How to move a harp to a new home

Harps are exquisite instruments that produce heavenly music and uplift heart, spirit, and mind. They’re a true delight to listen to and a true joy to play – and they’re also extremely valuable.

If you have a harp, you will probably cherish it greatly and will not want to part with it easily – so, when the time comes to move house, you will certainly choose to take your treasured musical instrument with you.

Moving a harp, however, is not an easy feat – it takes a lot of care and consideration.

Harps are very delicate, yet quite heavy and awkward to handle. To successfully relocate a harp, you need to provide it with utmost protection and to find a safe and efficient way to move it to your new home.

Read on to find out how to move a harp the right way so your cherished musical instrument survives the relocation safe and intact.

How to pack a harp for moving

The first thing to do in order to ensure the safety of your harp during your house move is to provide it with the best protection possible:

1. Use a harp cover as an initial layer of protection

Harp covers are padded protective covers. They’re made of durable, waterproof materials and have a soft lining on the inside. Most models feature nylon zippers with a special self-closing back that is safe for the delicate finish of the harp, carrying straps for easy handling, and hand slots to reach through the case to grasp the harp directly if needed.

Lever harp covers are one-piece cases that cover the entire instrument. Pedal harp covers come in three pieces – a column cover, a main part cover, and a base cover (specially designed to protect the pedals).

• When packing a lever harp, make sure all levers are down. Remove the legs (if any), gently slide the harp inside the cover (make sure the mechanism stays on top), and close the cover;
• When packing a pedal harp, make sure all pedals are folded up. Put on the column protector and the base cover first (make sure all buckles are strapped closed), then slide the main part cover on top of the harp and zip it up.

If you don’t have a harp cover, you can simply wrap your instrument in blankets and use plastic wrap to secure the soft covers in place and provide added protection against moisture. Keep in mind though that a specialized harp cover will provide much better protection to your delicate instrument.

2. Pack your harp in a heavy-duty cardboard box

If you’re moving short distance and can transport your harp in your car, a quality harp cover will be enough to ensure the safety of your instrument during transit. If you’re moving across the country, however, you need to provide your harp with additional protection. You have a couple of good options:

• Pack your harp in a sturdy cardboard box of appropriate size, with plenty of foam padding inside (the foam should support the harp from all sides). The foam will cushion the harp from impact and will provide temperature insulation, keeping your delicate instrument safe and in good condition;
• Pack your harp in a wood or fiberglass shipping crate, custom made to fit your instrument. Use high to medium density foam to cushion the harp in the crate – the soft material will keep the harp safely padded and insulated during the move and the hard cover will protect the delicate instrument from impact damage.

Once your harp is properly packed for moving, you need to figure out how to safely transport it to your new home.

How to transport a harp

To transport your harp to your new home, you need a vehicle with a big enough flat surface to accommodate your harp (like a van or a pick-up truck). If the harp isn’t too big, you may be able to transport it in your car.

The real challenge, however, is to safely take the harp out of your home and load it onto the moving vehicle. Your stringed instrument is at a big risk of damage during this stage of the moving process, so you need to act with great care:

Taking the harp to the moving vehicle

When moving a smaller harp, you may be able to use the straps on the cover and carry the instrument on your shoulders. Most harps, however, are too big to carry – you need a harp trolley to safely wheel the instrument to the moving vehicle.

A harp dolly – also known as a harp trolley – is a type of dolly, especially designed for moving harps. Typically made of light-weight high-strength industrial aluminum, it is similar to a regular utility dolly (L-shaped dolly with two big pneumatic wheels that absorb the shock when passing over obstacles and a convenient handle for easy navigation), but a harp dolly is specifically made to fit the angle of harps and comes equipped with durable nylon straps (to secure the harp to the dolly). It allows you to move a large and heavy pedal harp without putting too much strain on your body and reduces the risk of damaging your delicate instrument or hurting yourself during the move.

To load your harp on the dolly, bring the dolly to the back of the harp and tilt it slightly forward to slide the bottom plate under the instrument. Make sure the harp is stable and well balanced on the dolly. Use the built-in straps to secure the instrument in place.

When ready, tilt the dolly backward until the weight of the harp is balanced over the wheels and roll it slowly and carefully to the moving vehicle. Be extra careful when moving your harp through doorways and around tight corners.

If you need to take your harp down stairs, go one step at a time, taking care to ease both wheels over the edge of each step and down onto the next simultaneously. When moving a very big harp, have a helper brace it from below and guide it downward.

Loading the harp

When you’ve wheeled the harp to the moving vehicle, it’s time to load it for the trip to your new home.

How to load a harp in a car

As mentioned above, depending on the size of your harp, you may be able to transport it in your personal vehicle – most lever harps fit across the back seat of a car and most pedal harps can be transported in a minivan.

When moving a smaller lever harp in your car, place it across the back seat (make sure the levers are facing up) and secure it with a seat belt.

When moving a pedal harp or a large lever harp in your car, fold the back seats to provide enough room for the harp to lay down flat and lay a foam pad or a thick blanket on top (so the harp is well cushioned and less likely to move around during transit). Then, take your large harp off the dolly and carefully slide it into your car (make sure the discs are facing up):

• If you have a helper, work with them to gently tip the harp into the car (you should be on the opposite sides of the instrument, facing each other). One of you should hold onto the upper part of the harp, while the other picks up the base, so the two of you can carefully slide the instrument into the car and guide it into position (the padded harp cover will protect the instrument from scrapes during the process);
• If you’re moving your harp alone, consider preparing an improvised “ramp” in advance – get a large sheet of plywood that fits the back of your car and the harp and line it with foam (use short screws or glue (polyurethane adhesive) to attach the foam piece to the plywood). Slide the plywood ramp part-way into your car (foam side up), with the edge touching the pavement. Carefully tilt the harp until it rests on the padded plywood sheet, then pick up the “ramp” and slide it into the car. This loading method is safer for the harp and will allow you to get the large instrument into your vehicle much more easily than using your brute strength alone.

After you’ve loaded your harp in your car, make sure there’s nothing loose in the vehicle that may move during transit and hit your delicate instrument.

How to load a harp in a moving truck

If you’ve rented a moving truck for your move, it will come equipped with a loading ramp, so you’ll be able to use the harp trolley to wheel your harp inside the vehicle.

Once inside the truck, take the harp off the dolly, and lay it down flat on the floor, with the levers or discs facing up (there should be a moving blanket or a foam pad under the harp). Make sure nothing can fall over the delicate instrument or hit it during transit.

Alternatively, you can position the harp upright next to a mattress or next to the back of a sofa, with its column down on a foam pad.

Either way, be sure to secure the harp in place with ratchet straps.

Whether you’re transporting your harp in your car or in a moving van, drive carefully and avoid sudden stops, sharp turns, and quick accelerations. When you get to your new address, unload the harp and take it inside the home using the same tools, techniques, and precautions as when loading the harp.

Bonus tips for moving a harp

There are a few more things to keep in mind when moving a harp in order to ensure a safe and smooth relocation:

1) Cold weather can have a negative impact on a harp and its finish. So, when moving in the winter, you need to take extra precautions to ensure the safety of your delicate instrument:

• Invest in a quality harp cover – well padded and made of water-resistant fabric;
• Make sure the harp is properly insulated (with plenty of foam padding, as detailed above);
• Make loading and unloading time as short as possible, so your harp is not exposed to the freezing outside temperatures for long;
• If possible, transport your harp in your car;
• Keep in mind that the back of a moving truck can get very cold in cold weather, so if you’re moving long distance, have your harp transported in a climate-controlled truck (when moving across the country, your shipment will be on the road for several days – and several days in an unheated truck can cause severe damage to your harp (the finish and even the wood can crack))

See also: How to keep your items safe when moving in cold weather

2) Get proper moving insurance for your harp – so you can rest easy, knowing that your valuable instrument is covered in case of damage.

See also: Should I get moving insurance?

3) Hire professional movers who have specialized in moving delicate items such as musical instruments to take care of your harp. The experts will handle your cherished instrument with professionalism and care and will know how to keep it safe in any situation. They have the specialized equipment, expert skill, and rich experience to provide the best possible protection to your harp and to ensure that it arrives at your new home intact and in excellent condition – so its music fills the place (and your new life) with warmth and joy!

See also: Why should you hire professional movers for your relocation?