As time progresses, there may be a need to relocate from one location to another. One may have the option to hire a professional moving company or undertake the task personally. In transporting personal belongings, it is essential to keep them safe. This move protects them and other materials from damage, including nicks and scratches. As such, purchasing or hiring moving blankets is ideal to ensure safe transportation. These items protect furniture, electronic gadgets, and many more, in transit. They serve as paddings to prevent such components from coming in contact with rough, sharp, or hard surfaces.
What Are Moving Blankets?
Moving blankets are heavy-duty materials that serve as paddings for various belongings. Made from a combination of cotton and polyester mesh, these products protect items from scratches, damages, and scuffs. They come in three different categories:
- Lightweight
- Traditional
- Heavy-duty
Thicker moving blankets provide better protection than their counterparts. They guarantee safe transportation of items, especially those with sensitive surfaces, like wood and glass.
So, what makes them special? In truth, moving blankets are cost-effective. As such, they save people money in the long run. Without proper protection, valuable items tend to incur damage while in transit, which can be nightmarish for the owner. The individual may spend more money repairing the damaged item or purchasing a new one. For this reason, moving blankets are must-haves for movers.
The good thing about owning a moving blanket is that it has a reusable application. Homeowners can use them for future moves. However, if owning one is cumbersome, an individual may decide to rent it from a moving company for temporary use.
What Number of Moving Blankets Is Ideal?
How many moving blankets are required for transporting belongings from one place to another? This is a question worth asking. According to a touted rule of thumb, a dozen moving blankets is required for every five cubic feet of truck space. However, this may not be as straightforward as stated. The best step to take is to identify items that need to be protected. With the final number in place, it is easy to know how many blankets will be enough to take care of such belongings.
Generally, a standard blanket’s dimension is 72 x 80 inches. Large furniture will require more than one. A homeowner may end up needing more moving blankets. Hence, it is essential to make room for more. Nevertheless, here is a general summary of how many items would fit in specific numbers of moving blankets.
- One moving blanket can wrap a microwave, dining chair, nightstand, flat-screen TV, and a small bookcase.
- Two moving blankets can wrap an upholstered chair, a large bookcase, a small dining/kitchen table, and a headboard.
- Three moving blankets can wrap an armoire, entertainment gadget, a refrigerator, dining/kitchen table, washer, loveseat, and dryer.
- Four furniture moving blankets can wrap a piano, sofa, and hot tub.
Cost of Purchasing a Moving Blanket
Often, a rental moving company will provide an adequate moving platform to transport items safely. However, if this is not available, an individual may have to rent or buy moving blankets. The cost of purchasing such items range from $7 to $20 per blanket. They are also available in multipacks and may even come with discounts.
On the other hand, rental costs vary from one moving company to another. It is worth noting that not all moving providers offer moving blanket rentals. Nevertheless, movers, like U-Haul, Budget Truck Rental, Enterprise Truck Rental, Penske, and PODS.
How To Use A Moving Blanket
When wrapping an item with a moving blanket, it is essential, to begin with, the top. Cover the top surface with the pad, from one end to the other. There may be a need to use more than one moving blankets, depending on the size of the item in question. Mover’s rubber bands also aid in keeping the pads in place, so that they do not slip while in transit. These special bands have high elasticity, conveniently stretching over the wrapped material. Another upside is that they are eco-friendly. Like moving blankets, they are reusable as well.
Having wrapped the top surface, extend the moving blanket to other parts of the item, until it is completely covered. For pieces of furniture, it is essential to use shrink wrap as well. This material keeps the moving blanket firmly in place and provides an additional layer of protection. Shrink wraps come into play when moving items. However, they are not suitable for item storage, as the plastic tends to retain moisture, which may damage one’s belongings.
Is That All There Is To Moving Blankets?
Of course, not. Moving blankets don’t only serve as protective materials for heavy and fragile items, they also protect them from dust, dirt, and debris. As such, a piece of furniture looks clean and intact, even after travelling hundreds of kilometres across the country. Retailers, like Lowe’s, Walmart, and Uboxes, sell moving blankets.
Kindly note that for a DIY move, a homeowner may need other moving materials, apart from moving blankets. These items range from packing tapes to moving boxes. Here is a list of such materials:
- Moving straps
- Hand trucks
- Markers
- Plastic wrap
- Bubble cushion rolls
- Truck rental
- Packing paper
- Moving trailers
- Packing kits and peanuts
- Assembling and disassembling toolkit
But that is not all. It is vital to get a helping hand as well; this could be from a friend, family member, or a next-door neighbour.
Are Old Moving Blankets Ideal?
For homeowners with old dirty blankets, these materials may be more ideal to wrap dirty and dusty outdoor and garage items, than clean ones. They include:
- Garden tools
- Mowing items
- Bicycle
- Barbeque grill, and many more
However, consider wrapping them in plastic before using the old moving blankets. On the other hand, use clean pads for pieces of furniture and other in-house belongings.
In Summary
Undoubtedly, moving blankets aid in padding and protecting personal items. But they are not enough to keep such belongings from tipping over and slipping. There may be a need to hire the services of a professional moving company. As such, there is less need to worry about personally undertaking heavy lifting and loading.
