairs. You’ll want to be careful moving anything with legs because the legs could scratch the floor and the walls – which doubles the damage! To prevent this from happening, wrap the legs with towels, old shirts or rags and secure them with duct tape. With these coverings, you can breathe a little easier while moving that bulky table through a narrow doorway.

3. Furniture sliders are your best friends

For the heavier items you need to move, like dressers, bookshelves, desks and the like, you and your buddies don’t have to eat your wheaties and pray no one loses their grip as they’re carrying them in or out of the house. Furniture sliders make it incredibly easy to move large furniture pieces without throwing your back out. All you have to do is lift the furniture high enough to slide the furniture slider underneath. Then, viola! The furniture can glide easily on the floor without marring the hardwood!

4. Use dollies or carts with rubber wheels

Although we mentioned that you should pack your boxes lightly, that doesn’t mean you have to make more trips than necessary. You can get a dolly or a cart with rubber wheels, load it up with items and take it to your vehicle. The rubber wheels won’t damage the floor and it’ll save you from unnecessary trips. If you have carpeting, just be mindful of dirt and mud because it’ll stain the carpet, which could also hurt your chances of getting your deposit back. 

5. Cardboard, blankets and towels to the rescue

The last bit of floor-saving advice we have is to use floor coverings! It could be cardboard, old blankets, towels, or even rugs. By laying these items down on the floor and securing them with duct tape, you don’t have to worry about tracking mud or dirt throughout the house. You don’t have to worry too much if something drops on the floor and scuffs up the finish. You don’t even have to worry about the floors becoming stained because you didn’t realize something was leaking when you were moving. 

Moving houses doesn’t have to be stressful, but we know it’s inevitable. With so much to be mindful of, at least these tips will let you focus on other details than worrying about scuffing the floor!