Measure Doorways for Moving: The 2 to 3 Inch Rule Movers Use

Measure the clear width and height inside the door trim, the furniture’s height, width, depth and diagonal depth, and the tightest point along your moving route, including any hallway or stair landing. The deciding rule is simple: if the furniture’s largest dimension or its diagonal depth is smaller than the tightest clearance minus a 2 to 3 inch safety margin, it will fit. Measure now, or photograph the doorway and route and send the shots to a mover before move day.

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TL;DR:

• Measure the finished opening between interior trim, including height and threshold; removing a door from its hinges can add clearance when the fit is tight.
• Check the full route, especially hallway turns, stair landings, headroom, and approach space, because a narrow landing can block furniture that clears the doorway.
• Measure each furniture piece at its widest, tallest, and deepest points, including protrusions; calculate its tilted diagonal from height and depth, and remeasure after removing parts.
• Photograph tight spots with a tape measure visible and send the images, measurements, and notes about removable parts to movers before move day.

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