Moving blankets are an essential tool when it comes to protecting furniture, appliances, and other valuables during a move. These padded, quilted materials safeguard items from scratches, dents, and other damage that can occur during transport. Whether you are tackling a DIY move or hiring professionals, understanding how to use moving blankets effectively can save time, money, and unnecessary stress. Let's explore why you need moving blankets, how to use them, the different types available, and how to properly care for them.
What Are Moving Blankets?
Moving blankets are thick, quilted coverings designed specifically to protect furniture and other things from damage during a move. They are typically made from durable fabric, often a blend of cotton or polyester, and filled with layers of padding for cushioning. The construction includes a sturdy outer layer to resist abrasions and a soft inner layer to absorb shock. The quilted design ensures the blanket stays in place while wrapping items, preventing movement during transport.
The main purpose of moving blankets is to provide shock absorption and abrasion resistance. This protects delicate surfaces from scratches, dents, and breakage. Moving blankets come in various qualities, with some providing more heavy-duty protection than others.
Why You Need Moving Blankets
The answer is simple: to avoid costly damage to your furniture, appliances, and other belongings.
Protection from Costly Damage
During transport, even small bumps can cause scratches, dents, or cracks on furniture and appliances. Without moving blankets, you risk permanent and expensive damage to items like glass tables, wooden cabinets, or refrigerators. In fact, nearly 1 in 4 items can get damaged during a move without proper protection.
Affordable Insurance for Your Belongings
Unlike expensive repairs or replacements, moving blankets are a low-cost way to cushion and safeguard your possessions. For just a fraction of what broken furniture would cost to fix, you can wrap and protect everything from sofas to electronics.
Versatility Beyond Moving
Moving blankets aren't just for moving day, but they double as protection for floors and walls, padding in storage units, or even household tools for soundproofing or pet comfort. Their multi-purpose design makes them worth keeping around long-term.
Types of Moving Blankets
When selecting moving blankets, you'll encounter several types, each offering varying levels of protection and pricing. There are three main tiers of moving blankets: premium, standard, and economy.
Woven Blankets (Premium)
Woven blankets are the most durable and heavy-duty of all moving blanket types. They are made from tightly woven fabrics like cotton or polyester to withstand the roughest handling during a move. They offer the highest level of cushioning and abrasion resistance, making them ideal for protecting expensive furniture, electronics, and fragile items.
Because of their heavy-duty construction, woven blankets are generally more expensive. However, their ability to protect even the most delicate and valuable items makes them worth the investment, especially if you're moving large furniture or high-end appliances.
Non-Woven Blankets (Standard)
Non-woven blankets offer a more affordable alternative to woven blankets. While they don't provide the same level of durability and cushioning as premium options, non-woven blankets still offer adequate protection for most household items. These blankets are often made from a blend of polyester and cotton and are quilted to provide some shock absorption.
They are perfect for moves where the protection of less delicate items is a priority, such as moving couches, chairs, or basic appliances. Non-woven blankets are a solid middle ground if you're looking for a balance between cost and protection.
Skin/Felt Blankets (Economy)
Skin/felt blankets are the most economical option. Made from felt or a skin-like fabric, these blankets provide basic protection and are often used for dust protection or light covering. While they are suitable for more durable furniture and items that aren't as prone to damage, they do not provide as much cushioning as woven or non-woven blankets.
These economy blankets are ideal for moving less fragile items or for use as additional padding beneath more substantial moving blankets.
How Moving Blankets Work
Moving blankets act as a barrier between your items and the rough surfaces of moving trucks, vans, or the floor. Their shock absorption properties help to cushion furniture and appliances, preventing impacts from damaging surfaces.
In addition to cushioning, moving blankets also act as abrasion resistance. When items are moved or shifted in the truck, they can rub against each other or the walls of the truck, potentially causing damage. The soft yet durable layers of a moving blanket prevent these abrasions from reaching your belongings.
Moving blankets also fill in gaps between items, preventing them from shifting around and colliding during the move. This added stability helps prevent more serious damage and keeps everything in place during transit.
Top Uses for Moving Blankets
While their primary role is to protect furniture and appliances during a move, moving blankets have many other creative uses.
Furniture & Appliances
Moving blankets are commonly used to safeguard furniture and appliances. Wrapping delicate items such as sofas, tables, and refrigerators in moving blankets ensures that they stay free from scratches, dents, and other forms of damage during transport. Larger items like entertainment centers and wardrobes also benefit from the protective cushioning that moving blankets provide.
Fragile Items & Artwork
Moving blankets offer superior protection to fragile items and artwork. Whether it's mirrors, TVs, or glass, the thick padding helps absorb shocks and prevents breaks or cracks. Wrapping fragile items in a moving blanket can provide peace of mind, knowing that they are safe during the move.
Property Protection
Moving blankets aren't just for protecting your belongings. They also serve as an effective way to protect floors, walls, and door frames from damage. Laying blankets down in doorways or covering floors can prevent scratches and marks from heavy furniture or appliances. Similarly, wrapping door frames and walls with moving blankets will prevent dents or gouges from items being moved in and out of the house.
Creative Uses
Moving blankets have other creative uses as well. They can soundproof rooms, provide comfort for pets, or even act as picnic mats in outdoor settings. Their versatility makes them useful tools for more than just moving.
How to Use Moving Blankets: Step-by-Step
Using moving blankets is straightforward, but it's essential to follow the right technique to ensure maximum protection. Here's a detailed step-by-step guide.
One-Blanket Items
For small items like chairs, stools, or lamps, you can wrap them with just one moving blanket. Place the item in the center of the blanket, fold the sides over it, and secure the edges with packing tape or a plastic wrap. Be sure to cover all sides and ensure the blanket stays in place.
Multiple-Blanket Items
Larger items like sofas, dressers, or tables require multiple blankets. For these, place the furniture on a flat surface, then wrap it with one or two blankets, covering every exposed area. For extra protection, add a third blanket on the top and bottom.
Securing with Plastic Wrap
Once the moving blankets are securely in place, you can use plastic wrap to hold the blankets in place. There are two main ways to wrap: underwrap or overwrap. Underwrap involves applying plastic wrap directly under the blanket to secure it against moisture, while overwrap keeps the blanket tightly bound to the item.
How Many Moving Blankets Do You Need?
The number of moving blankets you require depends on the number of items, the size of the truck, and the size of your furniture. As a general rule of thumb:
|
Type of Space |
Number of Moving Blankets |
|
Small Room (1–2 items) |
4–6 blankets |
|
Medium Room (3–5 items) |
8–10 blankets |
|
Large Room (5+ items) |
12–15 blankets |
Be sure to consider the size and fragility of your items when deciding how many blankets to use.
Care & Maintenance of Moving Blankets
Moving blankets should not be machine-washed, as this can damage their padding and reduce their effectiveness. Instead, spot clean them as needed and air them out after each use. Vacuuming the blankets helps remove dirt and debris. Keeping your moving blankets in good condition ensures they remain durable for future moves.
Why Moving Blankets Are Worth It
Moving blankets are an essential tool for anyone preparing to move. Whether you're protecting delicate furniture, valuable appliances, or your property, moving blankets offer effective cushioning and abrasion resistance. They are an affordable investment and can be used in a variety of creative ways.
When looking for where to buy moving blankets, StarBoxes offers a wide selection of high-quality options to suit your needs. Choose the right moving blankets based on your budget, the type of items you're moving, and your long-term use.