The truck is half loaded, the furniture is out, and then someone remembers the chandelier in the parlour, still hanging from a ceiling hook, with six fans and a dozen light fittings still wired in around the house. Lighting is easy to forget and expensive to replace, and the electrical side of it is not something to guess at.
Fans and fittings are usually the last things down and the first things people need in the new place. Done in the right order, the job takes an hour or two. Done in a rush, it ends with a cracked glass shade and a loose wire.
Start with the power
Switch off at the main breaker or the distribution board, not only at the wall switch. Confirm with a tester or by checking that nothing in that room comes on. Anything wired into the building should be disconnected by a qualified electrician. Fans and chandeliers are heavy overhead items, and a fall from a ladder is a real risk.
Follow the manufacturer's guidance where you still have the manual. If the house is rented, check whether the landlord expects the fittings to stay.
Take photographs and label every wire
Before anything comes down, photograph each fitting, the ceiling box and the wire colours. Put tape on each wire end and mark it. Give each fitting a number or a room name, and write the same number on its box or bag. This is the same logic as labelling and numbering boxes, and it saves the electrician time at the other end.
Ceiling fans
Take off the blades first, then the motor housing, then the mounting bracket. Keep the screws in a small labelled bag taped to the motor.
- Wrap each blade in newspaper or a cloth, and tie the set together flat.
- Pack the motor in its original box if you still have it, or in a sturdy carton with padding around it.
- Keep the remote or regulator with its fan, in the same bag.
Do not stack heavy items on the blades. They bend easily, and a bent blade makes a fan wobble.
Chandeliers
These need the most care. A big chandelier may have dozens of crystals or glass parts.
- Take off the bulbs and shades first, and pack them separately.
- If the crystals detach, remove them and wrap each one, or each small group, in tissue or soft cloth.
- Support the frame while someone else releases it from the ceiling, because chandeliers can be heavy. Get two or more people for a large one.
- Pack the frame in a box with foam or blankets, and write FRAGILE and the room name on every side.
- Never lay a chandelier flat under anything else. It travels upright or in its own box, near the front of the load.
For a very large or antique piece, ask a professional installer to take it down and refit it.
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Other light fittings
Wall lights, pendant lamps, spotlights and shades can be bagged and boxed together by room. Pack bulbs in separate cartons with dividers. Keep glass shades well away from metal parts, and wrap each shade. Floor lamps and table lamps can ride with the sitting room items.
Our guide to packing fragile items for same-day bulk moves has more padding ideas, and moving glass is useful for big shades.
Loading the truck
Fans, fittings and chandeliers belong in a protected pocket of the load, not wedged under a wardrobe. Place boxes upright, pad around them with blankets and put soft items on top. Tell the crew in plain words what is in each box. Keep them dry, and secure them with straps as described in securing a load.
Refitting at the new place
Check the ceiling first. Make sure the hook, box or bracket can carry the weight. Have an electrician reconnect each fitting, using your photos and labels, and confirm the wiring and earthing meet the new building's requirements. Test each one before you rely on it.
Fit lighting early in the day. A new house with no lights at 6pm is a miserable start, so also read the first night in your new home and keep a torch and a few bulbs in your own bag.
How to do this on Sphere
Fittings usually travel as part of a house move. When you request a truck or pickup van on Sphere, mention them in the load description, for example "six ceiling fans in boxes, one large chandelier packed in its own box, two cartons of light fittings". Add the pickup and drop-off, propose a price, and nearby verified drivers will accept or counter. Agree loading and offloading help before you accept an offer, and say clearly which boxes are fragile.
See also Lagos house moving and Lagos van hire.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take down a ceiling fan myself?
Only with the power off at the breaker, a stable ladder and a second person. If you are unsure, use an electrician.
How do I pack chandelier crystals?
Remove them if they detach, wrap each one in tissue or soft cloth and keep them in a labelled box. Pack the frame separately.
Where should chandeliers go on the truck?
Upright or in their own box, near the front, with padding around them and nothing heavy on top.
Should I leave fittings in a rented house?
Check your tenancy agreement or ask the landlord. Fixtures that came with the house usually stay.
Who should refit the lights?
A qualified electrician, who can check the wiring, earthing and ceiling support at the new site.
Request your move
Request a truck or van on Sphere
Choose your vehicle, propose your price, and verified drivers in Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan accept or send a counter-offer.
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