Do you have to empty drawers for movers in Sarasota?

For most furniture pieces, yes — you should empty dresser and bureau drawers before your Sarasota movers arrive. Fully loaded drawers add considerable weight to an already heavy piece of furniture, increasing the risk of structural damage to the furniture itself and making it significantly harder and less safe for movers to carry through doorways, down stairs, or over uneven Sarasota driveways.

For lighter items like clothing and linens in a dresser that isn't overly large or heavy, many movers will carry it with the drawers in place at their discretion. However, filing cabinets and any drawers containing heavy items (books, tools, hardware, canned goods) must always be emptied. A full four-drawer metal filing cabinet can exceed 200 pounds fully loaded — a serious safety issue for the crew.

As a general rule, when in doubt, empty the drawers. It takes relatively little time and protects both your furniture and your moving crew. 5 Star Movers Sarasota's team will assess each piece on arrival and advise you if anything requires emptying before they proceed.