Tips for Moving: How to Move a Sofa

Despite being most homes' most loved and well used articles, the sofa is also one of the largest, unwieldiest-shaped, pieces of furniture to move, and (unless it's just being pushed to another place in the same room)the process of moving will need a little planning, even if moving your furniture within the same home to create some extra space.

Whether you have decided to use a professional moving service to help you move it, or are simply preparing for to move yourself the following tips for moving should help the move, as well as reducing stress levels.

Sofa, Settee, Couch or Sofa Bed?

No matter what type of sofa you have, even a ´chaise longue´, or what you call it, the following hints and tips are yours to select or discard as appropriate. Each piece of furniture is different, so pick and choose what works best for you according to the construction of the piece.

How to Move a Sofa: Fail to prepare, prepare to fail

It’s important to plan the route well when you move a sofa from its current spot, and into a new spot, new home, or temporary storage.

Measure the sofa carefully

The sofa came in, so there's every chance it will go out. In theory.

The mantra for sofa moving is measure, measure, measure – measure the sofa. Measure the doors, stairwells and passageways at both ends of the move, and ensure that there is space in the vehicle being used to transport the sofa. (Yes, measure – or ask for the measurements of - the van!) Check for narrow doorways and places where you need to turn.

Consider the possibilities of tipping the sofa on its side, breaking it down, or even removing doors to move it. Don´t forget stairwells - the laws of physics dictate that the sofa will be harder to control when you need to move it down stairs.

Taking down a door frame is difficult, but doable with the right tools. It will take around  an hour, and will need reassembling once the sofa is moved, so be sure to schedule the time into plans for a hassle-free move.

Find Sofa Movers: Help to Move Your Sofa

As noted above, there's a difference between moving within a room, when it can often be pushed about, to removing it. Removing it will need more people, depending on the shape and size of the sofa.

Always have someone to help when moving large pieces of furniture. 

Particularly if you are moving property, book helpers (formal, like a professional company, or informal - bribe friends with pizza, for example) plenty of time in advance, and it´s a good idea to have an extra pair of hands booked to help in case someone has to drop out last minute - whoever you use. 

Consider using a professional mover if there is any uncertainty at all about  a sofa mover being able to cope with heavy lifting. Moving house can be a stressful time anyway, without the added worry of back injuries.

Sofa Mover: Furniture Dollies or Furniture Sliders 

A furniture dolly can be invaluable for moving bigger pieces and bulky items like couches. It's a platform (usually metal, wood or plastic) with wheels, designed specifically for moving heavy items.

They can be hired by the day from many places across the UK.

(A dolly doesn't have handles - it is just a platform with wheels. Trolleys, by contrast, are the same thing but with handles. They are also available for rent for removals.)

Using the equipment is easy: lift the sofa onto the dolly, use moving straps to secure it; and then simply roll it to the vehicle.

Consider the practicality/implications of this if the sofa has to go downstairs - remove the dolly and add some pairs of hands.

If the stairwell is too narrow, or an impractical shape like a spiral staircase, consider taking the sofa out another way, like a window, especially if the sofa can´t be broken down to smaller parts.

The Slider Alternative

Furniture sliders are primarily useful for sliding sofas across flat floors like tiles or hardwood rather than carpet.

They should be positioned under the settee legs (or their normal position if removed). This makes pushing easier.

Getting ready to move the sofa

It seems madness to clean a sofa just at the point of moving, putting it in a dusty van etc. But whilst it may also need cleaning on arrival, especially if it's not going directly to its new home, and being stored, for example, a good clean now will allow a good inspection and assessment of whether it's worth moving, any repairs that may be needed, and prevent stains fixing or mould developing.

Always follow the manufacturer's instructions, of course. The basic principles of this clean are:

·   vacuum and clean any upholstery;

·   wash and dry, or dry clean, any loose covers;

·   clean and dry any exposed metal parts

·   clean any leather with an appropriate cleaner.

Your mission is to ensure everything is thoroughly clean and dry before the move. Mould loves damp and dirt, and even a tiny bit of dirt can grow into a stain.

Disassemble the Sofa

 If you can take large furniture apart, moving will usually prove easier, to say nothing of safer.

Sectional sofas seem to have the most impossible shapes, but it's normal to be able to separate the sections from each other, making removal easier.

For sofa beds, remove the mattress and pack it separately in a mattress bag.

If cushions come off (are not sewn on) wrap them, and any arm rests, separately for the move. If the move is a quick one, it's possible to use plastic for wrapping, but if the cushions will be any time in wrapping beyond a short move, use a natural fabric to wrap them (to avoid mould, which plastic can help breed) but keep off dust and dirt. An alternative is a packing box or a furniture bag.

If the piece allows it, unscrew the legs. This makes the sofa smaller to move, and less likely to catch on door posts or other furniture/obstacles. Wrap the legs well to protect them -moving paper or fabric will both help protect from bumps. Be sure to put the legs, along with any screws or fittings in a separate plastic bag, into a bag or box and mark it well with ´contents´. As far as possible, try and keep this/these with the sofa during the move.

Use moving blankets secured with packing tape to cover the main body of the sofa. Try to avoid other types of tape which can harm certain materials. Ensure the blankets are clean before using. Finally, cover it in thick plastic wrap, or a tarpaulin, taped securely in place to avoid catches and rips. If the sofa is broken down, wrapping pieces individually will make it easier to move.

Create extra padding for the armrests, and for any corners, with cardboard, extra furniture blankets or even an old (but clean) quilt.

Moving the Sofa

Make sure the sofa, as a larger piece of furniture, is one of the first pieces to be moved.

As the way has been measured, the moving team should know the route they´re taking before lifting anything, and what will be needed to pass the sofa through, be it tipping the sofa, taking off doors etc.

Make sure this exit route is clear of obstacles such as furniture, vases, boxes, toys. Ensure children and animals are safely out of the way. Keep an eye out for hanging ceiling lamps (tie them up out f the way and remove fragile parts if necessary), and remove pictures from walls.

Where possible, try to slide the couch rather than lift it. Warn helpers to take breaks whenever needed, to avoid strains and injuries. For the same reason, to avoid injury, remind them to lift using their legs, using their core, and not to bend or lift with their backs (keeping their back straight).

Onto the Removal Van/Lorry

If the removal vehicle has no ramp, ´tip´ the sofa in, inclining it a few feet at a time and then lifting the remaining part onboard.

To avoid damage to its inners, avoid moving the sofa placed upright (on its arms), .

Once onboard, ensure it´s properly secured so it doesn't move and get damaged during transportation.

Reassembly

Reassemble the item as soon as it is in it's new 'home'. In storage, it's unlikely to be moved around much, but once it's in it's new spot, assemble as soon as possible. Homes are busy places, especially after a move, and ensuring that the piece is assembled as soon as possible will reduce the risk of losing any parts or fixtures.

Self-storage

There are numerous reasons to use self-storage during a move from an old home to a new one, including storage to cover delays between moving out and moving in or storing anything not immediately necessary when moving.

For storage in the North West of England and in Wales, Pink Storage offers good quality, reasonably priced, clean, secure storage. Whoever you choose to help you move - or to store  with - may we wish you every success with moving from one place to another.