If you are moving and have a piano, the first thing that everyone thinks is, “How can I move this piano myself and save some money?” Many people will rely on friends to help them move, but when it comes to bulky, specialized, and heavy items like pianos and pool tables, everyone runs into the same dilemma. None of their friends can lift the piano or pool table. However, you can still save money on your professional piano moving expenses by following a few simple tips:

Tip #1: Find out the weight and measurements of the piano to be moved. To do this, go online or call the manufacturer and find out the weight and measurements. This will help you determine how many people it will take to lift it and what equipment is needed to get it onto a van. At that point, you can call a professional moving company and get an estimate as to how much it will cost to move your piano. Then you can make a more informed decision as to how you want to proceed with your move.

Tip #2: On moving day, have the piano in an area where it is easy to move. The biggest mistake that people make when moving a piano is to leave it for last thing to move – when it should be the first thing you think of when you are moving. It goes back to that old adage: Do the most difficult things first.

So the next time some of your strongest friends are over and they have some uninterrupted time – move the piano to a place where it can easily be loaded onto a moving van first – even if the piano is in an inconvenient place. If you do decide to move the piano yourself, the worst thing to have happen is if you have friends and neighbors show up with the manpower needed, and they can’t remove the piano because it buried under a bunch of boxes and other moving stuff.

Tip #3: Know what equipment is needed to move a piano. To move a piano, you will need a least 2 strong people to move it and one strong person to navigate. You will also need a few four-wheeled dollies, a ramp to get the piano up into the truck, padding, and straps to secure the piano into the truck while it is in motion so that its weight doesn’t shift. It is important to have all of these elements together in order to move a piano successfully.

Tip #4: Sell the piano. This involves some more phone and computer work, but you don’t necessarily have to take a piano with you when you move. Many piano stores will buy a piano back or people who want to learn the piano will buy one as well. Think about it this way, it may be easier to sell the piano than it is to move it, and you can always buy a new one. Besides, if you already have the estimate from the professional movers, you can always pass it along to the new buyer.