Whether you are moving cross country, planning a relocation, or just selling a piece of furniture, the process of furniture shipping can be challenging. Shipping furniture seems like a simple process at first, however, it can be complicated or too expensive. You want your items to be protected so that they reach the destination safely. A major concern when choosing a shipping partner is how much does it cost to ship furniture, and that’s why shippers seek affordable, reliable furniture shipping platforms.

What is the best way to ship furniture?

If you’re moving or shipping large furniture items for the first time, you’ve probably thought about doing it yourself. Honestly, it’s not a good idea. Do-It-Yourself transportation is not only stressful and time-consuming but can end up being more expensive and cause more damages than any other option.

The second option that comes on top of mind is regular postal services like UPS or FedEx. These companies specialize in parcel delivery, and your furniture items may be considered as freight. This means you will pay much more because of the shipment weight, dimensions, and volume.

How to Ship Furniture and Get a Free Quote

If you’ve ever had to move a bulky piece of furniture, you know why furniture shipping services are necessary. The process, however, can be incredibly complicated, with heavy, oddly shaped freight that may have special packing requirements. The first decision furniture shippers face is between LTL and FTL shipping.  

LTL freight shipping is likely the right fit if you’re moving infrequent furniture loads. With LTL or less-than-truckload freight, your furniture shipment shares a truck with loads from other shippers. Furniture shipping costs are distributed between all carriers & shippers, meaning your overall cost is lower. Still, your furniture will likely make multiple stops on the way to its destination and potentially even switch trucks and drivers.  

If you are moving or shipping furniture regularly, full truckload freight, or FTL, may be a better fit for you. With FTL, you fill an entire truckload with no other shipper taking up space in the trailer. The truck moves from Point A to Point B with no stops, meaning it’s on as safe and efficient a journey as possible. The tradeoff comes down to cost — there are no sharing furniture shipping costs, so you must take full advantage of the space you’re purchasing.  

How much does it cost to ship furniture? 

The complications associated with moving furniture are why shippers seek affordable yet reliable furniture services.  

Q: How much does it cost to ship furniture?

A: When it comes to a furniture shipping cost, understanding the furniture type, carrier, destination, weight, and dimensions are crucial in defining an accurate price. If you want to send items to the neighboring state, it will cost less than moving from coast to coast. It’s also essential to accurately provide your address and destination address. Sometimes, the location you’re shipping from can be considered limited access.  

To get the most realistic, accurate quote, you have to provide correct information. For example, don’t fill in uncertain or estimated measurements. Every extra inch and pound will add up to the final rate.

Another way to get lower shipping rates is to make your shipment easier to stack. Proper packaging, or even palletizing, will let you avoid accessorial charges. There are special moving and white gloves services, but for extra services, you have to pay extra fees.

The destination affects the shipping price as well. Obviously, if you want to send items one state over, it will cost less than moving from coast to coast. It’s also important to accurately provide your address and destination address because sometimes the location you’re shipping from can be considered as limited access.

Overall, it’s impossible to say how much furniture shipping generally costs. Furniture type, your carrier, destination, weight, and dimensions play a crucial role in defining the accurate price.

How do you ship furniture across the country?

Ultimately, you want to find a balanced furniture shipping option to match your needs. There are different shipping platforms that can move your furniture for a fair price. Services like GoShip.com ship through less-than-truckload freight transportation, which lets you pay only for the truck space you actually use. These shipping services provide you with shipping quotes with approximate prices, based on shipment dimensions and weight.

Shipping furniture to Canada  

Don’t let shipping furniture across the border to Canada stress you out. It’s just as easy as shipping domestically. Canada is a highly accessible country, especially from the US. You can choose a few shipping options: air, sea, land via train, or truck.  

Beyond the mode of transport, furniture shipping costs are also influenced by the location of the cargo, its size and weight, the origin and destination of your shipment, and seasonal demand changes. Before moving any cross-border freight, you’ll want to get a quote from several carriers.  

Before you get ready to move your furniture shipment into Canada, you should familiarize yourself with shipping. For example, used mattresses are on Canada’s restricted and prohibited items list. Check out our Canadian shipping guide to learn more about what furniture can and can’t be shipped across the border. 

Whether moving personal belongings or a large shipment of household furniture, GoShip can connect you to the best end-to-end furniture shipping option possible for your freight journey to Canada. GoShip specializes in LTL and full truckload services with a carrier network exceeding 50,000 carriers, so your furniture is guaranteed to get moved.  

Shipping office furniture  

GoShip can help with stressful times and help you find a carrier to transport all your office furniture to the new site. With our quick and easy Get a Quote tool, we can match you with thousands of carriers and rates that best suit your office furniture shipment needs.  

How to ship large furniture items  

Successfully shipping large furniture items all comes down to proper planning. You can reasonably break the process down into three parts:  

  • Packing. Breaking down the furniture into the most minor, safest components can help you minimize the risk of damage and secure item-appropriate packaging around each component when you ship furniture.
  • Choosing a suitable carrier. Different carriers have different requirements for different types of shipments, so you can’t afford to use a one-size-fits-all approach for shipping large furniture items. Leverage an online freight marketplace, like GoShip’s Get a Quote tool, to find who is most appropriate for your shipment.  
  • Coordinating with the carrier and recipient. There’s no substitute for good communication. Does your furniture shipment need a lift gate? Inside delivery? Do you want to track it?  

By planning, you can ease your mind and protect your furniture shipment on its way to its destination. Read on to learn more about moving specific furniture items.  

How to Ship a Bed  

One of the most shipped furniture items is a bed. First, disassemble the bed’s wooden or metal frame and pack it with wraps, tape, and other packaging material. The mattress is best packaged in plastic wrapping and secured with straps or tape. It is also helpful to put your bed components in foam protection, so there is less chance of damage during transit.  

At GoShip, we offer a variety of LTL carriers that can help ship your bed. Additionally, we partner with TaskRabbit, a service that lets you hire taskers to pack or load your furniture.  

How to Ship a Rug  

You will want to roll up most rugs, secure the ends with rope or twine, and then wrap them in thick plastic so they don’t get dirty or damaged during shipping. Dependent on length, you may want to fold the rolled rug in half for stability. That’s it!  

How to Ship a Couch  

When shipping a couch, you’ll want to focus on two key aspects: protecting the upholstery and the framework. Follow these steps to keep your sofa in one piece:  

  1. Remove everything you can and ship separately. This includes legs, pillows, cushions, slipcovers, and the works.  
  1. Package ample use of paper, plastic, or Styrofoam wrapping and moving blankets.  
  1. Box or crate your immaculately packaged couch.  
  1. Get accurate measurements for dimensions and weight so your carrier can provide an accurate quote.  

Given the weights and dimensions involved, taking the extra time to prepare and protect your couch is critical to keeping your furniture shipment safe.  

How to Ship a Table and Chairs  

You can disassemble the furniture in many cases to facilitate safer and simpler shipping. Tables and chairs often have easily removable legs that allow you to pack the furniture into a smaller space. Crating may provide additional protection from bumps and shifts during shipping. Adding fillers, such as customizable spray foam, can fill the voids in the furniture to prevent damage caused by vibrations.  

To get the most realistic and accurate quote, you must provide correct information. Another way to get lower shipping rates is to make your shipment easier to stack. Proper packaging or even palletizing will let you avoid accessorial charges. At GoShip, we provide a free online shipping estimate: all you must do is fill in the basic information and compare the rates from available carriers, all in under 60 seconds.  

Shipping Appliances  

Since appliances have a lot of mechanized parts, knobs, and switches, shipping presents many challenges. It is essential to take care throughout the shipping process, so the appliances reach their destination in the same working condition they left in. Make sure any device you ship is empty before you begin packing it. Dishwashers, refrigerators, washers, and dryers should be thoroughly cleaned.  

Stainless steel surfaces should be covered to protect against abrasion. Attach a shipping label to the appliance and any shipping boxes that display the destination address. No matter what device you need to be shipped, GoShip’s heavy haul service, FTL Shipping service, or a network of more than 50,000 carriers, appliance shipping has never been more accessible.  

Appliances are expensive, so if you’re planning on shipping one, you want to ensure that you find a carrier that will take care of your appliances properly. At GoShip, we offer a network of carriers at wholesale rates to help our customers find the best deal for them.  

Shipping a Refrigerator  

When shipping a refrigerator, you’ll want to start several days early. Follow these seven steps, which are especially important if the fridge is already in use:  

  • Remove all contents from the refrigerator.  
  • Unplug the refrigerator and disconnect the water lines.  
  • Allow the refrigerator to defrost for up to two full days.  
  • Remove all shelving and either ship separately or pack securely within the refrigerator.  
  • Clear out any lingering moisture.  
  • Seal the refrigerator door with appliance tape.  
  • Box the refrigerator and accurately document the dimensions and weight.  
  • Select the suitable carrier for you depending on timelines, price, and other delivery needs.  

How to get an accurate freight quote?

There is a fast and easy way to get realistic freight rates with shipping platforms like GoShip.com. We provide a free online shipping estimate. All you have to do is fill in the basic information, and voila – compare the rates from available carriers!