vindje.com / Guides / Buying on Marktplaats
For a sofa or wardrobe you have four realistic options: rent a van for a few hours, book a courier that collects from the seller, pay the seller to deliver, or take it apart and use a big car. Before any of that, measure the item and both stairwells, because getting it out and in is usually harder than the drive.
Dutch buildings have steep, narrow stairs with tight turns. Many sofas that fit a living room will not go up a typical Amsterdam or Utrecht staircase. Measure the item's width, depth and height, the narrowest door, and the tightest point on the stairs, including the ceiling height at the turn.
Ask the seller whether the sofa legs unscrew, whether the backrest comes off, and whether a wardrobe can be taken apart. Flat-pack wardrobes like the IKEA PAX can, but chipboard furniture gets weaker every time it is disassembled, and some will not survive it.
A small van (bestelbus) is the cheapest way to move a big item yourself. Car rental companies, car-sharing apps and some DIY stores rent them by the hour or half day. You need a normal car licence (B) for vans up to 3,500 kg.
Book a van, not a car with a trailer, unless you are used to trailers. Bring two straps, a few old blankets and a helper. Check the cargo length: a three-seat sofa often needs about 2.2 m.
Mind parking. In city centres, loading in front of the seller's door can mean a paid zone or a permit area. A quick stop for loading is common, but check the signs and keep someone with the van.
Courier services such as Brenger specialize in collecting items bought online and delivering them, often with one or two people to carry. You enter both addresses and the size, and get a price. Ask whether carrying up stairs is included or costs extra.
The courier collects from the seller, so you need to pay the seller in advance or have them accept payment on delivery. Agree this in writing. A seller with good reviews who will let you see the item on a video call first is the safer setup.
Some sellers have a van or a friend with one and offer delivery for a fee, often written as 'bezorgen mogelijk' (delivery possible). It is the easiest route, since they carry it out and you only carry it in. You pay on delivery, so the gelijk oversteken principle still holds.
When something will not go up the stairs, the Dutch answer is through the window. Many older canal houses have a hijsbalk (hoisting beam) at the top of the facade, and you can rent a verhuislift (furniture lift) with an operator for a few hours. You may need a parking or permit arrangement with the municipality for the lift on the street, so check that in advance.
It costs more than the sofa in many cases. That is a good moment to reconsider a modular or smaller model.
Not everything needs a van. A chair, side table, lamp or small cabinet fits in an estate car with the seats folded, and many Dutch people move items like that on a bakfiets or with a bike trailer, which you can rent in most cities. A taxi with a large boot also works for a single chair or a box of kitchenware.
| Item | Typical asking price |
|---|---|
| Van rental, a few hours, short distance | EUR 40-90 |
| Courier for a sofa within the same region | EUR 45-110 |
| Courier across the country, large item | EUR 80-180 |
| Seller delivery, local | EUR 20-50 |
| Furniture lift with operator, half day | EUR 150-350 |
Rough Marktplaats asking prices in the Netherlands. Condition, age and season move them a lot.
Describe what you want in your own words and vindje.com searches Marktplaats in Dutch, then reads every listing and keeps only the real matches. For example:
Three-seat sofa with removable legs, depth under 90 cm so it fits narrow stairs, under 250 euro, within 15 km of AmsterdamSearch Marktplaats like this
Book a courier that collects from the seller, rent a van by the hour, or ask the seller whether they deliver for a fee.
No, large furniture is not suitable for public transport. Small items like a chair or lamp are a different story.
A normal car licence (category B) covers vans up to 3,500 kg total weight.
Often not. Measure the narrowest turn and ceiling height on the stairs and compare with the sofa's depth and height before you buy.