So you're all ready for moving day. The movers are hired and scheduled to come out, all of your appliances and furniture are ready to go and your life is packed neatly into boxes. But your "stuff" isn't the only thing to consider on moving day. You'll want to take measures to protect your floors -- both in your old home and your new one -- to prevent damage and excessive dirt from all the people coming in and out. After all, the last thing you'll want to be doing in your new home is scrubbing floors or cleaning carpets right after you move in. Follow these tips to keep your floors safe and beautiful:
Lay down floor runners or heavy duty paper on wooden floors. Most wooden floors can handle high traffic, and professional movers are very cautious when it comes to keeping your property pristine. Accidents can happen, however, especially when moving heavy furniture. Home improvement and moving supply stores carry rubber or neoprene floor runners you can lay down over your wooden floors without damaging them. Heavy-duty paper is a cheaper alternative, but it's also more labor-intensive because you'll need to tape it down securely.
Keep your carpets clean with carpet masking. Carpet masking is made of a non-slip plastic material that sticks to floors. It's also tear-resistant, so it should last through moving day, and the cost is much less than the cost of having your carpets professionally cleaned. If you've spent your last dime on moving expenses, lay down old towels or bed sheets in high-traffic areas to keep your rugs clean.
Put down plywood to protect your floors from heavy appliances. Placing plywood on your kitchen and laundry room floors will make it much easier for your movers to get your large, heavy appliances out of your old home and into your new one. You can also use thick cardboard if you don't have any plywood available. Just make sure it's taped down securely so that no one slips.
Wrap furniture legs in soft material. Tape small towels around the legs of your sofa, large chairs and bed frames to prevent the legs from scratching your floors. You can also use furniture sliders, which protect floors and make heavy items much easier to move, even on carpeted areas.
Ask your movers what protection items they use. Some moving companies already have materials like floor runners and carpet masking that they lay down in every home as a matter of policy. They may also wear protective booties over their shoes to minimize the dirt they're tracking into your home, so ask them what they already do to avoid buying things you won't need to protect your floors.