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Start by removing any obstacles in the moving path, such as side tables, lamps, or other furniture. If your couch has legs, unscrew them. Measure the couch and the stairway to ensure you have enough room; if it seems unlikely, examine the shape and size of the couch and decide whether it might fit better up the stairway and through doorways on its side, held diagonally, or moved in an upright position.

Consider putting the sofa on a dolly to go up the stairs. It should be able to fit upright on a standard dolly with wheels. You’ll still need to lift the dolly—with the couch on it—up the stairs, but it will reduce the physical strain. The person holding the dolly should pull the couch up, while the helper should be on the other side, keeping the couch secure and steady.

If you don’t have a dolly, the person in front should lift the couch slightly higher than the person in the back to create more stability. The person in the back should also be the stronger mover, as most of the weight will be distributed there.

To move a couch through a narrow doorway, first measure the couch and the doorway to ensure it will fit. For a close fit, you can create more space by removing the interior door; tap out the hinge pins with a nail and shift the door sideways to remove it from its hinges. You may need to turn the couch on its side or move it in separate pieces, if possible. Using furniture sliders can also help you slide the couch through the doorway.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how far you can move your house. Interstate moves will involve additional permits and regulations, with some states having different requirements than others. The most important factor relating to the distance you can move a house is the route that has to be taken to get there. In areas with narrow, winding roads, hilly terrain, and low-clearance bridges, it can be very difficult and expensive to move a home long distances.

The lowest-cost days to move are Monday through Thursday. Many people move on weekends for convenience, so weekdays are often more affordable for hiring movers or renting a moving truck. Ask your local moving company if they offer any discounts for certain times of the year or days of the week.