A refrigerator is one of the heaviest and most awkward items in any home, often weighing between 200 and 400 pounds depending on the model. Between the size, the weight, and the internal components that do not like to be tipped over, moving one safely takes more planning than most people expect. This guide walks through the full process, from prepping the fridge days in advance to handling a washer and dryer the same weekend, so nothing gets damaged and nobody gets hurt.
A refrigerator needs more lead time than almost anything else in your house. A few days before your move, start eating down perishable food so you are not stuck packing a cooler full of items at the last minute. Anything you cannot use in time should be given away or tossed, since a powered down fridge cannot keep food safe for long once it is unplugged.
Defrost the freezer if needed, and clean the entire interior with a mild cleaning solution. Leave the doors open for a while afterward so everything dries completely before the move. A damp interior sealed up during transport is a common cause of mildew and odor once the fridge is running again. If you are working through a broader pre-move checklist, add these refrigerator steps as their own line item roughly a week out, since they take more advance planning than most other packing tasks.
Before you attempt to move anything, collect an appliance dolly, moving straps, furniture blankets, and a tape measure. An appliance dolly is not optional here. Regular hand trucks are not built to support this much weight safely, and trying to carry a fridge without one is a fast way to hurt your back or drop it.
Measure the height, width, and depth of the refrigerator, including any handles that stick out, and compare those numbers to every doorway, hallway, and stairwell between the kitchen and the moving truck. This step feels tedious, but discovering a doorway is two inches too narrow while you are holding one end of a 300 pound appliance is a problem nobody wants.
Unplug the refrigerator from the wall outlet, and if it has a water dispenser or ice maker, shut off and disconnect the water supply line as well. Remove any shelves or drawers that could shift or break during transport, especially glass ones, and pack them separately with padding. Tape the power cord to the side of the unit so it does not drag or catch on anything while you are moving it.
If your move involves other bulky pieces too, our guide on moving heavy furniture covers similar prep steps for maneuvering large items through tight hallways and doorframes.
With a helper, tilt the fridge slightly and slide the appliance dolly underneath the center of one side. Strap it securely to the dolly, then tilt the whole unit back no more than 45 degrees before rolling it toward the truck. Take stairs one step at a time, with one person guiding from below while the other controls the dolly from behind.
Once the fridge is loaded, secure it to the wall of the truck using ratchet straps or rope, and try to keep it upright for the entire drive whenever possible. According to U-Haul’s refrigerator moving guide, some manufacturers recommend waiting as long as 72 hours before plugging the unit back in if it has been transported on its side, so checking your owner’s manual ahead of time is worth the extra few minutes.
A refrigerator should never be laid flat on its back. Doing so puts pressure on internal components and can cause the compressor oil or refrigerant to shift into places it should not be. If space genuinely requires laying it on its side for a short trip, the unit should rest on the side opposite the compressor lines, and it needs time to recover once it is upright again before you turn it on.
According to Home Depot’s refrigerator moving guide, a good rule of thumb is to let the fridge sit upright for roughly twice as long as it spent on its side. If it was tilted for four hours during the drive, plan on leaving it alone for about eight hours once it is back in place before plugging it in. Skipping this step is one of the more common reasons a fridge runs poorly or fails shortly after a move.
Washers and dryers come with their own quirks. Before moving a washer, check the manual for transit bolts, which lock the drum in place during shipping and prevent it from bouncing around and damaging the suspension system during transport. If you no longer have the original bolts, many manufacturers sell replacement kits, and it is worth ordering a set ahead of time rather than skipping this step.
Disconnect the water supply lines and drain any remaining water from the hoses before loading. For gas dryers, shut off the gas line completely and have it disconnected by someone familiar with gas connections if you are not confident doing it yourself. Both units are heavy enough to need an appliance dolly, and securing them with moving straps once they are loaded prevents shifting during the drive.
If you are only moving a washing machine without the dryer, the same transit bolt rule applies, and it is worth double checking the drum for any remaining water before sealing up the connections. Tilt the machine no more than a few degrees at a time while loading it onto the dolly, since washing machines are top heavy and can tip more easily than a refrigerator.
Once it is loaded, keep the washing machine upright throughout the drive whenever possible, and avoid stacking anything heavy on top of it. Like a refrigerator, giving it a little time to settle before running the first cycle in your new home is a good habit, even if the manual does not require it.
Moving a refrigerator, washer, or dryer by yourself is possible with the right equipment, but it is also one of the more common ways people injure their backs or damage their floors during a move. If your stairwell is tight, your appliances are unusually heavy, or you simply do not have a second set of hands available, hiring help is often the safer choice.
Our residential moving services include full support for major appliances, so you do not have to figure out dolly angles and tilt rules on your own. If you would like to see what a fully supported move looks like for your home, you can request a free quote and get a clear picture of what to expect on moving day.