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Guide

How to plan your furniture layout before you move

Updated

Measure each piece of furniture you’re taking, get a floor plan of the new home, draw it to scale, then place the biggest pieces first, keeping walkways and door swings clear. It takes an evening and saves paying to move furniture that won’t fit. Here’s the process step by step.

1. Measure your furniture

Go room by room and measure every piece you’re taking: width, depth and, for tall or bulky items, height. Write it down as you go, one line per piece. Measure the widest points, including handles, feet and arms.

Sofa 210 x 95 cm
Armchair 85 x 85
Double bed 4ft6 x 6ft3
Wardrobe 100 x 60
Dining table 160x90
Desk 140 x 70 cm

Any units are fine, and you can mix them. If you’re not sure of a size yet, use typical furniture sizes as placeholders.

2. Get the floor plan of the new home

The listing’s floor plan is the quickest starting point: a screenshot from Rightmove, Zoopla, Zillow, realestate.com.au or the agent’s brochure. Listing plans are usually close but not exact, so if you can visit, measure the rooms that matter most: the living room walls, bedroom alcoves, and any gap you want a particular piece to fill.

Don’t forget the doors and stairs. A sofa that fits the room still has to get through the front door and round the hallway.

3. Draw the plan to scale

Draw each room at its real size, then add doors (with the direction they swing), windows, radiators and fixed units like kitchen worktops and built-in cupboards. In movinghouse.app you can also upload the listing plan and let AI trace it, then correct anything it got wrong.

4. Place the big pieces first

Start with what has the fewest options: beds, sofas, wardrobes, the dining table. Leave walkways of at least 75 cm (30 in), keep door swings clear and leave room to open drawers and wardrobe doors. Our guide to space around furniture has the common rules of thumb.

5. Decide what doesn’t come with you

The plan makes the hard decisions easier. If the second armchair doesn’t fit anywhere, sell or donate it before the move, not after you’ve paid to move it. Fewer items can also mean a smaller van or a cheaper quote.

6. Share the plan with your movers

Send a read-only link to your partner, family or removal company, or print it. Label each room clearly, and label your boxes to match. On the day, tape a copy of the plan by the front door so everyone knows where each piece goes.

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