How To Move A Fridge

The fridge is a key component in turning a house into a home. Not only is it a centerpiece of the kitchen, but it also becomes each of your family member’s best friend. But this best friend can turn into your worst nightmare if you ever decide to pack up and move to a new home. Why? Because moving a fridge can be the hardest part of a complete home removal project, and figuring out how to move a fridge is almost an entire project on its own.

At Giffen Furniture Removals, we want to help everyone with their removal needs, with or without our involvement. Which is why we’ve written up this step-by-step guide that illustrates the proper removal of a fridge. So read the steps below to learn exactly how to move a fridge:

1.  Turn Everything Off

Ever tried getting a bite of electricity? Here’s a hint: it’s not fun. The first thing you’re going to want to do is make sure that every bit of electricity is out of your fridge. Unplug it at least a few days before the day of the move. This will give your fridge more than enough time to let all the fluids settle and relax, as well as giving your compressor the time to decompress.

If your fridge comes with an ice maker, you will also need to detach any water hose that may be connected to your fridge.

2. Clean, Clean, Clean

It’s time to make this fridge look like it’s brand new. After unplugging your fridge and detaching any connected water hose, you now need to clean your fridge, inside and out. Remove any and all food, chip off any ice in the freezer area (and let the water drip out), and wipe down all the icky stains and substances. Don’t leave a single trace of food or oil or sauce inside your fridge. The best way to clean this up is with a light mixture of water and baking soda.

And of course, this will require some pre-planning. Unless you and your family want to live off of delivery and take-out food for the days leading up to your move, then you should plan some packaged meals that you can heat up in the microwave or on the stove. If you have food that you want to keep with you after the move, find another way to cool it. However, it might be best to just eat everything that you have, and buy new food in your new home.

Finally, if you’re worried about that strange, rotting fridge smell, just stick some activated charcoal in your fridge.

3. Take Out The Shelves And Other Components

All the best fridges should have glass shelves and other pieces making up the various units and compartments within. A mistake that too many people make when moving their own fridge is keeping these pieces inside during the move, under the belief that everything will stay in place. However, it’s better to be safe than sorry; do you really want to risk opening your fridge door in your new home and seeing all its shelves, broken and cracked?

One by one, take out these shelves and compartments and wrap them up in a safe packing material, such as bubble wrap. Wrap these up separately, avoiding the possibility of having them bang against one another.

4. Measure The Fridge, Path and Area

Now that your fridge is clean and the individual pieces wrapped and tucked safely away, it’s time to start planning the route. Measure and examine the path you will take from your refrigerator to the truck, and from the truck to the fridge’s new place in your new kitchen.

Take a tape measure and note down the exact measurements of your fridge—depth, width, and height. Then measure your doorways and hallways (and if necessary, your stairway). You will need to make sure that every step will be logistically possible, because the last thing you want is to carry a several-hundred kilo fridge only to find out that it won’t fit. And if it doesn’t fit, find a way—remove items, move around tables, and in the tightest scenarios, consider even taking doors off their hinges and disassembling railings.

You can worry about putting everything else back together later; right now, your priority should be your fridge.

5. Load Onto The Trolley And Into The Truck

You don’t want to scratch up your floors, new home or old, so gently load your fridge onto your trolley by having one person tilt it back, while a second person slides the dolly underneath the fridge until it is in place. Remember: never tilt your fridge over 45 degrees back; any further and you risk damaging it.

Take every step slowly, and then load it into the moving vehicle. Lifting the fridge onto the truck can be incredibly difficult, and possibly even painful for your back, which is why it is heavily recommended to use a plank or platform to help scoop it up.

Move Your Fridge The Right Way With Giffen Furniture Removals

Learning how to move a fridge can be tough business, but there’s no reason why you have to do it alone. Giffen Furniture Removals has helped Brisbane residents with complete home removals for years, and we would be happy to help you. Turn your move into an event you can enjoy—let us handle the stress so you can appreciate your new home.

Give us a call today and let us know all your moving and storage needs, and we will give you your free quote right away.