Tips for Moving and Storing your Piano

If you own a piano, then you know the fear of moving it or storing it. If you need to do either of them, the first two things you need are a professional moving company who specializes in pianos, and a climate-controlled storage unit. We at Albuquerque Self Storage are not climate controlled, but we can offer you some advice for piano storage too. 

How to Prepare Your Piano for Moving and Storage

Whether your piano is old or new, it is fragile. They have a lot of moving parts, and everything will be at risk during the move. Before you attempt to wrap it or move it, make sure that it can withstand the journey. Check for any and all loose pieces, including on the bench, and secure them if you can. If you can’t get a professional to help, because it is likely that these pieces will be jostled and could potentially break off during transport. 

Once everything is secure, prepare to wrap it up. Start with the smaller pieces, like the keys and the pedals, and secure them by wrapping the lid tightly with plastic wrap. Bubble wrap should follow. The pedals should be wrapped in bubble wrap as well. Your moving company may offer some supplies to help. 

After that, wrap your entire piano with packing blankets. This will help protect your piano’s finish and your walls. With all of this coverage, your piano should be set up for success. 

The Best Way to Transport Your Piano

After you prepare your piano, it is time to move it into storage. You should not attempt this on your own! Pianos are extremely heavy and one wrong move could cause serious injury. We’ve all seen the cartoons of piano’s falling on cartoon characters’ heads, after all! 

Hire a professional moving company who has experience with moving pianos. Do not rely on friends and do not settle for a mover who thinks they can do it – hire one who knows they can do it. 

The right mover will have all of the supplies they need, including tools to help gently lower the piano down patio steps and a wide enough ramp to load it on their truck. They will also secure it in their truck to keep movement minimal – even if they hit any unexpected bumps. 

How and Where to Store Your Piano

Storing your piano is an entirely different story. We never recommend long-term storage for musical instruments, because you never know how they will react to the environment, even if its’ climate controlled. On top of that, it’s best to take care of the moving process in one go, though we understand if you don’t have the space for your piano in your new home/apartment, if you’re saving it for a sale, or if you’re doing renovations. 

The first thing you should do is keep everything on your piano – do not take off any of the wrappings. This will protect it from any bugs or potential pests, as well as save you the headache of securing it again when you move it out of storage. 

Secondly, ensure your piano fits in the unit. You want all four of its feet to be securely on the ground and to have room around it to make moving it out of the unit easier. Do not store anything on top of it! We don’t recommend storing things below it either, just in case. 

On top of all that, you should…

Get a Climate Controlled Storage Unit

Pianos are made of metal and wood – both of which can be extremely finicky when presented with dry or humid air. To avoid warping, rust, cracks, and other damage, find a climate-controlled storage unit. Even if you’re only storing it for a month or less, do not skip this step! 

In a climate-controlled space, it is okay to place your piano near a wall, but it is best to leave a bit of space in between for better air circulation. There are lots of different types of pianos, so if you are unsure how to best store your piano, reach out to your local music store or the manufacturer for specific tips.

If you’re in the Albuquerque area and don’t need a climate-controlled unit, reach out to book your storage unit! Please, no pianos though!