Do You Need to Empty Drawers Before Moving?

Almost everyone asks this, and almost everyone gets a different answer online. Here's what actually works.

The short answer

Dresser and chest-of-drawers: you can often leave light items in, if the piece is sturdy and the drawers are secured. Desks, nightstands and anything with a flimsy bottom drawer: empty them.

Why it's not a simple yes or no

Leaving contents in a dresser saves you packing time and boxes. It also adds weight. A fully loaded dresser can weigh 200 pounds or more, and furniture isn't designed to be carried with that much weight shifting inside it. The failure points are the drawer rails and the bottom panel — under load, on stairs, drawers slide open and the piece twists.

So the decision comes down to three things: how heavy the contents are, how sturdy the furniture is, and how far it has to travel.

The safe rule of thumb

Light and bulky (clothes, pillows, linens): fine to leave, in low drawers

Heavy and dense (books, tools, gym weights, canned goods, paperwork): always empty

Fragile (glassware, mirrors, electronics, bottles): always empty and pack properly

Top drawers: empty them regardless. A top-heavy drawer is the one most likely to tip or spill

Anything with sentimental value: empty it. Don't gamble on it

If you leave items in

Remove the drawers, carry them separately, then reinsert them at the destination — this solves almost every problem

Or wrap plastic film around the whole unit so the drawers can't slide out

Or secure drawers with tape or a strap, and never lift the piece by the drawer fronts

Take a photo before you start, so you know how it goes back together

If we're moving you, tell the crew which units are loaded. We'll handle them accordingly.

What about other furniture?

Filing cabinets: empty them, always. They're the heaviest thing in most offices and the drawer rails fail first.

Bookshelves: take the books off. Shelves are usually the lightest part of the construction.

Toy boxes and storage bins: fine to leave closed, as long as they're not too heavy to lift safely.

Armoires and wardrobes: leave hanging clothes if you're using wardrobe boxes instead, otherwise empty.

Kitchen units and hutches: empty completely. Glass and china won't survive a knock.

The practical checklist

A week before: go through every drawer and pull out anything heavy, fragile or valuable.

The day before: secure or remove the drawers you're leaving in place, and photograph anything you disassemble.

On the day: point out the loaded pieces to your crew, and keep a labelled box for the drawer contents you removed.

Want us to just handle it?

If sorting all of this sounds tedious, our packing service includes emptying and properly boxing furniture contents as standard. Call 602-672-0484 and we'll take it off your list.