One of the most exciting parts of renovating is picking furniture and arranging it. Well, maybe not everyone enjoys assembling the furniture, but seeing the final result is satisfying and worth the hassle.
But did you know arranging furniture does not only happen when you move to a new house or apartment? You can rearrange your sofas, shelves, and appliances as much as you want.
Before lifting your sofa, you must plan where to move it and how to put it there.
Part of the planning is measuring the entrance and estimating the size and weight of the sofa. You must anticipate if you need to rotate the furniture at a certain angle to fit the entrance.
Keeping this in mind, here are several ways to move your sofa upstairs:
- Moving a couch with another helping hand.
- Using a hand truck or dolly.
- Disassembling the sofa.
- Hiring movers.
This article covers several different ways of moving your couch upstairs.
How To Move Your Couch Upstairs
We all face problems moving large furniture because our houses have different structures.
It is easier to move large couches if your rooms are spacious or you have double doors. However, it gets complicated for smaller rooms and single doors.
However, it is not impossible.
1. Moving a Couch With Another Helping Hand
Trying to move the couch yourself is very tempting when you’re fond of DIY home improvement projects. However, it is not advisable to carry the sofa alone.
To avoid damage and accidents, get at least one assistant. It’s much safer and easier to get help. Getting another helping hand is better if you move large couches that will not fit a dolly.
Step-by-step instructions on how to move your couch upstairs with no other tools:
- Before moving the couch, plan how to accomplish the task and inform your assistant. Then, give brief instructions to your helper.
- Using a meter tape, measure your couch’s length, width, and height.
- If the building has any, you must also measure the parts of the house that the couch will travel to, including the doorway, staircase, or elevator.
- Estimate the measurement and see if your couch will fit the stairs.
- Remove any throw pillow, sofa cover, or accessories attached to your couch.
- Wrap your sofa with any blanket to protect it from any damage.
- Plan the angle to move your couch up. Be careful not to hit other furniture.
- The stronger person must carry the sofa from the bottom, and the other person should be at the top, directing where the sofa will go.
2. Using a Hand Truck or Dolly
Using a hand truck or dolly only works for small or medium-sized couches. It will be harder to use if you have a very large couch.
The general rule when using a hand truck is not to use it for furniture that is way taller than the dolly.
Step-by-step instructions on how to move your couch upstairs with a hand truck or dolly:
- Plan the move carefully, and know the couch’s measurements. Then, give brief instructions to your helper.
- Measure the parts of the house that the couch will travel to, including the doorway, staircase, or elevator.
- After estimating the measurement, decide whether your couch will fit the stairs.
- Remove any throw pillow, sofa cover, or accessories attached to your couch.
- Wrap your sofa with any blanket to protect it from any damage.
- Position the sofa upright to the hand truck or dolly.
- The stronger person should push the dolly from below the stairs, while the other person should pull the dolly up from the top.
3. Disassembling the Sofa
After estimating the measurement of the sofa and doors, if you realize it won’t fit, another option is to disassemble the sofa. It will take more time, but with patience and proper techniques, you can take it apart and reverse the process to the new room.
For unique and unconventional couches, it is always best to refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines to avoid mistakes in disassembling.
How to disassemble a sofa:
- Remove the upholstery from the framework. If the seats are not permanently attached to the sofa, you can easily remove them.
Some upholstery is glued in place. If you are unsure how to reassemble them, it might be better to call a professional. - Turn the sofa upside down, and detach the arms and legs by removing the screws and bolts. A regular screwdriver will work, but it’s more efficient to use an automatic screwdriver.
- Keep any upholstery you want to keep and dispose of the old ones you want to replace.
4. Hiring Movers
Consider disassembling the sofa if your couch won’t fit the door or is too heavy to be carried.
Unfortunately, not everyone has the time to disassemble a couch and put it back together. However, if all else fails, you can hire a professional who can come in and help.
You can look for professional sofa movers nearby. They may even offer upgrade services like cleaning or changing your upholstery.
Do not move a piece of heavy furniture alone. Instead, get some help to avoid accidents and damage, such as:
- Body injuries.
- Furniture or floor damage.
- Additional costs from the damage.
Summary
- Moving a large couch upstairs alone is not recommended without another helping hand or tools. Have at least one helper to avoid accidents and damage to your couch.
- Before moving the couch, plan how to execute it by measuring the furniture and the location it will travel to.
- Use a hand truck or dolly to move a small to a medium-sized couch.
- Before disassembling a couch, ensure you know how to reverse the process.
- If all else fails, hire a professional sofa mover to move your couch, clean it, or change your upholstery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Easiest Way To Move a Couch Upstairs?
The easiest way to move a couch upstairs is by using a hand truck. A hand truck has a platform and can be tilted backward. Additionally, you can use furniture sliders while mounting your couch to a hand truck to protect your floor from scratches and damage.
How Do You Move a Couch Upstairs?
If you are moving large couches, get another helping hand and use a hand truck or a dolly. You can also disassemble the couch if it doesn’t fit the door. If all else fails, hire a professional mover.
How Do I Move My Couch Through Narrow Stairs?
Use a hand truck or dolly when moving your couch upstairs instead of carrying it by hand. It’s also best to get a helping hand or two. The stronger carrier should be at the bottom to hold the weight of the couch, while the other should be at the top to navigate which way to go.