How to Protect Furniture When Moving (Melbourne Checklist)
By Move Near Me team ·
Short answer: To protect furniture when moving, empty and clean each piece, photograph existing marks, and remove glass and loose parts. Then wrap it in furniture blankets and strap it in the truck. Move Near Me’s crew brings blankets, wrapping and straps; you empty drawers, carry valuables and clear the route. Report any damage on the day.
How do you protect furniture when moving?
Protect furniture in three layers: prepare it, pad it, then secure it. Most moving damage happens when a piece shifts, rubs or gets knocked in a doorway.
- Prepare: empty drawers, wipe off grit (it scratches timber under a blanket), and photograph each major piece and its existing marks.
- Pad: wrap each piece in furniture blankets, with extra padding on corners, legs and glass. Mattresses go in mattress covers.
- Secure: strap each piece to the truck wall, load heavy pieces first, and wedge fragile pieces between soft items so nothing slides.
How to protect each type of furniture
Each piece gets damaged differently. Here’s the main risk, your job beforehand and the crew’s job on the day.
| Item | Main risk | What you do | What the crew does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timber dining table | Scratched top, snapped legs | Clean the top; remove leaves | Blankets top and legs; takes legs off if listed ($25 per item) |
| Glass tabletop or mirror | Cracking | Lift the glass off its base | Blankets it and stands it on edge, never flat, strapped |
| Leather sofa | Scuffs, sweating under plastic | Clear cushions and anything under them | Blankets first, then wrapping |
| Fabric sofa | Stains, rain | Vacuum it; bag loose cushions | Blankets and wrap against dirt and rain |
| Mattress and base | Dirt, tears, bending | Strip bedding; order mattress covers ($10 each) | Bags it, stands it on edge, takes the frame apart if listed |
| Chest of drawers | Drawers sliding out | Remove fragile, valuable or heavy items | Blankets, with drawers held shut by wrap over the blanket |
| Wardrobe | Twisting, doors swinging | Empty it; hire port-a-robes ($15 each) | Takes it apart if listed; blankets and straps |
| Flat-pack furniture | Joints loosening | List pieces to take apart | Takes apart and reassembles ($25 per item) |
| TV or monitor | Cracked screen | Use the original box if you have it; bag the cables | Blankets it; moves it upright |
| Artwork | Corners, glass | Take it off the wall | Blankets it; stands it on edge |
| Outdoor furniture | Dirt marking other items | Clean and dry it | Keeps it away from upholstery |
Safes, gym equipment and other items over about 100 kg carry an $80 heavy item fee on top of the hourly labour. Pianos have their own process: see piano removals, where the $150 upright piano fee is charged on top of the hourly labour. For cartons ($4 each) and packing smaller items, see how to pack for a move.
Do removalists wrap furniture?
Yes. Move Near Me’s crew wraps your furniture as part of the hourly rate. Our terms say we use furniture blankets, wrapping and straps, so you don’t need to buy blankets. See furniture removals Melbourne for how we move large pieces.
You still empty drawers, remove glass shelves and pack loose items before the crew arrives. If you’d rather not pack at all, our packing services Melbourne team packs the home before the move at $55 per packer per hour.
Mattress covers ($10 each) and port-a-robes ($15 hire each) cost extra. Add them in the quote form.
Should I shrink wrap a leather couch for moving?
Yes, but put a blanket on first, then the wrap. Plastic pressed straight onto leather or polished timber can trap heat and moisture, and the back of a truck gets hot on a Melbourne summer day. That can mark the surface or make the leather sweat.
This is general care advice; follow any care instructions that came with your furniture.
- Blanket under the plastic: the blanket protects the surface; the plastic holds it on and keeps rain off
- Unwrap on the day: don’t leave leather and timber wrapped for a week
- Don’t store in plastic: for a storage unit, use a breathable cover. We move goods into storage units but don’t provide storage ourselves
How to protect floors and walls on moving day
Protect floors with runners, doorframes with blankets or cardboard, and lifts with the padding your building requires. Most property damage happens at pinch points: front doors, hallway corners and stair turns.
- Floors: lay runners or drop sheets along the main path, especially over polished boards. On a wet day, grit from shoes scratches timber
- Doorframes: cover narrow door jambs and hallway corners, common in many period homes in Camberwell, Kew and Hawthorn
- Doors: prop them fully open, or take one off its hinges if a large piece won’t clear it
- Apartments: in Southbank and Docklands towers, book the lift and ask whether the building puts up lift padding or wants the removalist to. Our apartment moving guide covers lift bookings and loading docks
If a wardrobe or bed won’t fit through a doorway whole, we can take it apart. See furniture disassembly and reassembly for which pieces usually come apart and which move whole.
Checklist: protecting furniture before the crew arrives
Do these jobs before moving day.
- Empty drawers of anything fragile, valuable or heavy
- Remove glass shelves and glass tabletops and wrap them separately
- Bag and tape bolts and screws to the piece they came from
- Photograph each major piece and any existing scratches or chips
- Measure tight doorways, stair turns and the lift against your biggest items
- Carry jewellery, documents, passports and small valuables yourself
- Clear the route from each room to the truck
- Defrost and dry the fridge so water doesn’t leak onto other furniture
- List items to take apart, heavy items and stairs in the quote form
What to do if removalists damage your furniture
Point it out on the day, photograph it, and put it in writing. With Move Near Me, that means writing within 7 days with photos, as our terms set out. We’ll then work with you to repair, replace or fairly compensate for damage we caused.
- On the day: show the crew the damage before they leave and photograph it
- In writing: email the business your before and after photos and what you want (repair, replacement or compensation)
- If it isn’t resolved: contact Consumer Affairs Victoria
- Last step: eligible disputes can go to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT)
Under the Australian Consumer Law, services must be provided with due care and skill, and you can seek compensation from a service provider whose service damages your property where the loss was reasonably foreseeable. Our terms don’t limit those rights. We aren’t responsible for an item’s existing defects, for damage caused by your own packing (such as a broken item inside a box you packed that shows no outside damage), or for events outside our control. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does contents insurance cover furniture during a move?
Not automatically. Home and contents policies differ, so ask your insurer in writing whether your policy covers furniture in a removalist’s truck and what the limits are.
Transit insurance for the value of your goods is not included in Move Near Me’s rates. If you want it, tick the transit insurance box in the quote form and we’ll arrange a quote.
How much does it cost to protect furniture on a 2-bed move?
For this example, Move Near Me’s estimate is $537.50–$695 ex GST, with blankets, wrapping and straps included in the labour. The move is a 2-bedroom apartment in Southbank to a house in Brunswick on Wednesday 18 November 2026, with a booked lift at Southbank, two mattress covers and one bed frame taken apart.
Our quote form estimates 4.5–6 billable hours including the 30-minute call-out, with 2 removalists and a 4.5 t truck at $105 per hour.
| Item | Calculation | Low (AUD) | High (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour (incl. 30-min call-out) | 4.5–6 hrs × $105 | $472.50 | $630.00 |
| Lift booking (Southbank) | 1 × $20 | $20.00 | $20.00 |
| Disassembly (bed frame) | 1 × $25 | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| Mattress covers | 2 × $10 | $20.00 | $20.00 |
| Total (ex GST) | $537.50 | $695.00 | |
| Total (inc GST) | $591.25 | $764.50 |
Hourly labour has a 2-hour minimum plus the 30-minute call-out (2.5 billable hours, $262.50 at the weekday rate), then 15-minute blocks.
All prices exclude GST unless marked. See the pricing page for every rate, or how much removalists cost in Melbourne for more worked examples.
FAQ
Q: Do I need to buy furniture blankets for my move? No. Move Near Me’s crew brings furniture blankets, wrapping and straps, and they’re part of the hourly rate. You empty drawers, remove glass shelves and pack loose items first.
Q: Can plastic wrap damage leather or timber furniture? It can if the plastic sits directly on the surface, because it can trap heat and moisture in a hot truck. Put a furniture blanket on first, wrap over the top, and unwrap soon after unloading.
Q: Are removalists responsible for damage to boxes I packed myself? Move Near Me isn’t responsible for items broken inside a box you packed that shows no outside damage, as set out in our terms. Damage caused by the crew’s handling is different, and your rights under the Australian Consumer Law still apply.
Q: How long do I have to report furniture damage after a move? With Move Near Me, note the damage on the day where you can and tell us in writing within 7 days, with photos.
Q: Is transit insurance included in Move Near Me’s rates? No. Transit insurance for the value of your goods isn’t included, but Move Near Me can arrange a quote if you tick the transit insurance box in the quote form. Ask your insurer in writing whether your contents policy covers the move.
Ready to book? Get an instant moving estimate (tick the transit insurance box if you’d like it quoted), or see our furniture removals Melbourne service.