Moving tips: How to wrap a sofa for moving

Moving flats or houses? Doing so isn’t as simple as changing your address. Moving large, bulky furniture like a sofa can be a laborious task, especially if you’re unsure where to start. 

Protecting your couch is crucial to prevent tears, scuffs, and dirt during transport. If you want to DIY this but would like to know how to wrap a sofa for moving using professional techniques, then keep scrolling. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to help you keep your belongings safe. 

What you’ll need to wrap a sofa

Gather the following materials for this sofa wrapping task:

• 600mm x 10m Corrugated cardboard paper roll

• 600mm x 10m Bubble wrap roll

• Phillips or flat driver

• Allen key (Optional)

• Scissor 

• Non-slip gloves 

• Measuring tape

• Shrink wrap or sofa bags (2m x 3m)

• Furniture moving straps

• Furniture blankets or moving blankets

• Packing tape

• Furniture dolly

• Marker 

How to prepare your sofa for wrapping

To make the task easier, make sure to check and prepare all you’ll need before you begin the wrapping process. Here are some helpful tips:

• Measure all the entrances first to ensure your current sofa will fit through and into your new property during moving or its final spot in the room. 

• Gather the couch plastic wrap, furniture pads, marker, packing tape, and other essentials mentioned above, as well as moving straps, to make wrapping much easier and faster. 

• Have moving boxes ready for storing detachable parts, like arms and legs, and throw pillows. You can also use corrugated cardboard if you don’t have moving boxes on hand. 

• Use a marker to label the boxes clearly, and small plastic bags with small hardware. You can tape the plastic bag to the main sofa frame or place it inside the sofa as you bag it or use a moving box so they don’t get separated. 

• Allow a couple of hours for this task. Completion time may vary based on your sofa’s size and how difficult it is to disassemble and wrap. Do this task when you’re not pressed for time. 

Step-by-step: How to wrap a sofa for moving

Follow these five easy steps to learn how to wrap and cover a sofa for moving.

Step 1: Measure the sofa and entrances

Accurate furniture measurements help streamline the moving process. (Source: iStock)

Before wrapping your sofa, you need to measure its dimensions. Using a measuring tape, get the dimensions of your sofa and the areas it will have to pass through to get to its destination. Measure the narrowest width of the sofa from the top of the side arm to the base. Do not include the detachable feet. 

For example, you must note the measurements of your door frames, hallways, driveways, etc., where your sofa will be carried. Also, consider the available space of the vehicle you will use for transport. Is it a van or a truck? This is to ensure it can fit in the moving vehicle.

Step 2: Disassemble the sofa

Assembling a sofa frame as part of furniture preparation for moving. (Source: iStock)

Prep your sofa before the move by disassembling it. Doing this will avoid damage to its protruding parts and allow access to tighter spaces, especially when it passes through door frames or hallways. 

Start by removing cushions, covers, armrests, arms, and the rest of the detachable parts of the sofa, if any. Next, wrap smaller parts together by group using a shrink wrap, place them in a box and label the box clearly. You can also put other parts, such as nails, screws and bolts, in a plastic bag or zip lock and put them in the same box.

If you have a sectional or modular sofa, detach each section from the others. For sofa beds, you don’t need to remove the mattress, as they’re usually already fixed in place. However, if yours comes with a detachable mattress, remove it from the sofa and store it in a mattress bag.

Cushions and covers can also be placed in a separate box or moving bag to protect them. If they don’t fit, you can use bubble wrap, corrugated cardboard and shrink wrap to cover them.

Step 3: Wrap the sofa

Protecting a couch with plastic covering before transportation. (Source: iStock)

First, cover your sofa with furniture blankets. These are the best sofa covers for moving house as they offer significant padding. Then, use bubble wrap to wrap around your sofa, taping the top securely in place. Lastly, add a layer of corrugated cardboard on top for extra cushioning. The blankets, bubble wrap, and cardboard are thick and well-padded enough to help protect your prized furniture from getting torn, scuffed up, or scratched. 

Ensure that every part of the furniture is properly covered and well-protected, especially the corners. Then, securely wrap the sofa in plastic or a wrapping material, such as a sofa bag. This results in a sofa wrapped in plastic, providing a strong barrier against moisture and dirt.

How about if you have a white or light-coloured couch? Make sure your furniture blankets are clean. If not, you can use a plastic stretch wrap or bubble wrap as the first layer and then proceed with blankets as the second layer before adding your cardboard as the third layer. Protect it and keep everything in place by covering it with shrink wrap or sofa bag as the fourth layer. A properly shrink-wrapped sofa is much easier to transport safely.

For the armrests, use extra padding for these parts and on the corners. Do this by using bubble wrap, corrugated cardboard pieces or furniture blankets. If you ever feel overwhelmed, hiring a professional to assist with the packing. 

Lastly, if you have someone else to help you, turn the sofa upside down or turn it vertically on its back to gain access to its feet and unscrew the legs  using a screw driver or Allen key if they are detachable.

Step 4: Move the sofa

Safely moving a sofa inside a new home. (Source: iStock)

Now that you know how to wrap a sofa, it’s time to move it! Seek help from others to position the sofa vertically. Moving it to this position allows for easier manoeuvering, especially when it passes through narrow hallways and tight corners, making the task of moving heavy sofa furniture much simpler.

In any case, the easiest way to do this step is to use a furniture dolly. They sit low on the ground and have four durable castors. Have a helper tilt the sofa to one side, ensuring the smallest width is facing the door then slide the dolly underneath the sofa. Secure it to the dolly using furniture or moving straps. 

Slowly but surely, push the dolly carrying the sofa to the vehicle. While doing so, watch for low-hanging lights, tight corners, and narrow doorways.

Do you need to move the couch upstairs or downstairs? Make sure to wear a non-slip glove to hold the sofa securely while moving. You will need assistance with heavy lifting, as the dolly is not suitable for stairs. Consider the weight of the couch to estimate how many people you will need as assistants. Make sure to keep your back straight & lift with your knees when carrying heavy sofas to avoid injury.

Alternatively, you may need to move the sofa through your window or balcony if your staircase is too narrow. This can be very dangerous to do alone, so it’s best to call a friend or hire professional movers to help with the move.
 

Step 5: Load and unload the sofa

Movers carefully load a wrapped sofa into a moving van. (Source: iStock)

Trucks allow for the easiest loading of bigger items like a sofa. Most trucks usually come with ramps or hydraulic lifts, allowing you to wheel the sofa onto the lift straight into the truck. 

However, if you don’t have a truck, you can hire van services as an alternative. Just make sure to use the furniture straps again to tie it down so that it won’t move around during transport. 

Once you’re in your new place, unload the sofa and carry it to its new position. You can measure the pathway where you’ll assemble it to ensure carrying it inside will be a breeze. Then, unwrap and reassemble the sofa for your use!

Final steps: Hire a pro for a safe and efficient sofa move

Remember the important steps outlined above–measure, disassemble, wrap, move, and load–when moving your sofa. However, when moving heavy furniture such as a sofa, you will need materials and equipment that will make the moving safe and secure and will prevent untoward accidents. 

Your safest option is to hire a professional such as a sofa removal expert or professional movers to help move your apartment furniture or house furniture when relocating. Book a professional through Airtasker now!