Stripping a house of its furniture in order to move it can be a risky business. Antique furniture is made from materials that are fragile and often irreplaceable. Here are four tips on how you can make sure to relocate your antique furniture with an interstate removals service so that it arrives safely at the new home.

1. Disassemble and reassemble

Before moving any pieces of furniture that are made from wood or metal, remove all screws and bolts beforehand if possible. A lot of antique furniture can't be dismantled because it was never built to require disassembly, but many pieces do have removable parts. Your furniture is a lot less likely to get damaged if it's moved in manageable pieces. Conversely, if your furniture can't be taken apart, make sure it's assembled tightly. Any loose knobs or feet should be tightened before moving to reduce the risk of breakage.

2. Pack antiques safely 

Pack all your antiques carefully to make sure that they are well protected from any bumps or knocks during transit. You should collect bubble wrap, blankets or brown paper to wrap things in. This extra padding will prevent furniture from knocking around, reducing the risk of chips and scratches. Be extra careful if the object is fragile (for example, those made of glass). You may want to consider transporting the most fragile objects in your own car so you can hold onto them tightly. Once your furniture is in the truck, make sure your removals service ties everything down securely on the truck bed.

3. Mark fragile antiques 

It's important to mark on your furniture if it is made of glass, china, porcelain, or any other fragile material. Use a sharpie marker and mark an "X" over the vulnerable areas, such as handles, corners or feet, as these are often the areas that break in transit. This will help your removals service work out which boxes need extra care when they're being packed into the moving van and unpacked at your new home.  

4. Get some help 

Of course, if you can't carry or lift large and heavy items by yourself, there is no shame in calling some friends or family members to give you a hand. All antique furniture is special, but nobody wants it to arrive broken after a move, so think ahead and take the appropriate precautions while moving. If you don't know anyone who's free to help, ask your removals company if they also offer a packing service.