Before ordering large furniture for an apartment, check the entire delivery route and the dimensions of what will actually arrive. A piece can fit comfortably in its final room while its package cannot negotiate the building entrance, lift or final turn.
Use your measurements to prepare a clear access note for the retailer or delivery provider. The note helps them assess the route and identify questions. It does not guarantee that a heavy or awkward item can be carried through a particular opening.
Establish what is being delivered
Find the delivered form of the furniture: assembled, partly assembled, flat-packed or split into several components. Keep that information separate from the product’s finished dimensions.
Ask for package dimensions and weights when they are not available on the product page. If there are several packages, record each one or obtain the retailer’s package list. The longest package and the heaviest package may be different, and both can affect delivery planning.
Do not assume that legs, arms or other parts can be removed. Ask which components the delivery team is authorised and equipped to remove, whether unpacking occurs before entry and what service you need for assembly. These details depend on the product and provider.
If you are still deciding whether the piece earns its space, start with furniture that is worth having in a small apartment. This access check comes once you have a specific product or a short list to investigate.
Trace the route from the actual delivery entrance
Walk the likely route from the building’s delivery entrance to the final room. Include shared doors, corridors, level changes, lift lobbies and the apartment entrance. Do not begin the check at your own front door if the furniture must first cross several shared spaces.
Number the main points on a simple route sketch. “1: lobby entrance; 2: turn beside lift; 3: lift opening” creates a reference you can match to measurements and photographs. A sequence is easier for someone else to follow than a collection of unrelated pictures.
IKEA’s Portugal delivery guidance specifically asks customers to check doorways, halls, stairs and lifts. That supports checking the whole route; the service details on that page are country-specific and should not be treated as terms for another retailer or location.
If the building has a designated delivery entrance or service lift, confirm that it can be used for your delivery. A route that physically exists may still require a booking or arrangement with the building manager.
Measure openings as they will be used
Record the clear width and height of door openings, noting anything that reduces the usable space. Measure the opening available with the door in its normal permitted position rather than quoting the nominal size of the door leaf.
Include fixed obstructions in your notes: projecting handles, trim or a handrail near an opening. If you are unsure how to measure a particular obstruction, photograph it and ask the provider what dimensions would help their assessment.
Room & Board’s measuring-for-delivery guide highlights doorway and hallway measurements and obstructions such as handrails, doorknobs and trim. Use the retailer’s own measuring instructions for the item you are considering when available.
Record units immediately and use the same units for the product and route comparisons. Keep an uncertain reading labelled as uncertain. Rounding a tight opening upward to make the comparison look comfortable defeats the purpose of checking it.
Look beyond the opening to the next turn
After each doorway, ask where the item would have to go next. A long package passing through a door may immediately face an opposite wall or a sharp corner. The width of the doorway alone does not describe that manoeuvre.
Note the corridor width, the distance to the opposing wall and the direction of the next turn. A rough plan view can explain this better than a photograph taken straight through the doorway, which may hide the confined space to one side.
For stairs, document the landings and relevant overhead restrictions as well as the flight itself. Measure only from a safe, stable position. If obtaining a dimension would require climbing or leaning into a hazardous position, leave it for an appropriate assessment.
Do not use a single diagonal calculation as proof that furniture will fit. The item’s three-dimensional shape, permitted orientation, packaging and the room needed to handle it all matter. Present the dimensions to the delivery provider rather than turning a rough calculation into a promise.
Treat the lift as more than a door measurement
Record the lift entrance and the cabin’s usable dimensions, along with any restrictions displayed or supplied by the building manager. Also note the approach to the lift and the space available when exiting on your floor.
An item that appears to fit inside the cabin may still be difficult to bring through the opening or turn into the corridor outside. Keep these as separate route points so an assessment does not stop once the cabin dimensions look sufficient.
Ask the building manager about delivery reservations, protective measures and relevant loading rules. Ask the carrier how it assesses weight and access for its team. Do not interpret a lift’s posted capacity as permission to improvise a loading method.
If the lift is unavailable, do not assume stairs automatically become an acceptable alternative. The provider needs to assess that route and confirm whether the booked service covers it before the delivery day.
Prepare a compact access note
The following fictional example shows a useful structure. It deliberately leaves the fitting decision open:
| Item to record | Example note |
|---|---|
| Product | Example cabinet; retailer to confirm packaged dimensions |
| Delivery form | Two packages listed; obtain dimensions and weights for both |
| Route | Shared entrance, corridor turn, service lift, apartment hallway |
| Possible restriction | Door followed by a short space before a right turn |
| Evidence | Opening measurements, plan sketch and numbered photos attached |
| Building arrangement | Service lift booking to be confirmed |
| Question for carrier | Can this product be delivered through this route under the selected service? |
Your real note should include the actual measurements. Keep product information and route information clearly labelled so nobody mistakes a package width for a doorway width.
Photographs should show the relevant space without exposing more of the building than necessary. Avoid including neighbours, access codes, keys or personal documents. Share the access information through the retailer or carrier’s appropriate channel.
Confirm what the delivery service includes
Ask where the selected service ends: a building entrance, the apartment threshold or a room inside. Check the terms for stairs, unpacking, assembly and packaging removal if those services matter to you.
Request clarification before paying when the wording is ambiguous. “Home delivery” alone may not tell you who is responsible for moving the package from a shared lobby to your apartment. Keep the confirmation with the order information so you can refer to the same agreed details later.
If a provider needs an access assessment, ask what it requires and whether that assessment has been completed. Sending photographs is not the same as receiving confirmation that somebody has reviewed them.
Also establish what happens if access proves unsuitable. Check the actual order terms for failed delivery, return or rebooking arrangements. Avoid assuming a universal policy; the relevant answer belongs to the retailer and service you are using.
Prepare the final room and the route
Once the delivery arrangements are clear, make room for the item and any assembly work included in the service. Keep the route clear while respecting shared access and building rules. Do not prop open fire doors or remove building fixtures to create an improvised route.
Think about packaging and existing furniture as well as the new piece. If the old item must move first, arrange that step so the delivery does not arrive to a room with nowhere to place anything.
For the eventual layout, see making a small apartment feel bigger. For keeping temporary items from taking over the route, see organisation systems for small apartments.
Recheck the route if something changes before delivery, such as building works or a lift outage. Inform the provider promptly rather than relying on an assessment of conditions that no longer exist. A useful access check ends with clear information and confirmed arrangements, not just a tape measure put back in a drawer.