Empty Dressers are Easier to Move
The lighter an item is, the quicker the movers can move it. The quicker the movers can move your stuff, the cheaper your move is. That’s one reason we always recommend removing all items from all furniture. However, if time or resources dictate, it’s generally okay (but never recommended) to leave soft, light, and non-fragile items like clothes or linens in small and low-weight dressers. Think of dressers made either of woods like pine or cedar, or of a light material like particle board. If you’ve got a bureau made of solid oak or maple, you’ll have less leeway. Those are heavy woods. You’ll need to empty that one no matter what.
The other benefit of emptying your dressers for a move is that it will reduce the risk of injury or damage. And the less likely the movers are to fall (especially when moving in the winter), the better chance your items have of making it to their final destination without a scratch.
Should I Just Take the Drawers out Instead?
Removing dresser drawers is a tempting option when preparing for a move. However, it’s often more trouble than it’s worth. Remember that, after removing all the drawers, they either need to go back into the dresser (taking valuable time on moving day) or they’ll need to find safe places in the truck for the duration of the move. Drawers are made to fit into dressers. Leaving them in keeps both the drawers and the dresser sturdy, distributing weight evenly and appropriately, whether you’re hiring a crew of 2 men and a truck, or just labor only movers
Loose drawers can be much more difficult to pack than their original contents. Photo of Tejo Remy’s “You Can’t Lay Down Your Memories” Chest of Drawers, XS version, photographed at the Droog exhibition, Milan Salone 2008 by Guy Keulemans – Yugyug via Wikipedia. Licensed under theCreative CommonsAttribution-ShareAlike 3.0License.
