How to Move a Wardrobe in 8 Steps

Is It Worth Taking a Wardrobe When Moving Home?

The problem with moving wardrobes is that they generally fall into 2 categories: Cheap and flimsy MDF or heavy solid wood.

Both versions will give you issues when trying to move them.

Solid wardrobes are going to be heavy and awkward, not to say dangerous to move down steps.

MDF-type wardrobes are likely to fall apart when you try to move them and often they get damaged when trying to dismantle them.

So your first consideration has to be whether it is worth the risk, hardship, and time to pack and move your wardrobe to your new home.

Often it is cheaper to just buy new after you have arrived at your new place.

But if you have a good quality wardrobe then you will want to take it to your new home and ensure that it arrives undamaged so read on to find out the best ways to pack and move a wardrobe.

You may also like to read: How to Pack a Bedroom for Moving. In this guide, we share tips for packing and moving everything that you would commonly find in a bedroom.

How to Move a Wardrobe a Short Way

To move a wardrobe within a room to reposition or maybe clean behind it you will need to follow these few simple steps.

#1 Empty the Wardrobe

Make the wardrobe lighter and therefore easier to move, by emptying it of its contents.

#2 Remove Shelves and Doors

Remove any shelves or doors, again to make it lighter. You can skip this step if it is not a particularly heavy wardrobe.

#3 Clear the Route

Ensure there are no tripping hazards between its starting and finishing positions

#4 Move Using Furniture Sliders

The easiest way to move heavy furniture is with furniture sliders. The added benefit is that they can be left in place and used again and again.

Furniture sliders slip under the four corners of the wardrobe and the wheels allow it to be moved fairly effortlessly.

Always have a helper to ensure that the wardrobe does not topple over and to help you pull/push the wardrobe into its new position.

#5 Move Using a Home-Made Slider

Alternatively, you can place old carpet or cardboard under the wardrobe to create a slide to move the wardrobe out on.

Have a helper gently tilt back the wardrobe whilst you slip a length of carpet or really strong cardboard under the front legs.

Then repeat with the back legs so that you can just pull the carpet and the wardrobe will slide out.

Caution:

Have a helper to steady the top of the wardrobe so that it does not topple over when inserting the sliders under the wardrobe.

Take extreme care if moving MDF-type wardrobes as they are prone to damage so ensure that they are moved slowly and steadily with as much support as possible.

Never try to move a wardrobe without emptying it first.

You may also be interested to know that your local removal company may be able to move your wardrobe for you if you have no help or are not physically able to do it yourself.

You may also like to read: What Do Removal Companies Do? Removal Companies usually offer a range of services including moving furniture within a home if for example you are redecorating or having new flooring laid. You can discover the wide range of services that most removal companies offer in this guide.

Moving a Wardrobe to Your New Home

#1 Create a Floor Plan

Create a floor plan so that you know that

a) you can physically get the wardrobe out of your existing home

b) that the wardrobe can physically get to the bedroom in the new home and

c) that the wardrobe will actually fit in the room you hope it will.

Do this straight away so that you can sell, donate, or leave the wardrobe.

You may also like to read: How to Create a Floor Plan When Moving Home. In this guide, we show you how to measure furniture, rooms, doorways, and passageways to ensure your furniture can be safely moved into your new home.

#2 Declutter Your Wardrobe

Having determined that you can get the wardrobe where you want it, it is now time to declutter it.

This means getting rid of anything that you no longer wear.

The more ruthless you are in this process the cheaper your moving costs will be.

You may also like to read: How to Declutter for a Home Move. In this guide, we share some tips to make decluttering your home room by room easier.

#3 Get Your Packing Supplies

If you are planning on moving your wardrobe yourself then you will need bubble wrap, furniture blankets, and packing tape.

Hire furniture sliders, a furniture dolly, or a sack barrow to help make moving the wardrobe more manageable.

To make it easier to move the wardrobe if you cannot dismantle it (see next section), then hire furniture sliders, a furniture dolly, or a sack barrow to make moving it easier.

You may also like to read: Essential Tools for Moving Day. In this guide, we suggest a simple tool kit that you may need on moving day as well as explain all the furniture moving equipment that is available. 

#4 Dismantle Your Wardrobe

Dismantle as much of the wardrobe as you can to make it as light as possible.

Note that dismantling MDF-type furniture is rarely a good idea as they are so easily chipped and damaged. It is usually best to leave this type of furniture behind.

Before dismantling the wardrobe take photos or a video so that you know how to reassemble it.

You can use masking tape and a marker pen to identify which parts go where.

For example, A1 goes into A1, A2 into A2 etc etc.

Keep all the fixings in a zip lock bag and secure them to a piece of the wardrobe so that they do not get lost.

You may also like to read: What is a Full-Sevice Home Move? When you hire a full-service removal company they will dismantle and reassemble the wardrobe for you as well as a host of other essential services. Find out what a full-service removal is in this guide.

#5 Wrap the Parts

Now wrap the individual parts in bubble wrap and seal using packing tape.

Use the furniture blankets as an extra level of protection especially if there are fragile cornices on the wardrobe.

If you do not need to dismantle the wardrobe to move it then

a) Seal shut the doors to prevent them from opening with masking tape as this will not leave any sticky residue on the wardrobe

b) Wrap the entire thing in bubble wrap and then again in furniture blankets taped in place with good-quality packing tape.

c) Pay particular attention to any legs or door knobs that may get damaged during the move. If it is not possible to remove them then wrap them numerous times in bubble wrap.

You may also like to read: How to Protect Walls, Doors, Ceilings, and Floors During a Home Move. In this guide, we explain how to best protect your home from scuffs and damage during the home move.

#6 Clear the Route to the Van

Ensure that there are no tripping hazards on the route from the bedroom to the removal van.

Any low-hanging ceiling lights should be removed as should anything on the walls that could get damaged as you try to maneuver the wardrobe.

It is worth wrapping the stair banisters in bubble wrap, furniture blankets, or old towels to prevent any damage to them as you get the wardrobe down the stairs.

You may also like to read: How to Move Home Safely. In this guide, we share 14 tips to make moving home safer. From preparing to move to moving day to setting up your new home, these tips will help keep everyone, and your possessions, safe.

#7 Get Help

Always get help when moving a wardrobe, they are cumbersome and unstable and easily topple over.

If moving a wardrobe down steps then also have someone guide you down as well as have somebody helping with the physical move.

It may be that you can slide the wardrobe down the steps on plyboard or cardboard slides.

This method requires rope to be attached to the wardrobe and somebody stands at the top of the stairs and slowly releases the rope to let the wardrobe slide down the slope you have created.

Another person would be in front of the wardrobe slowly guiding it over each step.

Note that this is highly dangerous and extreme caution should be used.

You may also like to read: How to Move Heavy Furniture. In this guide, we look at how to move heavy and awkward furniture safely and easily in far more depth.

#8 Hire a Removal Company

Moving a wardrobe is no fun and is dangerous, it is easy for them to get damaged or to cause damage to your home.

If you are thinking of moving large pieces of furniture like a wardrobe then it makes sense to hire a removal company to do it for you.

They have the skills and equipment to do it for you and will make the move so much less stressful.

You may also like to read: Moving Home Yourself vs Hiring a Removal Company. In this guide, we look at the pros and cons of both trying to move home yourself and hiring a removal company to do all the hard work for you.

For comprehensive guides on every aspect of moving home be sure to visit our home moving blog which is essential reading for anybody relocating.