How to Wrap Furniture Properly for a Move
Updated 9 July 2026
Furniture doesn't get damaged in transit because of bad luck — it gets damaged because of contact: corners against corners, wood against a truck wall, one box shifting into another for three hours on the M1. Wrapping properly is entirely about preventing that contact, and the technique matters more than the material.
The core materials, and what each is actually for
| Material | Best for |
|---|---|
| Moving blankets | Sofas, tables, timber furniture, mattresses, appliances |
| Stretch wrap (plastic film) | Holding blankets in place, protecting from dust and moisture — over a blanket, not directly on wood/leather |
| Bubble wrap | Glass, mirrors, lamps, hard-edged decor |
| Corner protectors | Table and cabinet edges, artwork frames |
Wrapping a sofa or armchair
- Remove any loose cushions and wrap them separately.
- Drape a moving blanket over the full piece, tucking it around arms and legs.
- Secure the blanket with stretch wrap or packing tape — never tape directly to the fabric.
- Legs that unscrew should come off, be bagged with their hardware, and taped to the underside of the piece so nothing goes missing.
Wrapping tables and timber furniture
- Corner-protect first, especially on glass or stone tops.
- Blanket-wrap the whole surface, securing with stretch wrap rather than tape (tape can pull finish off timber when removed).
- Table legs that unscrew should always come off for transport — it reduces bulk and removes the single most common breakage point.
Wrapping mattresses
A mattress bag (heavy-duty plastic, purpose-made) is worth the few dollars — it keeps a mattress clean and dry through the move and protects it from truck-wall scuffing. If you don't have one, a blanket secured with stretch wrap is the fallback, though it won't offer the same weatherproofing.
Wrapping glass, mirrors and artwork
- Bubble wrap first, glass-side protected, taped at the edges only (not across the face).
- Corner protectors on all four corners for framed pieces.
- Transport vertically, never flat — flat glass under any weight is how cracks happen.
- Mark clearly as fragile so anyone handling it treats it accordingly.
Three mistakes that cause the most damage
- Taping directly onto furniture surfaces — it can pull finish or paint off when removed, especially on timber and painted pieces.
- Wrapping too loosely. A blanket that shifts during transit protects nothing — secure it firmly enough that it can't slide.
- Stacking unprotected pieces against each other. Even wrapped furniture needs a blanket or padding between adjacent pieces in the truck, not just on the outside.
If all of this sounds like a lot to get right on moving day — it is, which is why full transit insurance and professional wrapping are included as standard on every Residence Relocations move. Prefer to hand it over entirely? Get a fixed quote and we'll wrap and load everything properly, no plastic-wrap learning curve required.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best material to wrap furniture in for moving?
Moving blankets are the professional standard for most furniture — they cushion corners and edges without leaving residue. Stretch wrap (plastic film) is best used over the top of a blanket to hold it in place, not directly on wood or leather, since it can trap moisture and mark some finishes.
Should I wrap furniture in bubble wrap or blankets?
Blankets for anything with a finish you care about (timber, leather, upholstery) — they protect without direct contact damage. Bubble wrap is better reserved for glass, mirrors and hard-edged decor items where puncture protection matters more than surface protection.
Do I need to wrap furniture if a removalist is doing the move?
Not if it's a full-service move — blanket-wrapping every piece is included as standard with a professional removalist. This guide is most useful if you're doing a DIY or partial-DIY move, or just want to understand what should be happening when you watch a crew wrap your furniture.
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