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.

Deciding whether it's worth it to hire movers depends on your budget, patience, and physical capabilities. It's difficult to gauge the amount of work that moving calls for, and it's easy to be off by about tenfold. 

If you're able to call in some favors and round up friends to help, you might get through it just fine, but if you only have a few hands helping, things can quickly get overwhelming. Either way, bringing in the pros will save considerable time and stress, so if it's within your budget, it's a great investment.

To save your flooring’s finish and to protect yourself from injury, use furniture sliders to move your couch from room to room on the same house level. Double-check that entryways are large enough to pass through. If you need to move a couch up or down stairs, hire a team of movers to help you with this task to avoid damaging your walls or staircase.

If you are hiring professional movers, their company will handle any permits and similar arrangements. But if you are renting a truck to move yourself, you may have to pay permits when moving across state lines or away from a specific city or town. Research your move and its requirements as you plan. Most states, cities, and even rental companies offer useful information about what permits you may need.