Couches are some of the biggest, most awkwardly shaped and heaviest pieces of furniture in your apartment, which makes them a real pain come packing and moving time. Even if you can break it down and disassemble it into separate pieces, those individual sections can still be unwieldy and heavy. To avoid injury or damage to yourself or the couch, moving it requires patience, preparation, the right equipment and some willing helpers.
How to move a couch while moving apartments
Follow these steps on how to transport your couch safely to your new apartment. If you don’t want the hassle, you can always donate it.
1. Get the right supplies like furniture sliders and a flat furniture dolly
Transporting couches requires specialized equipment to protect yourself, the couch and any other people helping you move it. Not only does it help prevent serious injury or damage, but your back will thank you.
In lieu of a hand truck, a flat furniture dolly is best for handling and maneuvering bulky furniture like couches. Comprised of a flat, square platform on four wheels, furniture dollies can handle up to 1,000 pounds, allowing you to roll or slide bulky items across rooms or down hallways with ease.
You can also affix cushioned furniture sliders to the bottom of the couch’s legs, allowing you to push or pull it without damaging it or the floor. Sliders are especially handy if you’re moving out of an apartment that doesn’t have stairs or difficult sections requiring lots of lifting. If you can’t find the right size, you can buy oversized sliders and trim them down.
In addition, you’ll need lifting straps, tie-down straps, tape measure, shrink wrap and a moving blanket.
2. Pack the couch for moving
You can’t just throw your couch onto a furniture dolly, roll it onto a moving truck and call it a day. The smaller and more compact you can make your couch, the easier it’ll be to move.
If it’s possible, disassemble bigger couches like L-shaped sectionals into smaller sections to make them more manageable. If you can’t disassemble the couch or sofa into smaller pieces, follow these packing tips.
Detach couch legs and arms
If you can, remove any parts of the couch that stick out or aren’t part of the main body of the couch. Usually, these are the legs and arms of the couch. In some cases, you can simply twist the legs off. Otherwise, you’ll likely need a screwdriver.
Be sure to keep all the loose screws and other hardware in a labeled Ziplock bag so you don’t lose track of them during the move.
Remove cushions, pillows and blankets
Take any cushions, loose pillows and blankets and store them in giant plastic bags or trash bags. That way, the cushions won’t get dirty or lost. Be sure to label the bags so they don’t accidentally get thrown out!
Wrap the couch in plastic wrap
Once you’ve stripped the couch of everything not permanently attached to the body of the couch, completely wrap it in plastic wrap. As you’re moving the couch, it might bang against walls, door frames, staircase and other parts of the apartment. Wrapping it up protects the house from damage and will keep the couch from getting scratched or dirty. If you can’t find plastic wrap, you can use moving blankets or old sheets in the same way.
3. Measure the couch and the spaces it will need to fit through
This is arguably the most important step in moving a couch. All your preparations will be for naught if the couch won’t actually fit through your apartment’s narrow door or hallway.
Measure both the height and length of the couch, as well as the depth and width. Make sure that you measure all sides, corners and padded areas so you have a complete picture of the couch’s dimensions.
Then measure all the spaces it will need to fit through, like doorways, hallways, staircases and elevators. You’ll likely need to tip, tilt, pivot, shift or swivel the couch to fit through narrower openings and spaces, which is why you should measure the complete dimensions of the couch so you know if it will fit or not. This will also help you strategize the best way to orient the couch for moving. Should it be vertical or horizontal? When will you need to tilt it to fit through a narrow door versus when can you use a furniture dolly to push it across the room?
By taking measurements in advance, you’re saving yourself the trouble of getting the couch stuck in a too-small doorway or being halfway through moving it only to realize it’s too big for your apartment elevator.
4. Take down doors
If your couch will fit through all the openings in the path to the moving truck, now it’s time to remove any obstacles from that path like doors. When moving couches, every inch counts, and removing doors from their hinges will help you gain precious inches of space. Luckily, doors are pretty easy to remove and you can reinstall them once you’re done.
Along with doors, remove other obstacles that could trip you up like hallway carpets and moving boxes so you have a free and clear path.
5. Figure out a game plan
Come moving day, you should have a plan of action ready in advance so you’re not left scrambling at the last minute. That means knowing the exact route you’ll be taking and having enough helpers to safely lift and maneuver.
6. Have enough people to safely lift the couch
If you’re not hiring movers to help, you’ll likely need to enlist some pals to help. If the couch is small and not too heavy, you probably only need one extra person, with at least one person on one end and another on the other end. But for heavier, bigger couches, your task may require at least four people.
7. Take your time while moving the couch
Whether you’re moving the couch a short distance from living room to truck or bringing it down multiple floors from your top-floor apartment, take your time and be patient. Communicate with your helpers in case someone needs to adjust positions or take a break. Slowly maneuver at all times, taking particular care around tight corners, narrow openings and points of access. If you hit a problem spot, don’t force it. Take a beat to analyze the situation and search for a solution. If possible, have someone walk ahead of the group to give feedback about upcoming obstacles. Slow and steady is the best bet.
8. Carefully load onto the moving truck
If you’re using a moving truck, odds are it’ll have a loading ramp. Using the dolly, roll the couch carefully up the ramp onto the truck. Then, remove the dolly and position the couch for moving. Use tie-down straps to secure it in place so it won’t move around during transit.
How do I move a couch up and down stairs?
As much as we all love that one scene from Friends (PIVOT!), it’s much less fun to recreate in person. Taking a couch up and down stairs is particularly tricky, especially if you live in an older apartment building with narrow staircases. You can’t use dollies and sliders on staircases, so you’ll be relying solely on your helpers.
You should never move a couch up or down stairs by yourself. Always have help, whether by hiring moving services or asking friends. Position someone at each end, make sure everyone has a solid grip and lift from the bottom of the couch. Maneuver slowly and go step by step, communicating with each other. Having someone act as a navigator, informing you when you need to pivot or shift, works well too.
Can I move a couch by myself with a dolly?
If it’s small enough, not too heavy and you don’t need to navigate any stairs, it is possible to move a couch by yourself. For safety’s sake, make full use of your tools so you don’t have to lift too much, relying on the dolly and sliders to push the sofa between rooms. We also recommend disassembling the couch into manageable pieces you can handle on your own. You can also put some pieces in storage if need be.
What is the cheapest way to move a couch?
Since you’ll only need to pay for supplies and the moving truck, it’s more affordable to move couches and sofas on your own. But because of their size, weight and awkward shape, for your own safety and peace of mind, sometimes it’s best to turn to the pros.
Hire a moving company to do the heavy lifting
While the cost will be higher, you’ll find hiring professional movers worth the extra expense. They’ll know exactly how to handle and maneuver your heavy furniture, and you can spare your back the strain.
If you’re on the fence about hiring movers, most moving companies will give you a free moving quote that you can use to see if it fits your budget.
Whether with a moving company or on your own for free, moving a couch requires special preparation
Even if you’ve hired professionals to help, prepping your couch for the moving process makes it easier and safer for everyone.
Source: rent.com