Moving Your Couch: Tips to Avoid Back Pain and Damage

Whether you are moving homes or just rearranging the living room, knowing how to move the couch is a safe manner for your back and your floors will help everyone involved.
How To Move A Couch Like A Pro

Table of Contents

Read on if you want in-depth info on how to move your couch in a way that won’t cause injury to your back or your floors. We walk you through how to measure the door ways, couch, and hallways so you can figure out how to maneuver it through and into your new abode.

Moving Your Couch Without Damage: A Guide From Couch Moving Pros

Moving a couch can be tricky! Not only is a couch awkward and heavy, but it also needs careful maneuvering to avoid scratches, tears, or damage to the furniture your toes, and your walls. Whether you’re moving to a new home, rearranging your room, or simply helping a friend out, this guide will walk you through how to move a couch easily!

Why It’s Not Stupid Simple

Due to it’s size and weight, couches are oddballs to move, especially if they have features like reclining mechanisms or sectional pieces. The shape of the couch makes it hard to fit through doors, stairways, and tight hallways too adding to the fun.

With the knowledge movers have and some proper planning, you can move your couch with no hassle and without damaging your home or furniture. You might need to buy a few beers for all your helpers though!

Let’s Break Things Down Step By Step

Before you even think about lifting the couch, here are the steps you need to take:

1. Measure the Couch and the Doorways

Start by measuring the dimensions of your couch (length, width, and height) and compare that with the dimensions of the doorways, hallways, and stairs it will need to pass through. Make sure it won’t get stuck mid-lift.

Here are some tips to guide you:

  • Measure the width of the doorframe. If the couch is wider than the width of the door, you will need to angle it or disassemble parts of the couch like the legs if possible.
  • After you check the height of the doorway understand if the couch will need to be in a vertical position to fit through it.
  • Decide which path the couch will take out of the room and house and make sure there are no obstacles in the way since it is too heavy to have blunders.

2. Moving Supplies Time

You’ll need a few things to move your couch like a pro and not damage it:

  • Furniture sliders: While you can manage without them, having these make moving the couch across the floor so much easier and keep you from damaging your floor.
  • Moving blankets: These protect your couch from scratches and dirt during the move. You’ll also want to use these to protect your walls and doorframes.
  • Straps: This is for securing the couch once it’s lifted into the truck.
  • Plastic wrap: This will keep cushions and loose parts in place. It can also be used to keep sections together.
  • Dolly: A dolly is ideal if you need to move the couch over long distances on flat surfaces. It takes the strain off your back and puts it on wheels.

3. We All Need A Little Help From Our Friends

Moving a couch is not a one-person job, especially if it’s large or heavy, no matter how strong you think you are. You will need two or three people to help you move the couch as a minimum. Each person should be ready to carry one end of the sofa to make sure it doesn’t get damaged.

Disassemble the Couch

It may help to disassemble your couch at least partially for easier handling. Removing cushions, legs, or other detachable parts will lighten the load and make the couch easier to maneuver.

1. Remove Cushions and Pillows

Start by removing any cushions, throw pillows, and covers from the couch. This lightens the load and keeps the cushions from getting lost or dirty during the move. Store these separately and mark where they came from.

2. Detach the Legs

If your couch has removable legs, unscrew them before moving. Most couches have legs that are easy to remove using a screwdriver or simply by swiveling. Removing the legs reduces the risk of damaging them during the move. Trust me, after breaking one leg of my couch I will never be lazy about this again.

3. Separate Couch Sections

It is smart to separate the ouch into pieces if it come apart. Most couches have connectors that allow the pieces to be detached. If your couch doesn’t come apart easily, you might want to take out screws or bolts to split it into smaller, more manageable sections if it won’t fit out your door.

4. Protection

If you’re moving the couch on hard floors, place furniture sliders under the legs or bottom of the couch. These sliders reduce the load, making sliding the couch across the floor easier without causing scratches or marks. For floors made of carpet, use moving blankets underneath the couch to prevent damage and help it to slide better.

Let’s Get To Lifting

Now comes the most physically demanding part: lifting and moving the couch. I hope you’ve been hitting the gym because it’s time to flex those muscles.

Lift With Technique

Make sure everyone is lifting the couch using proper lifting techniques:

  • Bend your knees, not your back: Use your legs to lift, not your back. This is a general rule for life.
  • Keep the couch close to your body: This makes the load feel lighter and keeps you from straining the smaller muscles.
  • Make sure everyone is lifting at the same time to avoid any sudden movements or tipping. Coordination is key.
  • Have someone guiding you who isn’t lifting the couch to help navigate the doorways and tricky parts.

Tight Spaces Tips

  • Angle the couch at a 45-degree angle: This helps it fit through tight spaces more efficiently where you would be shocked you will succeed.
  • Remove door hinges: If the couch won’t fit through a door, take off the hinges to give you extra space.
  • If you’re dealing with a tight hallway or corner, try pivoting the couch instead of pulling it straight through. This method works well for long couches and protects the walls.
  • Be mindful of the walls and put up protectors on the tight spots ahead of time.

Going Up or Down Stairs:

  • Lift with your legs: When carrying the couch up or down stairs, lift with your legs, not your back. Take each stair at a time.
  • Take breaks. If the couch is heavy, don’t rush. Take short breaks to avoid injury to you and the couch.
  • Use a stair-climbing dolly if needed which can help move the couch up and down more quickly.

Moving on Up and Out To The Couch

Yay! Your new couch is out of the old home and into the new one. Now what?

Unwrap and Reassemble the Couch

If you removed the legs or cushions, so lets reassemble the couch. Reattach the legs, put the cushions back on the seat, and add in the throw pillows.

Check for Damage

Before you call it a day, check the couch for any damage. Look for scratches, knicks, or stains. If you notice anything, and where using professional movers, you have evidence for a claim, if you were going at this DIY, then do your best to fix the damage.

Wrap Up That Couch

Moving a couch doesn’t have to be a stressful or painful experience. Understand your space and challenges it will bring to moving the couch. Take to to protect your couch and walls, and use the right techniques to lift and you wont cause damage to your back, the furniture or your home. With the right equipment, a little help from your friends, and some planning, you’ll move your couch just fine!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I move a mattress and box spring safely?

Start by wrapping them in a protective cover or plastic wrap to avoid damage and dirt. Place both the mattress and box spring on a dolly if you have to reduce back issues and make the move easier. If you’re moving the items up a set of stairs, you’ll need another set of hands to lift and navigate the spaces. If you don’t have a mattress bag, you can also use blankets to protect the matress during the move.

What is the cheapest way to move cross country?

The cheapest way to move cross-country depends on your specific needs. Renting a moving truck is generally the cheapest option if you’re willing to handle the driving and packing yourself. Moving containers or freight shipping can also be alright price range-wise for smaller loads.

How can I decrease the cost of my move?

You can reduce the cost of your move by downsizing, decluttering, getting multiple quotes, and booking services in advance. Also, try to move during the off-season for much cheaper rates and no one on the slopes.

How much does it cost to rent a moving truck?

For a cross-country move, renting a moving truck can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 for the rental itself, excluding gas, insurance, and other hidden fees. Costs adjust based on truck size and distance.

Should I disassemble my furniture before moving it?

Yes, disassembling furniture will make it easier to move, especially for bulky items like beds, desks, and sofas. Remove legs from tables or chairs, take apart bed frames, and detach any other removable parts to make the pieces more manageable. Make sure to tape them to the items so nothing gets lost in the frenzy.