How to Choose a Second-Hand Couch That Fits a Small Apartment

A pre-owned or ex-display sofa is among the best purchases you can make for a small apartment. With a quality sofa frame lasting decades, it is possible to buy something considerably cheaper but built much better than most inexpensive new sofas. However, the trick here is getting the size right before you do anything else because there is nothing more frustrating than taking a sofa upstairs three storeys high only to discover it won't fit around your hallway corners.

This guide discusses what second-hand really means, how to measure before buying any piece of furniture, what kinds of styles actually work in small apartments, and how to check a sofa's condition in five minutes or less. You might also want to look at Seconds Furniture.

Second-Hand, Ex-Display or Surplus: What You're Actually Buying

The term "second-hand" includes a variety of options, so it might be useful to compare among them before browsing through them:

• Ex-display (ex-demo) items have been kept in a showroom. They have been tested by customers but not used in people's houses.

• Samples are those pieces produced for showing a certain design or fabric, usually unique items.

• Surplus and boxed stock are brand-new items that have been ordered in excess or simply discontinued by manufacturers.

These kinds of furniture are what we have at Seconds Furniture. All our products have not been repaired and restored; therefore, all their scratches will be photographed and described before the sale of these items. Ex-display and clearance items will be sold as-is, and no refund will be provided; hence, the importance of accurate measurement. Please view our shipping and return policy for further details.

Measure Three Things Before You Start Looking

Your Room

Get the dimensions of the wall or space in which the couch will be placed, but don't forget to allow enough room to walk. As a good rule, allow 45cm between the couch and a coffee table, and at least 75 to 90cm for walkways.

Create a template by marking the outline on the floor with painter's tape or creating an outline of the couch on the floor using newspaper. This is the fastest way to discover if your 200cm couch will cover your room before you leave the store.

The Way In: Doors, Corridors, Stairs & Lifts

This is where mistakes happen when people purchase small apartments. Measure:

• The width and height of every door the sofa needs to pass through, including the front door of the building

• The widths of all corridors, along with any sharp corners or turns

• The width of the stairwell and the place where the stairs turn

• The width and height of the lift door, as well as the interior space of the lift itself

Keep these measurements on your mobile device before you even begin shopping, and take them along when visiting showrooms.

The Couch Itself

Note the listed dimensions: width, depth and height, or use a tape measure yourself. There's one more measurement almost everyone forgets: diagonal depth. Using a ruler or a broomstick, measure from the bottom of the back of the sofa to where the back meets the arm. If the diagonal depth is less than your doorway, the couch can often be tilted through, even if its straight-on depth technically exceeds it.

Couch Styles That Work in Small Apartments

• Apartment-sized sofas and loveseats (around 140–180cm wide) will comfortably sit two without dominating your room.

• Modular sofas have separate components and therefore are easy to move down even a very narrow hallway and easy to reconfigure if you change the room arrangement in the future.

• Sofa beds are worthwhile if you entertain visitors often, yet check how easily they fold.

• A small chaise lounge can replace both the sofa and the armchair, yet it confines the room arrangement to one side of the room.

• Recliners are comfortable, yet pay attention to the necessary clearance behind and in front of them. Wall-hugger style recliners need less clearance behind them.

For more information on the performance of used sofas, Melbourne residents may benefit from reading our guide on used sofas in Melbourne along with this one.

Details That Make a Small Room Feel Bigger

• Slim arms: Narrow or track arms provide you with more space on the seating surface per the total width. Fat rolled arms may take up 20cm of this space.

• High legs: The fact that you see floor space below makes the couch look more lightweight and not as bulky. Removable legs also greatly help at the doorway.

• Lower back rest: Low backs will keep clear sight lines through the room, and it is particularly important for an open-plan flat.

• Less seating depth: 55cm of seating depth is generally enough for most people. Very deep lounge chairs require more space and are uncomfortable for everyone.

• Light-colour fabric: Light or single-tone fabric visually recedes; a busy pattern makes the room look busier.

How to Check a Couch's Condition in Five Minutes

Forget about the cushions and the pictures that list all the furniture's features. Those are simple enough to spot in person when you see the furniture. What you are actually buying is the frame and the support structure.

Frame

Hold up one of the legs on the front of the sofa by about 10 to 15cm from the floor. If the other leg on the front of the sofa is lifted, the sofa is a strong piece of furniture. If it squeaks or twists, or if the other leg remains stable on the floor, then the frame is defective or weak. Strong wooden or plywood frames should be preferred; particle board tends to crack after long use.

Springs & Support

Sit on every seat position, including the outer ones, and apply pressure through the seat deck beneath the cushion with your hand. You're checking for sagging, broken springs, or a solid bar you can feel through the seat. Good zigzag springs or support webbing should feel firm and even. For reclining chairs, test the mechanism a few times and listen carefully for grinding.

Cushions

Feel each cushion by hand to make sure it springs back into shape, rather than remaining compacted. Inspect for squashed foam within the cushions through zips. Reversible covers are definitely a benefit when you have a small and busy living space.

Upholstery and Cosmetic Marks

• Inspect seams, armrests, and the back for scratches, fraying, and pilling.

• View the item in daylight, where it is easier to see fading than in warehouse lighting.

• Figure out which blemishes are ones that don't bother you. A scratch on the back of a sofa that you want to place against a wall will probably be fine.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy

1. Is it ex-display, sample, surplus or boxed stock?

2. What about any marks, and can you show them to me?

3. Does it come apart at the legs, and does the back remove?

4. Is it modular, and if so, how large is the biggest piece?

5. What is the diagonal depth?

6. Will it be delivered to my postcode, and what does delivery to an apartment involve?

What to Expect to Pay

At Seconds Furniture, discounts run up to 84% off RRP depending on the type of item and its condition. Well-made frames and good-quality leathers tend to hold their value particularly well, which is often where the biggest genuine savings are found. Browse the current range in Lounges & Sofas in Sydney or Lounges & Sofas in Melbourne.

Getting It Into Your Apartment

• Book the lift if your building requires one. Find out about lift padding from the building management.

• Take the legs off before moving; detachable back cushions or arms should also be removed.

• Go vertical: Moving the couch vertically is how you would most likely move it through a hallway turn that seemed too difficult before.

• Cover door frames with a moving blanket or moving pad.

Collection will be possible from our Wetherill Park or Epping warehouses, or we can provide you with delivery pricing in your postcode area in New South Wales or Victoria. Look at our current stock at Sydney warehouse stock or Melbourne warehouse stock and let us know about stairs, lift access and tight hallway turns.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size couch is best for a small apartment?
A 2-seater or apartment sofa ranging from 140 to 180cm is suitable for most small living rooms. Take measurements and check the pathway before considering something bigger.

Is ex-display furniture the same as second-hand?
Ex-showroom products have been on the showroom floor and not at people's homes; surplus and box stock items are brand new. Any marks that may exist on our products will be made known to you before the purchase is made, not after.

Can I return a couch if it doesn't fit?
Items which have been displayed or clearance items are being sold as they are, and there are no change-of-mind refunds. It is suggested that customers measure before making any purchase and talk to the warehouse staff before buying. See our shipping and returns policy for details.

What if the couch won't fit through my door?
Consider taking off the legs, turning it on its side, or standing it vertically. In any case, if it's difficult to place, it may be better to go for the modular sofa.