Moving without professional help can seem like a great idea when you initially start. You don’t have a team of people to pay, and you’ll have fewer people underfoot as you try to get everything packed and out of the house. Fewer people are also a perk when you’re trying to cut down on the spread of germs. However, moving heavy and bulky furniture like your couch can be difficult. If you decide against using professionals, here are some tips on how to move a couch by yourself.
1. Remove what you can.
With bulky items like couches, removing any attached items can help make for an easier move. If your sofa has detachable legs, detach them. They don’t make the couch lighter, but they won’t catch on doorways or scratch the floors during your move. If the couch is bolted together (some sectionals are held together this way), disconnect it into separate pieces. Put any screws, nuts or bolts in a labeled bag so you don’t lose any parts.
2. Clean the couch.
Cleaning your couch helps to ensure that dust and mold don’t deteriorate it during its time in storage. For couches that are upholstered in a natural fiber fabric like cotton, use a solvent-based cleaner. If your couch is made of synthetic fiber, a water-based cleaner will do the trick. For leather couches, you can just add a few drops of olive oil to a microfiber cloth and give it a quick wipe down!
3. Wrap the couch.
To protect your couch while you move it, wrap it in a soft blanket or two and then in plastic moving wrap or a tarp. Doing this also makes it a little easier to handle.
4. Use floor sliders.
If you can’t remove the legs or your couch is difficult to lift, try using floor sliders. They’ll protect your floors as well as make the couch easier to slide to where you need it to go. For bulky furniture like this, use oversized sliders. Just lift each end of the couch a little, place a slider under each leg or corner and set it back down. You should be able to push it across the floor without catching on anything or scraping the floor. If you don’t have floor sliders, use a blanket in the same way.
5. Use furniture dollies.
A furniture dolly is a small, square platform made of wood with wheels on the bottom. To move a couch, you’ll need two – one for each end. Like with the floor sliders, lift each end of the couch up (one at a time) and slide a dolly under it, and then slide it across the floor.
6. Plan your route before you pick up the couch.
Depending on where your couch is and where you need to take it, it’s best to plan your path before you lift it. Make sure there are no additional objects in the way that you could trip over – including children and pets. If you can, have someone walk ahead of you to move anything out of the way that you may have missed. You might also want to come up with communication signals before you start so everyone is on the same page.
7. Know your limit.
Couches can be quite heavy, so it’s important to not push yourself beyond your limits. The last thing you want is to deal with an injury. If it feels too heavy to lift, find a Plan B. Also, remember to lift with your legs and core while you squat – never bend or lift with your back.
If you don’t need your couch right away at your new home or are between homes, consider using Crampt as a storage solution! We’ll come pick up your couch at your convenience and store it at our secure storage facility so you never have to leave your home. Our climate-controlled storage space means your items come back to you in their best condition, so you can use your couch right away!
Get a quote on your storage space today!
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