To move a fridge safely, empty and defrost it 24 hours ahead, remove shelves and secure the doors, load it onto an appliance dolly with a helper, and keep it upright throughout the move. After placing it in the new location, wait at least 1–4 hours before plugging it back in.

A fridge is one of the hardest appliances to move. It weighs anywhere from 150 to 400+ lbs, it has a cooling system that can be permanently damaged if handled wrong, and its size makes it awkward through doorways and down stairs. Do it right and it's a manageable job. Skip a step and you could be looking at a ruined compressor, scratched floors, or a back injury.

Here's exactly how to move a fridge without damaging it — or yourself.

What You'll Need Before You Move a Fridge

Get these items together before moving day. Trying to improvise with the wrong equipment is how fridges end up on their sides and floors end up scratched.

Appliance dolly: Not a standard hand truck. An appliance dolly has built-in straps and a weight rating of 600–800 lbs. A basic hand truck won't hold it safely.
Ratchet straps: To secure the fridge to the dolly and to the truck wall during transit.
Moving blankets / furniture pads: To protect the fridge exterior and your walls.
Work gloves: For grip and hand protection.
Furniture sliders: Helpful for repositioning in tight spaces.
Packing tape or rope: To keep the fridge doors closed during the move.
Cooler with ice: For food during transport.
Towels: For water line disconnection and any residual moisture.

You also need at least two people. This is not a one-person job, no matter how fit you are.

Step 1: Empty, Clean, and Defrost — Start 24 Hours Before

This step has to happen the night before, not the morning of. Skipping it is the most common mistake people make when moving a refrigerator.

Remove all food and store it in a cooler with ice.
Take out every shelf, drawer, and bin. Wrap them separately in towels or bubble wrap so they don't break in transit.
Unplug the fridge and leave both doors open to defrost.
Wait a full 24 hours. The freezer compartment holds a lot of ice.
Wipe the interior dry after defrosting.

A fridge that hasn't been defrosted will leak water throughout the move. It's also heavier than it needs to be and creates a mess in the truck.

Step 2: Disconnect Power and Water Lines

By moving day, the fridge should already be unplugged from the night before. Before you move it away from the wall, deal with the water line if your fridge has one.

Turn off the water supply valve (usually behind or below the fridge, or under the kitchen sink).
Disconnect the water line. Check your fridge's manual for the exact method, since it varies by model.
Have a towel ready to catch any residual water in the line.
Tape the power cord to the back of the fridge so it doesn't drag on the floor while you're moving it.

Step 3: Secure the Doors and Wrap the Fridge

Before the fridge moves an inch, get the doors secured and the body protected.

Use packing tape, rope, or bungee cords to hold the doors shut. A door that swings open mid-move can injure someone or take a chunk out of a doorframe.
Wrap the fridge in moving blankets: cover the top, sides, and back.
Secure the blankets with tape or stretch wrap.
Lay down cardboard or a floor runner along your moving path to protect the floors.

If you're moving in winter in Winnipeg, this floor protection matters even more. Slush and ice tracked in from outside makes hard floors slippery fast, and you don't want that happening under a 300 lb appliance.

Step 4: Load the Fridge Onto the Appliance Dolly

This is where having the right dolly matters. An appliance dolly slides underneath heavy items and has straps built in. Here's how to load it:

Position the dolly beside the base of the fridge.
Have your helper steady the fridge from the opposite side while you tilt it slightly to slide the dolly plate underneath.
Wrap the dolly straps across the fridge body. Secure it at two points: mid-section and upper section.
Make sure it's strapped in before you try to move it anywhere.

Keep the fridge as upright as possible on the dolly. If you need to tilt it back to get through a doorway threshold, don't go past 45 degrees.

Step 5: Get Through Doorways, Hallways, and Stairs

Measure first. Do not wait until moving day to discover your fridge won't fit through the doorway. Most fridges are 28–36 inches wide. Most interior doors are 32–36 inches wide, and older homes often run narrower.

If clearance is tight:

Remove the fridge handles. Many just unscrew.
Remove the door from its hinges if you need an extra inch or two.
Use furniture sliders under the fridge feet if you need to reposition in a tight spot.

For stairs, slow down and work as a team:

One person controls the dolly, one person stabilizes from the other side.
Move one step at a time.
Going down: the person at the bottom controls the tilt, the person at top guides.
Going up: the person above pulls while the person below guides.

If you're dealing with more than one flight of stairs, it's worth considering professional help. A heavy appliance on a staircase is one of the most common ways people get hurt during a DIY move.

Step 6: Load Into the Moving Truck

The fridge goes in the truck upright. This is the rule, and it's there for a reason: the compressor oil can migrate into the coolant lines when the fridge is tipped, and if it stays on its side for too long, that oil has to be cleared before the compressor can run safely.

If you absolutely have no choice but to lay it on its side:

Top-freezer models: lay on the side opposite the hinges.
French-door and bottom-freezer models: these should not be laid down. Keep them upright.
Compact fridges: keep upright.

Once it's in the truck, strap it to the truck wall so it can't shift in transit. Don't stack anything heavy on top of it.

Step 7: Set Up at the New Location and Wait Before Plugging In

Knowing how to transport a refrigerator correctly is only half the job. What you do after it arrives matters just as much. Reverse the process to get the fridge into its new spot, then:

Level it. Most fridges have adjustable feet at the front. A level fridge seals properly and runs more efficiently.
Reconnect the water line if applicable.
Wait before plugging in.

Transported upright the whole time? Wait 1–4 hours before plugging in. The fluids need to settle even when the fridge stays upright.

Laid on its side at any point? Wait at least as long as it was on its side. If it was on its side for more than a few hours, wait a full 24 hours. Plugging in too soon is how compressors get burned out.

Once plugged in, give the fridge 2–4 hours to reach temperature before loading food back in.

Common Refrigerator Moving Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping the defrost. A frozen freezer makes the fridge heavier and guarantees leaks during transport.
Using a standard hand truck. Regular hand trucks aren't built for this weight and don't have the straps needed to secure a fridge.
Moving it alone. You need a second person to stabilize, guide, and help at every step.
Laying a French-door or bottom-freezer fridge on its side. These models must stay upright.
Plugging in immediately after moving. Compressor damage is expensive and often not covered under warranty if caused by improper transport.
Not securing the doors. A door that opens mid-move can injure someone or damage walls and doorframes.
Not protecting floors. Moving blankets on a hard floor won't stop scratching. Use cardboard or a floor runner under the dolly path.
Not measuring doorways first. There's nothing worse than getting the fridge to the door and realizing it won't fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you lay a fridge on its side to move it?

It depends on the model. Top-freezer fridges can be laid on the side opposite the hinges. French-door and bottom-freezer models should always stay upright. If a fridge was on its side during transport, let it stand upright for at least as long as it was down, up to 24 hours, before plugging it in.

How long do you have to wait to plug in a fridge after moving it?

If the fridge stayed upright the whole time, wait 1–4 hours before plugging it in. If it was on its side at any point, wait at minimum the same amount of time it was on its side, or 24 hours if it was down for a long stretch. This gives the compressor oil time to return to where it belongs.

Do you have to defrost a fridge before moving it?

Yes. Unplug the fridge the night before and leave the doors open for at least 24 hours. A fridge that hasn't defrosted will leak water during transport and is harder to move because of the extra weight from ice buildup.

How do you move a fridge by yourself?

You shouldn't. Fridges weigh 150–400+ lbs and require someone to stabilize the unit while the other person controls the dolly, especially on stairs or around corners. Moving a fridge alone is one of the leading causes of back injuries during home moves.

How do you move a fridge without scratching the floor?

Use an appliance dolly rather than sliding the fridge. Lay cardboard or a floor runner along the moving path before you start. If you need to slide the fridge slightly to position the dolly, put furniture sliders under the feet first.

What happens if you plug a fridge in too soon after moving it?

If the fridge was on its side, the compressor oil may have flowed into the coolant lines. Plugging in before the oil settles back can cause the compressor to run dry, which damages or destroys it. Compressor replacement can cost several hundred dollars, so waiting a few hours is worth it.

How heavy is a fridge?

Most residential refrigerators weigh between 200 and 400 lbs. Compact mini-fridges can be as light as 50–80 lbs, while large French-door models can exceed 400 lbs. Check the specs for your model before moving day so you know what you're working with.

Need Help Moving a Fridge?

Moving a fridge takes planning, the right equipment, and a second set of hands at minimum. If you'd rather leave the heavy lifting to someone else, our crew handles appliance moves as part of every local Winnipeg move. We've been in the moving industry for over 50 combined years and know how to get a fridge out without scratching your floors or damaging the appliance. Call (204) 296-2223 for a free quote, or request an estimate online.

—How to Move a Fridge: A Step-by-Step Guide