Pre-Planning for a safe delivery

Determine which entrance to your home has the easiest access to the room where the items are going. Consider entrances with larger clearances, such as patio and garage doors, and even large windows. If you live in an apartment or condo building, check to see if you have access to a service entrance.

Measure Your Home

Doorways and Hallways

Measure the height and width of doorways and hallways. Account for handrails, doorknobs, trim, and hinges that can't be removed and include those in your measurements. Also measure the entry clearance of all doors (the space between the door and the nearest wall or immovable object). Interior doors can be removed and reattached if necessary.

Stairways

Begin by measuring the width of the stairway, including handrails in the measurements if you will not be removing them. Measure the width and depth of any landings. If the top or bottom of the stairway leads to a wall, instead of an open room, measure the distance from the stairs to the wall. Finally, measure the ceiling height in three locations:
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• From the bottom step to the ceiling.

• If applicable, from landings to the ceiling.

• From the top step to the ceiling.

Elevators

If you will be using an elevator to deliver the furniture, be sure to measure it as well. Measure both the height and depth of the elevator door, as well as the interior height, width, and depth. Also, measure diagonally from the bottom center of the door opening to the back ceiling. Account for handrails and lights within the elevator, as they cannot be removed.

Clear a Pathway

Common obstacles to an easy furniture delivery are removable objects that weren't considered before the delivery. Take note of the following items in the path of your furniture delivery: light fixtures, wall art, area rugs, and more. Also, be sure to account for any immovable objects in your path, including fire sprinklers, angled or low ceilings, handrails, and more.

Measure the items you were planning to purchase.

Measure the length, width, and height of all furniture pieces. Also measure the diagonal depth (DD) of sofas, sectional pieces and chairs. For bookcases, entertainment centers, armoires, and other tall pieces of furniture, measure the diagonal height (from the bottom left corner to the top right corner).

Compare Your Measurements

The width and height of your furniture piece should both be less than the widths and heights of the doorways and hallways in your home. The diagonal height of a bookcase or other tall piece of furniture should be less than the doorway or hallway dimensions. The diagonal depth of a sofa or chair should be less than the width of any doorway or hallway in your home.