How to Move a Harp

If you’re moving house and you don’t want to leave your cherished musical instrument behind, then you’ll need to plan in advance and create the best strategy for taking a harp from one home to another. It may seem difficult at first since harps are not only delicate but also bulky. Still, if you follow a few easy steps and approach the task with the utmost care and some handy tools, you’ll be set up for success and you’ll have your harp arrive safely at your new house. Carry on reading to learn how to move a harp. So your precious musical instrument goes through relocation safe and intact.

Preparing a harp for moving

Before you get to the actual moving part, you’ll need to make sure that you properly prepare a harp. The first step is to provide protection and prevent any damages from happening. When it comes to protective gear, you’ll want to use padded covers. These are designed in a way that provides durability on the outside and soft material on the inside. That means the fabric will absorb any accidental hits. But, it will be soft enough on the inside and affect the delicate finish of your harp. It will also be easy to carry since most models come with a zipper. And, they have a handle for you to carry the harp comfortably.

Depending on which type of harp you’re moving – lever harp or pedal harp, you’ll want to get the right type of cover for your model and you’ll need to fold up all the pedals or make sure all levers are down before placing the harp into its cover.

Alternatively, you could also use moving blankets or soft blankets you have in your home. Wrap your harp, then follow by using packing tape or plastic wrap to secure the blankets in place. This approach is certainly better than no protection at all. However, using covers specifically designed for the purpose will always give you better results.

Packing a harp for moving

Depending on how complex your relocation is and how far away you’re moving, using a harp cover may be enough or you may need to go an extra mile – in which case you’ll want to pack a harp in a sturdy moving box. However, simply placing your delicate musical instrument into a box and calling it a day will not do the trick. You’ll first need to get a sturdy box that’s big enough and you will have to use plenty of soft padding inside the box. Packing peanuts or similar material will give you the best results. Once there’s plenty of cushioning inside, you’ll go ahead and place the harp inside. But, only after you packed it in a wood or fiberglass crate first.

Both these steps are necessary because they’ll provide necessary protection when your harp needs to be transported long-distance and it will keep your precious instrument from any damage during transit.

Transporting a harp to a moving vehicle

Regardless of whether you’re moving with your own car or you have a rental truck, you’ll need to figure out a way to get your harp to the moving vehicle. The method depends on the size and the type you’re transporting. So if you’re moving a smaller one, you may be able to just use straps on the covers and carry the harp to your car. However, this is rarely the case since most harps are big and bulky. Plus, their delicate nature requires some extra careful approach. The easiest way to transport the harp from your home to the moving vehicle is to use a harp trolley. It’s similar to your regular furniture dolly but it’s designed specifically for harps.

You don’t have to purchase a dolly. Just reach out to your local movers and check if they have one for rent. Using a harp dolly aka a harp trolley will make the process much easier for you and much safer for your precious instrument.

The process of loading the harp onto a dolly is pretty simple and looks the same as loading other items. You’ll tilt the dolly slightly forward so the front part could slide under the back side of the harp. Then you’ll bring the dolly back to its original position and the leverage will help you get the harp on a dolly. It’s important to note that you should always have a helper when using a dolly. Especially when loading heavy and valuable items. So, go ahead and hire moving labor if none of your friends are able to help on your moving day.

Loading a harp in a moving vehicle

If you’re moving with your car and your harp is small enough to fit inside, then you’ll simply want to place it across your back seats and then secure it with a seat belt. In case the space is almost enough but not quite so, you can lower your back seats to create more space for placing a harp. On the other hand, in most cases, you’ll need a moving truck or at least a moving van to fit your harp safely. The easiest approach is to rent a truck that has a built-in ramp so you can just leave the harp on a dolly and push it inside the truck. Once it’s inside, you’ll want to offload it from the dolly and place it in the upright position but make sure it’s against something soft, for example, a mattress.

You should then use ratchet straps to secure the harp and prevent it from shifting during transit. Even with all of these steps, you should still follow one more measure of precaution and that’s to drive carefully and slowly – avoid bumps and sudden moves so you wouldn’t cause your delicate and valuable harp to move around and potentially get damaged. Instruments require expert handling for safe transport, so do not hesitate to reach out if you need any art shipping NYC.