Moving is hard enough without any extra challenges adding to it. Yet, additional challenges tend to appear at every step of the relocation process – especially on moving day.
One of the greatest extra challenges you may face on the day of your move is getting your couch through the door.
Moving a couch through a door is always difficult, but the task is especially tricky when the couch is large and the doorway is small. It may seem impossible to get the bulky furniture piece through the narrow door without causing damage to the couch or to your property.
As the old adage goes, however, when there is a will, there is a way. With proper planning and preparation, you might be able to successfully squeeze your sofa through a doorway that doesn’t look like it will allow the furniture to pass through.
Here’s how to get a couch through a doorway safely and without trouble – no matter how big the couch and how small the door.
How to move a couch through a door
Fortunately, getting a standard couch through a standard doorway is not complicated at all – you just need to prepare well.
Step 1. Ensure moving help
Moving a couch is not a one-person job – even a small sofa can be quite heavy (100 pounds or more), while sleeper sofas and other large sofas can weigh over 350 pounds.
To ensure safety and reduce the risk of injuries and damages while taking your couch out of your old home or into your new one, you need someone to help you lift and carry the bulky furniture.
Your best bet is to hire furniture movers to do the job for you, of course – they will take proper care of your couch (and all your other household items and personal possessions) and will perform your move in the safest and most efficient way possible. You will have nothing to worry about and you won’t need to lift a finger, let alone a heavy couch.
If you prefer to move without professional moving help, be sure to ask two or three physically strong friends to give you a hand on moving day – so you can get your couch through the door and into the moving vehicle without getting hurt in the process or damaging your furniture or your property.
See also: How to get friends to help you move
Step 2. Get the right equipment for the job
You can lift and carry a small couch by hand, of course. The process, however, will be much easier and much safer if you use the right equipment for the job. And if you have a very large and heavy couch, it may be impossible to move it without appropriate moving equipment.
So, when planning to move a sofa, be sure to get:
- Measuring tape
- Basic tools – screwdriver, wrench, hammer, pliers, utility knife, etc.
- Packing supplies – moving blankets, plastic wrap, packing tape, etc.
- Furniture sliders
- Furniture lifting straps
- Work gloves
Depending on the layout of your home and the size, shape, and weight of your couch, a furniture dolly may also come in very handy.
Step 3. Take measurements
The most crucial thing to do before trying to get a sofa through a doorway is to make sure it will fit through.
So, take your measuring tape and get down to work:
- Measure the couch:
- Width (side to side) – the distance from the outside of the widest part of one arm to the outside of the widest part of the other arm;
- Height (top to bottom)– the distance from the highest point of the backrest to the floor;
- Depth (front to back)– the distance from the outside edge of the seat to the outside of the back of the sofa;
- Diagonal depth (top back to bottom front) – the distance from the highest point of the backrest to the bottom front part of the sofa (if the sofa has legs, the point on the floor beneath the outside edge of the widest part of the sofa)
- Measure the doorway – the height, width, and diagonal size of the doorway.
Write down the dimensions of the couch and the dimensions of the doorway and compare them carefully.
If the width of the sofa is smaller than the height of the doorway or the depth or the diagonal depth of the sofa is smaller than the width of the opening, you should be able to successfully get the furniture through the door. Just remember that there should be enough space on either side of the doorway to allow you to freely maneuver the couch through.
Step 4. Remove potential obstacles and free as much maneuvering room as possible
Move furniture, wall décor, and other items out of the way to free up more maneuvering space and eliminate the risk of damaging these items while getting your couch through the door.
Then, lay down a furniture blanket, a large piece of thick cardboard, or a drop cloth on the floor – this will help protect the floor and the couch and will allow you to slide your furniture through if necessary. (See also: How to protect floors when moving)
It is also a good idea to pad the door and the door frame on both sides – to prevent potential damage while moving the couch. (See also: How to protect doors and door frames during a move)
Step 5. Prepare the sofa for moving
Now that everything is ready, it’s time to turn your attention to your couch:
- Remove throw pillows, throw covers, cushions, and other items from the couch. This will make the sofa easier to move as it will be lighter and there won’t be anything falling in your way while you’re carrying the furniture;
- Remove any detachable parts such as legs, armrests, etc. This will make the couch lighter and more compact, so it will be more likely to fit through the door;
- Protect the sofa – Wrap the entire couch in moving blankets and plastic wrap to keep it safe and clean during the move.
Step 6. Move the couch horizontally, vertically, or diagonally
Put on your work gloves and work with a partner to lift the couch and move it through the door:
- Stand on the opposite sides of the sofa and get a good grip on the frame;
- Lift the couch simultaneously – bend from your knees, keep your back straight, and lift with your legs;
- If the couch fits through the door horizontally, simply carry the furniture straight through the doorway in a level position;
- If the couch is too long or wide to be moved horizontally, stand it on end and slide it through the doorway straight or in a hooking motion with either the back or the seat entering the door first;
- Consider tipping the couch on its back – sofas are often deeper than they’re high, so tipping the furniture might be very helpful when getting it through a narrow doorway;
- If the couch doesn’t fit well horizontally or vertically, you may be able to get it through the doorway at an angle – tilt and pivot the couch slightly, so the leading couch arm can be hooked around the door, then carefully move the rest of the couch through in a type of corkscrew motion.
Good to know:
- If the floor is even and there is no elevated threshold, you may be able to slide your couch through the door with the help of furniture sliders.
- When moving a large and heavy sofa through a door, be sure to use furniture lifting straps (forearm moving straps are your best option) or a furniture dolly (if there is no high door threshold).
Must-read: How to move a sofa by yourself
How to move a large couch through a small door
If your couch is big and the doorway is narrow, the above methods may not work – the bulky furniture may not fit through the tight space.
What can you do then? How to get a big couch through a small door?
You have several options:
- Remove the door – Take the door off its hinges and put it aside to get a few inches of extra space. This may be enough to allow you to squeeze the couch through the opening.
- Remove the door hinges and door stops and, if necessary, the door frame – By removing the doorstops, you can get about an inch of additional space. Removing door hinges will give you an extra ½ inch and will help prevent damage to the tight-fitting couch. If you still need a little more room to get the sofa through, consider removing the doorframe (keep in mind that doing so is not easy and may result in property damage, so this method is not recommendable).
- Disassemble the couch – Take the couch apart as much as possible. Put all fastening elements (screws, bolts, etc.) in sealable plastic bags and wrap the detached parts in moving blankets and plastic wrap to keep them safe during the move. (See also: How to disassemble a couch for moving)
- Try various angles – Tilt and pivot the couch frame until you find an angle that will allow you to get it through the door.
If none of the above tips work (or you don’t want to disassemble your couch or to remove the door and doorframe) consider other exit points – you may be able to get the furniture out of the room through a large window, for example.
Must-read: What to do if furniture doesn’t fit through the door
One final piece of advice – hire professional movers. The experts have the specialized equipment and technical know-how to safely disassemble your couch or hoist the oversized furniture through a window if that proves to be the only way to get the huge piece out of the home. The pros will take good care of your large sofa and all your other belongings and will ensure that they arrive safe and intact at your new home.
Soon enough, you’ll be relaxing on your couch in your new residence and will be congratulating yourself on your successful move.
