Can I Take My Bathroom Mirror When I Move? (Things to Do)

Are you packing things ready to move and wondering, “can I take my bathroom mirror when I move?”

You shouldn’t take out a bathroom mirror that is fixed on the wall. If you bought them, maybe you can take them with you.

In this article, I’ll explain why in most cases you can’t rip the mirrors from the bathroom wall and explain how to remove a mirror from the bathroom space, should you wish to do so. Keep reading!

Key Takeaways

• If permanently fixed to the wall, bathroom wall mirrors are considered house fixtures. You can’t move with them.
• You can move with hanging mirrors or any decorative mirrors you might have added to the bathroom.
• It’s courteous to inform the buyer or real estate agent when you take the mirrors when moving out.

Is It Okay To Move With the Bathroom Mirrors?

They are a permanent part of the home, making them non-transferable property. The owner might have got them to add the home’s beauty or depth of perception.

Carrying them would be a violation of most house agreements.

When Is It Okay To Move With the Bathroom Mirror?

Although you can’t leave with a bathroom mirror, no matter how beautiful it might be, certain circumstances allow you to.

1. If the Purchase Contract Allows It

If the real estate agent included mirrors as house property in the purchase contract, you can’t take them.

Some real estate deals don’t include mirrors as house property, so you might be able to take them.

All house fixtures, including those in the bathroom, belong to the property owner (1).

In that case, you can’t take the mirrors even if you want to. You found them there, which makes them non-transferable property.

So the housing agreement will tell you whether moving with that beautiful bathroom mirror is okay.

CHECK: How Do You Know if a Mirror is Accurate

2. If the Mirrors Are Your Personal Property

Not all houses you move into will have all the fixtures. For some, you’ll have to add them yourself.

So you might need to add some mirrors to beautify the bathroom vanity or other parts of the house.

If that’s the case, you can carry entire mirrors when you move since they’re now chattels — no need to leave them, especially if you spent thousands of dollars on them.

The general rule is that if it’s easy to remove the mirror, you can probably carry it if you want. Bolts or screws will permanently hold most mirrors to the wall.

Removing a Bathroom Wall Mirror

While you can call a technician to remove the mirror safely, you can do it yourself if you like.

For a screwed mirror, all you’ll need is a screwdriver and protective clothing. A mirror glued to the wall is a different proposition, though.

Here are the things you’ll need and the steps to remove a glued mirror from a wall.

What You’ll Need

• Heavy-duty tape.
• A hair dryer or heat gun.
• Wood shim.

1. Wear Protective Clothing

Even if you’re careful, there could still be an accident. The bathroom mirror could slip through your hands and break into pieces of glass.

The smallest piece of glass could hurt you, besides leading to a messy removal operation.

So protective gloves and goggles for eye protection could come in handy.

Quick Tip: You can’t remove a mirror alone. So get a friend or a family member to help if you don’t want to risk breaking the mirror.

2. Use Heavy Duty Tape To Cover the Entire Mirror Surface

Cover the mirror with the tape following a crisscross pattern. The tape will help protect you in case the mirror breaks. It will also protect the mirror from breaking through the removal effort.

3. Ease the Mirror’s Adhesive

The heat gun and blow dryer will come in handy here. Before you can use the tools, gently pull the mirror from one side to test the strength of the glue.

Direct the blow dryer or heat gun to the glue to soften it. That will make it easier to pull off the mirror from the wall.

Alternatively, a heat lamp could help ease the glue holding the mirror to the wall.

4. Push Wooden Shims Under the Bathroom Mirror

Gently push wooden shims under the mirror after the adhesive softens. It’s best to carry out this step as gently as possible without exerting too much force.

Forcefully pushing the shim under the mirror could break it. So take it slow.

5. Remove the Mirror

You’ll need some help to pry the mirror off the wall. Get someone to support you as you extract the mirror from the wall.

Add more wooden shims below the mirror if you feel the mirror isn’t coming off quickly. Work slowly as you gently push the sides of the mirror holding the wall.

Also, hold the mirror from below to prevent it from suddenly falling from your hands and breaking. Remember to keep children as far away from the work area as possible.

Following the above steps will easily remove the mirror from the wall.

If you have trouble, check how this person removes the mirror from the wall.

CHECK: Can You Cut Mirrors?

Courteous Things To Do When Removing a Bathroom Mirror

So you’re now ready to move and plan to carry all the mirrors with you. Do you take the mirrors without informing the buyer or real estate agent?

You can’t do that. It’s more courteous to do the things below before moving with the mirrors.

1. Inform the Buyer or Agent You’ll Remove the Mirrors

Be courteous enough to tell the buyer or the real estate agent you plan to take the bathroom mirrors.

That’s even if you were the one that installed the mirrors in the bathroom in the first place.

You don’t want someone moving in only to be shocked at finding zero mirrors in the bathroom.

2. Replace Them With Those You Found

If you moved into a house with mirrors you didn’t like and added yours, it’s okay to remove them.

But it would be courteous of you to replace the simple mirrors you found in the house when you moved in.

Most times, that part is covered in the property agreement since such mirrors count as fixtures rather than chattels.

So you’d do well to replace them as you remove the beautiful bathroom mirrors you had installed.

FAQs

Conclusion

Can I take my bathroom mirror when I move? It depends. You can’t take it with you if it’s a permanent part of the house.

But if the mirrors are your personal property, they’re fair game. If the mirrors are screwed or bolted into the wall, it’s a part of the house fixtures.

Hanging mirrors, on the other hand, are usually temporary parts or chattels. So you can carry them with you when you move.

Just be sure to ask the real estate agent before carrying any mirrors from the bathroom.

Also, do the courtesy of replacing any mirrors you might have found in the house before moving.

Resources

1. Gordon J. Fixtures and Real Property – Explained [Internet]. The Business Professor, LLC. 2021. Available from: https://thebusinessprofessor.com/en_US/property-law/fixtures-and-real-property