While dressers are wonderful and practical pieces to live with, they can be quite a different thing to move with, especially if you’re trying to move one by yourself.
Professional movers are well-qualified to pack and move your dresser for you, but you’ll have to decide whether it’s worth the expense, which can range anywhere from $50 to $600, depending on things like the size of your dresser and the layout of your home.
If you’d rather save that money, you’re in luck. Here, we’re providing step-by-step instructions on how to move a dresser by yourself.
How to Move a Dresser by Yourself
If you’ve ever had to move bulkier furniture like a piano or a pool table, moving a dresser might seem like a cakewalk.
Even so, moving a dresser by yourself probably won’t go well if you have to improvise on moving day. Create a plan now to save yourself the stress later.
Decide if it’s worth moving your dresser
Before you start gathering supplies, reassess whether moving your dresser is actually worth it. Chances are, you need to figure out how to pack for a move in general before moving day — do you really want to add moving a dresser to that to-do list?
If you’re not sentimentally attached and could easily replace your dresser once you’ve moved, it may just be best to put it up for sale or donate it and save yourself both money and effort. Even if you end up hiring full-service movers to help you with the loading and unloading, you’ll still save on your move by having one less thing.
However, if your dresser is The One or part of a furniture set that you’d rather not break up, it makes sense to move it to your next home.
Supplies for moving a dresser
If moving your dresser yourself is the best choice for you, here are the main supplies you’ll need to move it with (relative) ease:
Measuring tape
A measuring tape will come in handy for, well, measuring your dresser — and for figuring out the logistics of getting it out the door.
Furniture blankets
Padded, oversized furniture blankets will protect your dresser, doors, and walls from getting damaged during transit.
Plastic wrap, packing tape, or oversized rubber bands
Plastic wrap, packing tape, or large rubber bands will be needed to prevent the furniture blankets from slipping off your dresser.
Painter’s tape
Painter’s tape (aka masking tape) can temporarily secure your drawers without damaging your dresser.
Furniture sliders
Furniture sliders are little discs, usually made of rubber, plastic or felt, that you can place under your dresser to help you slide it across the floor with less effort — and without scratching your floors. If you have carpet, buy plastic or rubber sliders. If you have hardwood, cork, or linoleum floors, opt for felt.
Dolly
A dolly is a flat, heavy-duty platform on swivel wheels. While dollies are relatively small, they can handle heavy loads (often up to a thousand pounds) and will make moving your dresser (and other large, bulky furniture) much easier.
Moving straps
Moving straps can be placed under heavier furniture pieces and used to either lift them or secure them to the dolly during transport.
A buddy (or two!)
Moving a dresser is going to be a lot harder if you’re completely alone. Try finding a friend or two who’s willing to help with the heavy lifting.
Measure and map your route
Dressers are bulky and can be difficult to fit through some doors and walkways. So, before physically moving your dresser, measure and map out how you’ll move it out of your home.
Measuring your dresser
Measure the dresser’s height, from the floor to the top of the dresser.
If the dresser has removable legs, measure the dresser’s total height with and without them.
Measure the width and depth at the dresser’s widest points.
If the drawer handles stick out, measure the depth of the dresser both with and without the drawers to get the most accurate dimensions.
If the top of the dresser overhangs, include that in your width and depth measurements — it’s the widest part that needs to fit through doorways.
Measuring doorways and stairwells
Measure both the height and width of your doorframes.
Compare your doorframe measurements to your dresser measurements to ensure the dresser can physically fit through each door.
If the dresser seems too large to fit, compare your doorframe measurements with the dresser’s smaller dimensions (after removing features like the legs or overhanging top). Disassembling these parts might be just enough to help it squeeze through.
If you plan to use an elevator or have narrow hallways or stairwells, measure and make a plan based on those dimensions, too.
Protect your dresser and your home
Once you’ve planned your route, learning how to properly wrap your dresser for transport should be your top priority to keep it and your home damage-free.
How to wrap a dresser for moving
Follow these steps to pack a dresser when moving:
Decide whether to remove the drawers from the dresser or keep them in.
If you plan to keep the drawers, empty them out. Note that you can move a dresser with clothes, sheets, or blankets in it, but this will all add extra weight when moving.
If the drawers are staying, use painter’s tape to secure them in place so they don’t open while you’re hauling the dresser.
Lay a large furniture blanket flat over the top of the dresser, ensuring it’s long enough to cover the legs and the sides. If the dresser isn’t fully covered, use a second or third blanket to cover the rest.
If excess fabric is gathering on the sides of the dresser, lift the bottom of the fabric and fold it back flush with the dresser (watch the video above for a demonstration).
To fully secure the furniture blankets in place, use plastic wrap, packing tape, or rubber bands at the top and bottom of the dresser.
How to protect your walls, floors, and doorways
What about protecting the rest of your home? Here are a few tips:
Clear the pathways you plan to use so you won’t accidentally break anything or hurt yourself en route.
Use excess furniture blankets to lay over your doors or wrap around your doorframes.
Consider laying down cardboard, rubber mats, or runners to protect your floors.
Moving a dresser
Let’s talk about how to physically move your dresser safely and efficiently once it’s wrapped and ready to go.
How to keep yourself safe
On the day of the move, dress appropriately: wear comfortable clothes you can easily move in and closed-toe shoes to protect your feet.
Also, consider warming up and stretching first. Once you start hauling, make sure to lift with your legs to avoid injury.
How to move a dresser with a dolly
The best way to move a dresser is with a dolly. Here’s how to use it:
Lock the wheels of the dolly at the beginning — you don’t want it sliding away while you’re trying to mount your dresser on it.
Lift one side of the dresser up and lay it on the dolly. Then walk around and do the same with the other side.
If you have a friend with you, have them help you lift the whole thing onto the dolly at once. Conversely, have them slide the dolly underneath the dresser while you lift one side.
Once the dresser is situated on the dolly, consider using moving straps to secure it.
As for the actual moving: push the dresser from behind like a shopping cart. If you have one or more people helping you, delegate one person to navigate and the other to help shift the dresser as needed from the front.
Special Tips for How to Move a Dresser
Everyone’s move is different, and you may have unique circumstances that make moving your dresser a bit trickier. Let’s talk about a few of them.
How to move a dresser up or down stairs
Wondering how to move a dresser upstairs (or downstairs) by yourself? Well, that’s not going to work, unfortunately. You’re going to need a second person — or more — to make that happen.
Here’s how to do it:
Have one person grab the top of the dresser and the other grab the bottom. The stronger of the two should be at the bottom, since they’ll be bearing more of the weight.
Since you may or may not be able to see each other, make sure you’re communicating with each other about where you’re going and when you need a break while hauling.
Take breaks as needed by slowly lowering the dresser at the same time. You’ll still need to use some of your weight against the dresser to ensure it doesn’t slide or tip.
How to move a dresser completely alone
Can you move a dresser alone without any help at all? It depends. If you’re trying to move a dresser that’s quite large, moving it by yourself is definitely not a good idea. You might be able to do this, however, if your dresser is smaller and lighter, and if you don’t have to contend with stairs.
If that’s the case, here are a few extra tips:
Remove the dresser’s drawers to lighten the weight.
Use a dolly.
To move a dresser by yourself more easily, especially on carpet, use furniture sliders.
Take it slow, especially through doors and around corners.
Give yourself breaks as often as needed.
The Bottom Line: Should You Move Your Dresser Yourself?
As long as you have the right tools and techniques, moving a dresser on your own is usually doable — and it can actually be pretty straightforward once you know the steps. But if you ultimately want some extra support from professionals, Colonial Van Lines can help.
Our team of highly trained movers can assist with packing and hauling not only your dresser but all of your belongings — from decor and dinner plates to bookshelves and bed frames. With over 50 years of experience in long-distance moves, Colonial has the expertise required to ensure all your belongings arrive safely in your new home. Get a free quote to get started!