The furniture in our homes often holds great value for us. It may be sentimental value, pieces that were passed on from previous generations, or expensive new or antique pieces that transformed your home from a house into the place you love spending your life. Whatever the source of your furniture's value, you should know how to protect it. The last thing you want to go through is unpacking to find your armoire in fragments. Likewise, the cat that seemed to make your children ecstatic might be the end of your family heirlooms. Here are five ways to make sure your furniture stays safe and sound.

1. When packing furniture for a move, you want to make sure you have enough padding to keep your pieces protected. No matter the finish on wooden chest of draws or armoires, you can personally make sure everything arrives safely. Use some thick blankets or padding you can buy in a furniture store and wrap the item until there are no hard spots anywhere. Using stretch wrap is an excellent move, but avoid direct contact with the wood. Also, as you are taping the padding into place, use the back side of the tape so it will not touch your furniture's finish, no matter what happens on the road.

2. If you have cats or kittens in your home, your prized furniture can be the object of some damaging scratches. To avoid this, give the cats a fun alternative. Most pet stores sell boards for cats to scratch. On top of that, make sure there are enough toys for them to play with. Trim your cat's nails to keep them from becoming too lethal (for people and furniture). If you are just starting out with a young cat, you should train it regarding where they can do their damage. Cats can be shown to avoid scratching by giving them a squirt with a water bottle when they attempt to maim your furniture.

3. Like Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate, think “plastics.” The chemical components in plastics eat away at your furniture over time, and in some cases very quickly. If you have lights or appliances in direct contact with wooden table tops, it is recommended to put a soft felt coating beneath the appliance. This way, your furniture only comes into contact with the felt coating, never the plastic.

4. Use table mats and coasters. Many of us have learned this the hard way. The amount of nick and stains on furniture from normal use can be staggering. Look for a way to elegantly cover areas where you put plates and glasses on a regular basis. It might take a little extra work, but it can give your home a touch of detail and will certainly offer protection.

5. Add protective coating to your prized pieces. Furniture can fall victim to normal events -- the scratch of a fingernail, the spill of a drink -- that could have been avoided with some protective finishing. Take the time to avoid unforeseen damage to your prized pieces.