One of the more frustrating and physically-demanding tasks of an interior paint job is the art of moving furniture around. Now, general opinion would seem to dictate that homeowners move furniture toward the center of the room. However, this isn't necessarily the only, or even the best, option in moving furniture. 

First, piling everything into the center of the room doesn't exactly create the best working conditions. Painters, or homewowners who plan to do some DiY painting, will quickly find out that their range of movement can be quite limited. Depending on the amount of furniture and object s in the room, it might also effect a painter's ability to effectively use a roller. We suggest moving the furniture out of the room; and if that is not ideal, and you do not want to move the contents to the center, paint the room in halves as a last resort. That said, we don't do this very often and we really recommend moving the entire contents of the room out. 

If a couch or a bed frame are too heavy to move, simply cover them. As Lakeside Painting President Joe Pangburn notes, "If it’s too heavy or impossible to move, then you need to cover and protect it. We have wrapped baby grand pianos with new fleece blankets, first to avoid scratching them. Then we add moving pads in to protect them from bumps, followed by plastic to contain dust."

Which leads us to our next point: Be sure to move things around with care. The last thing that you want is damaged furniture, precious items, walls or doors. You also don't want to scuff and scratch wood floors, or tear carpets. One techique that Lakeside Painting employs is the use of moving pads in sliding dressers out of the room.

Also, empty cabinets and drawers of their contents so as to reduce the weight of the objects—this will in turn reduce the burden on your back. You will thank us later for this suggestion. And when practical, use dollies and carts. This will also save your back. 

And, lastly, be safe. Back injuries are not good, but worse injuries can result if caution is not taken in moving furniture prior to a paint job. 

Here are some more tips over at doityourself.com.