Getting new furniture or moving furniture around can be fun for people who are into design. It’s also nice to replace that old sofa where you can feel the springs coming through the cushions. One of the challenges in replacing or moving furniture can be making it fit.
We can help with that, though. Moving furniture into an RV can be easy with a few precautions taken to protect yourself, the furniture, and the RV.
Among the most important steps in moving furniture through an RV door is to ensure it’s wide enough. You’ll also want to take extra safety precautions, like gloves, though you should probably do that no matter where you are moving! One thing you are going to need for sure is a tape measure – let’s dig in!
Measure the furniture and the door
In many cases, the door to your RV is not as wide as your home door. The average home door frame is 36 inches wide, though some are as small as 32 inches. Many RV doors can be as small as 14 inches but as wide as nearly four feet with rear hatch models.
So our first suggestion is to measure the width of the door. Measure from the insides of the frame. Measure the height too. Since this could involve some twisting and turning, we suggest you measure the door diagonally too.
Measuring the door can give you a very good idea of how much space you really have. You can then measure the furniture too, using the same method. This will help you make a plan as to how to rotate or move the furniture to get it inside.
Boxed Furniture
Boxed furniture might be easier for RV owners. Boxed furniture tends to compress your table, chair, sofa, or other item in a way that makes it easier to get through a door. Why? No legs sticking out, and most people don’t really care if they damage the box itself.
When purchasing furniture, consider asking if it comes in a box or if it comes assembled. While most people do not enjoy the idea of sitting on the ground trying to manually assemble furniture, it can enable you to get the furniture you actually want.
Turn your furniture
Have you ever moved furniture through a house with narrow hallways. Or had a long or tall piece of furniture you wanted to move? The same scenario plays through here.
Consider leaning tall pieces forward or turning long pieces up. You might have to play some games with the movement of your furniture to fit it through the door properly.
This is also a scenario where you are going to want strong arms and legs. You will likely be holding onto the furniture while it’s being turned. Time and weight make furniture hard to carry.
One of the most important elements here is communication. You might be huffing and puffing. Specifically, tell your partner how much you are turning and when to avoid surprising them. Walking up or down your RV stairs makes this especially important given the angle most RVs will force you to move at with a large object.
Wear gloves
Since your outside door and interior doors are not likely as wide as a home, wear some gloves. The last thing you want is to smash your unprotected hand on the inside of a door frame, or get cut and bleed on cloth furniture.
Winter gloves, or really anything can be more helpful than unprotected skin. Your hands could get warm, but even if they get sweaty they won’t loosen your grip if you aren’t directly touching furniture.
Getting hurt while moving furniture can really make it hard to want to keep moving stuff in. Wear gloves the entire time to reduce the risk of injury.
Disassemble
Some furniture can be disassembled completely or partially.
Taking the legs or feet off a long couch can save you some inches and make turning far easier.A file cabinet or table can probably be disassembled.
You’ll need a couple screwdrivers like philips, flathead, and more rarely Torx. Having a small adjustment wrench can also help in case they use metal nuts.
While it can take longer to disassemble furniture, the risk is significantly less. You’ll also reduce the amount of picked to be picked up at one time significantly. Movers could potentially take several small trips instead and use less energy.
Before disassembling, consider taking pictures of the placement of all your hardware. If you have a table or chair, take pictures of the underside to ensure you put the right screws and bolts in the right places.
Don’t push too hard
We aren’t referring to your muscles and bones while carrying your furniture, but we kind of mean that too.
If you are having a hard time getting furniture through the door, don’t push too hard. You don’t want to break the furniture or the door. You could also leave scuffs in either one that are tough to get out.
Use the windows instead
Some RVs have windows that open all the way up.While these are generally more helpful in ventilating your RV, they can also be great for moving items in.
Note that your windows are likely higher up than the bottom of your door frame. Don’t do this if your arms aren’t very strong or you have a bad back.
Avoid problems – get prebuilt furniture
One way of not worrying about door issues is buying furniture built for the RV. Some RVs come with furniture. If you are building an RV or gutting a trailer, it might be wise to place your furniture after laying down your floor. You can then just frame it in.
Your furniture might have secrets
It’s possible that your furniture is more flexible than you think. Craft furniture makers have managed to make sofa beds that fold out. Your couch might have the ability to fold or otherwise have the back slide down.
This is more common in newer, store bought furniture and custom made products. It’s quite convenient to be able to fold furniture without having to disassemble it.
Rear hatch methods
Some RVs have wide opening rear doors. These make it really easy to lift furniture inside. Consult with your RV manual to see if this is possible with yours.
You might end up walking a bit further with furniture, but it should also get inside the RV much easier than going through a side door.
Conclusion
For moving furniture, RVs can be a bit different than a house. The door frame can be smaller and the entrances more narrow.
The plus side is that furniture can be made for RVS. This includes boxed furniture that can be brought in easily and assembled once inside. You can use the same tools you would assemble with to disassemble some pieces of furniture to make them easier to get in.
Furniture shopping and moving can be fun- especially rearranging. Just plan ahead a bit, measure doors and furniture and be prepared for most anything. Get your screwdriver or wrench out too, just in case!
