Photo: Drazen Zigic (Shutterstock)
When you’re moving, you’re always looking for ways to make a painful process even a bit easier. You can study how to perfectly pack a box, but surely there has to be some way to offload some of this effort onto someone or something else? There is: You can get tools that will make any move go a lot faster and smoother. Here’s what we recommend.
The best specialty tools for moving furniture
There are certain gadgets that are specially made for certain tasks—here are a few of our favorites, just for moving.
The Multus lifting strap ($19.97) is just an adjustable strap with two handles, one on either end. It’s so simple it’s almost silly, but this thing is brilliant for when you need to carry something heavy, such as a box. Set your item on top of the strap, adjust the strap to the right size, and then use the handles to haul it up.TSR Home heavy-duty furniture lifters ($26.99) will make moving your furniture so much easier. You’re probably familiar with those little slider pads you can put under the legs of your tables and couches, but these are better because they have wheels. Each slider has four wheels, and you get four in a pack. Your furniture will glide around, whether it’s on carpet or harder surfaces. The WEPUMP lifter tool ($24.99) will help you raise your heavier furniture high enough to even get the sliders under there. It can lift up to 1,000 pounds, so you Won’t hurt yourself trying to set a heavy table on a slider. A Shoulder Dolly two-person strap ($39.99) will help you and another person lift the really heavy stuff, like washing machines or credenzas, with much less effort. The strap secures around each person’s shoulders and fits under big furniture so you can both lift and shimmy it right on out of the house.The PotLifter potted plant mover ($39.97) is similar to the straps with handles, but designed for round pots, which the other kinds wouldn’t help with at all. The straps are designed to fit around, not under, your heavy planters, so you can move them without tipping them over. It comes in a 200- and 400-pound capacity version, too, so even your largest decorative trees can be safely relocated.The best basic tools for moving furniture
Those specialty products are great, but you still need the basics. We recommend:
A Roxon two-in-one pocket knife and scissors ($23.99) is going to be a necessity. You won’t realize how much you need to cut until you’re knee deep in tape, boxes, twine, and who-knows-what-else. This folds up and features two different kinds of cutting tools, so you’ll slice right through it all. A Fastpro 220-piece tool set ($69.99) is an investment you can make for moving but reap the benefits of long after. There’s a level, a variety of screwdrivers, a tape measure, a hammer, big scissors, pliers, and everything else you’ll need to dis- and reassemble all your home goods. Plus, it all packs up in its own case, so it’s portable and easy to find.The Jadens label maker ($36.99) prints on stickers you design on your phone, so you don’t need bulky equipment to ensure your boxes are clearly labeled. This beats the hell out of using a Sharpie to mark up your boxes and the app connectivity makes it easy and fast to use. Scotch packing tape ($14.99 for six rolls on dispensers) is the gold standard for tape, and you should pick it up in bulk because you’ll need more than you think.
