How to Prepare Furniture for Shipping: A Step-by-Step Checklist

Most furniture damage during shipping does not happen in transit — it happens in the fifteen minutes before pickup. Drawers left loaded, legs still attached, no photos taken, no hardware removed. The good news is that preparing furniture for shipping correctly is straightforward. This guide walks through exactly what to do before your pickup, and what to leave for us to handle.

The Short Answer: 6 Steps Before Pickup

Proper prep comes down to six steps: empty it, document it, disassemble removable parts, protect the finish, secure loose hardware, and clear a path for the crew. Everything else is handled professionally at our shop.

Step 1: Empty Everything

This is the most overlooked step. Drawers, cabinets, shelving units, and armoires should be completely emptied before pickup — without exception. Loaded furniture is heavier, harder to crate safely, and the contents shift in transit, putting pressure on joints and finishes from the inside.

For pieces with built-in storage (blanket chests, sideboards, buffets), pull everything out and set it aside. If you are shipping an entire room, those contents ship separately in boxes. The furniture ships empty.

Step 2: Document Condition with Photos

Before any furniture leaves your home, photograph it thoroughly. This protects you in the unlikely event of a claim, and it gives us a baseline at pickup.

What to photograph:

• All four sides and the top of the piece
• All four corners and all legs up close
• Any pre-existing scratches, chips, repairs, or veneer lifts
• The underside or back if there are any markings or notable features

Use your phone camera in natural light or under a bright lamp — not overhead flash, which washes out surface detail. Make sure timestamps are on (most phone cameras enable these in settings). Save these photos somewhere you can access them later.

Step 3: Remove Glass Inserts and Mirrors

Glass tabletops, cabinet door inserts, mirror panels, and display shelves should always be detached and wrapped separately. Glass ships in its own padding — flat, vertical, supported at the edges. It should never be left in a furniture piece during crating.

For antique pieces with original glass doors or beveled mirrors, tell us in advance during the quote. We will bring appropriate mirror packs and glass wrap to handle these correctly on-site.

Step 4: Disassemble Removable Legs and Components

Most dining tables, sofas, bed frames, and shelving units have legs, panels, or bases that detach. Removing these before pickup reduces the crated footprint, significantly lowers your shipping cost, and eliminates the most common breakage point — furniture legs — from the equation.

How to handle this:

• Remove legs using the original hardware and keep all bolts, screws, and washers together
• Tape a small zip-lock bag of hardware directly to the main piece so nothing gets lost
• Label each leg if the piece is asymmetrical — right front, left rear, etc.
• For pedestal tables, wrap the base and column separately

Not sure what detaches on your piece? Call us or send photos — we will tell you exactly what to remove versus what to leave assembled.

Step 5: Remove or Secure Loose Hardware

Drawer pulls, cabinet knobs, decorative hinges, casters, and any hardware that is loose, wobbly, or projecting can scratch the finish of the piece or surrounding items during crating and transit.

For antique or designer furniture, remove all hardware and store it in a labeled bag taped to the back or underside of the piece. This is especially important for antique furniture shipments where original hardware is irreplaceable.

For modern furniture with recessed or flush hardware, leave it in place — those are designed to stay.

Step 6: Clear the Path

Our crew brings equipment — dollies, straps, moving pads, crating panels — and needs room to work. Before pickup, clear a minimum six-foot path from the furniture to the nearest exterior door or loading area. Remove area rugs from the travel path if possible (dollies catch on rug edges).

For upper floors, let us know in advance if there are stairs, narrow hallways, or elevator access only. This affects which equipment we bring and how we schedule the job.

What NOT to Do Before Shipping

There are a few well-intentioned prep steps that actually cause more problems than they solve:

Do Not Apply Stretch Wrap Directly to Wood Finishes

Stretch wrap is a moisture barrier. Applied tightly to lacquered, stained, or veneered surfaces, it traps humidity and can cause the finish to cloud, bubble, or separate from the substrate. This is a common mistake with antique pieces. If you want to add a protective layer, use moving paper or cotton cloth first, then plastic over that.

Do Not Attempt to Move Heavy Pieces Alone

Wait for the crew. Trying to reposition a 250 lb sideboard or drag a large sectional sofa to a more convenient spot before we arrive is how legs get snapped and backs get hurt. Our crew expects to find the piece in its normal location and handles all movement from there.

Do Not Pack Fragile Items Inside the Furniture

Nesting smaller fragile items inside a piece being shipped seems efficient but creates multiple problems. The items shift during crating, the weight distribution changes, and if a claim is needed, the presence of undisclosed contents complicates everything. Ship fragile items in proper, labeled boxes — separately.

Special Cases: Antique, Designer, and Heirloom Furniture

Standard furniture prep applies to most pieces, but antique, heirloom, and high-value designer furniture requires extra care at every step:

• Antiques: Tell us the approximate age and any known repairs or fragile areas before pickup. We adjust foam blocking and crating methods for pieces with dried glue joints, aged veneer, or original hardware.
• Designer and custom pieces: If the manufacturer has specific handling or storage requirements (many high-end upholstery brands do), share those with us. We follow OEM guidance when provided.
• Heirlooms: If a piece has personal or emotional value beyond its market value — a grandmother's secretary desk, a hand-built dining table — tell us. We will note it on the job and ensure the crew knows.

For high-value or irreplaceable pieces, also consider whether white-glove shipping is the right service level. It includes full crating, climate-controlled transit options, and a two-person specialist crew from origin to destination.

What We Handle After Pickup

Once the piece is at our shop in Austin, we handle everything from crating forward:

• Measuring and cutting a custom crate to the exact dimensions of the piece
• Installing interior foam blocking and padding at all stress points
• Photographing the piece in-crate before sealing
• Labeling, weighing, and arranging freight or local delivery
• Coordinating delivery scheduling with the recipient

Our furniture shipping service covers everything from local Austin delivery to interstate freight — including Round Rock, Cedar Park, and throughout Central Texas.

How Much Does Furniture Shipping Cost in Austin?

Costs vary based on piece size, crating complexity, distance, and whether the job is local or interstate. As a general range:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to disassemble furniture before it gets picked up?

It depends on the piece. For most large sofas, dining tables, and bed frames, partial disassembly — removing legs, detaching cushions, collapsing bases — makes crating safer and more cost-effective. We will advise you during the quote process on exactly what to detach. You do not need to fully strip any piece.

Should I wrap furniture myself before the shipper arrives?

Light wrapping for dust protection is fine, but do not apply stretch wrap tightly to finished wood surfaces — it traps moisture and can lift veneers. Leave the actual crating and heavy padding to professionals. Incorrect DIY wrapping can cause more damage than no wrapping at all.

How do I document furniture condition before shipping?

Photograph every face, all four corners, all legs, and any pre-existing chips, scratches, or repairs under good lighting before pickup. Save these photos with timestamps. If a claim is ever needed, your pre-shipment photo documentation is the most important evidence you can provide.

How far in advance should I book furniture shipping in Austin?

For standard furniture pickups in the Austin area, 3–5 business days is usually sufficient. For large custom crating jobs, oversized pieces, or out-of-state freight, book 1–2 weeks ahead. For auction purchases or estate pieces, call us the same day — we can often accommodate same-week pickups.

What items should I remove from furniture before it ships?

Remove all contents from drawers, shelves, and cabinets. Take out glass inserts and have them wrapped separately. Remove hardware that could scratch the finish in transit — pulls, knobs, and hinges on antique pieces especially. Any piece with a mirror should have the mirror detached, wrapped, and crated separately.