Moving Large and Awkward Furniture Safely

People measure the sofa and the doorway and assume that settles it. What actually decides whether a large item fits is the whole route: the tightest turn on the stairs, the height of the ceiling on a landing, the gap between a radiator and a door frame, the width of a porch.

Walk the route at both homes with a tape measure and note the narrowest point. For stairs, the height above the turn often matters more than the width.

Many large pieces were designed to come apart. Sofa feet and arms, bed frames, table legs and flat pack wardrobes all get much easier once dismantled. Keep every screw and fitting in a labelled bag taped to the item it belongs to, so reassembly does not become a hunt.

Some items are not meant to come apart, and forcing them risks breaking joints. If you are unsure, leave it and ask. PHX Services offers furniture moves and can advise on the day.

Most moving damage is to the building rather than the item. Door frames, banisters, newly painted walls and hall floors take the knocks. Wrap corners and legs, cover floors on the route and take pictures down from hallways before large items start moving.

If you are moving into a home you have just decorated, take particular care with the first few loads, which is when rushed carrying tends to happen.

Awkward furniture is heavy in unhelpful ways: the weight sits at one end, or there is nothing to grip. It is the items that cause back injuries, not the boxes. Never carry a heavy item down stairs alone, and agree who calls the moves before you start.

If an item needs more than two people or cannot be gripped safely, it is a job for a crew with the right straps, covers and experience.

Sometimes you are not moving house at all, just one heavy piece: a sofa bought second hand, a piano, a family dresser going to a relative. A dedicated furniture move is often simpler and safer than borrowing a van and a friend.

Tell your mover what the item is, its approximate size and weight, and the access at both ends. A photo of the item and of the stairs saves a lot of guesswork.

Occasionally, despite every measurement, an item simply will not go into the new home. Decide in advance what you would do: sell it, give it to family or clear it. Knowing the answer before the day avoids a lorry waiting while a decision is made on the pavement.