This viral Amazon find might just have solved the most annoying thing about laying a rug under furniture

Perfectly laid, flat rugs every time - even under furniture like sofas and beds

a rental home designed by the novogratz
(Image credit: Novogratz)

I'm in the middle of switching up the rugs in my home, and have come to realize something – trying to put a rug under a sofa or a bed is job for more than two people, and for one person it's impossible. 

If you follow rug placement rules as slavishly as I do, putting down a rug means your sofa legs (at least the front ones) always sit on top of the rug, while in a bedroom, I'm partial to a full-size rug under the entirety of the whole bed. But when it comes to trying to lay the rug, and maneuver the furniture on top of it, I've come to think it's a pretty impossible task unless you've got a small army of people at your disposal. 

The result: bunched-up rugs that never quite sit perfectly. The shape of the rug might end up distorted, or the edges won't sit flat – whatever the symptoms, you're sure to find me on my hands and knees trying to push out creases, vainly trying to get it to sit pretty. 

However, I might just have come across the viral Amazon buy that is the solution to my rug problems. 

How do I stop my rug from bunching? 

A post shared by Paola Medina (@mywellihousedecor)

A photo posted by on

On a scroll through Instagram, I came across this viral post by user Paola Medina (@mywellihousedecor) for a clever way to easily switch rugs under furniture like a bed or couch. 

This product is technically a 'ceramic tile lifter', which you can find on Amazon, but  Paola showcases how she uses it to jack up furniture so that she's hands-free and can easily lay the rug underneath before gently lowering the couch or bed back into place. 

It's had nearly two million views, so it seems plenty of people out there struggle with the same rug problems I do! 

However, at nearly $50 for a set, it's not a cheap solution to the problem, necessarily, especially a problem that doesn't come around too often. 

So what can you do instead to stop your rug bunching? The solution that I ended up choosing was a little different to Paola's jacks - and a little less expensive, though it depends on the size of your rug. 

While rug tape, like this one from Amazon, is great for stopping the edges of a rug from sliding once laid, it doesn't necessarily stop bunching from heavy furniture legs. Instead, look for a rug liner, similar to this one from Amazon. This can be laid before you lay your rug down, and once you move the furniture back on top, it won't move an inch. 

There's a downside - you really need to completely move your sofa or bed out of the way to do this (unless you've invested in a pair of Paola's furniture lifters), which can be tricky if you're trying to lay a rug in a small bedroom or small living room

For my own home, and it's small bedroom where it's almost impossible to move the bed, these furniture lifters make total sense. I might just put an order in for a pair now...

Hugh Metcalf
Editor of Livingetc.com

Hugh is the  Editor of Livingetc.com. From working on a number of home, design and property publications and websites, including Grand Designs, ICON and specialist kitchen and bathroom magazines, Hugh has developed a passion for modern architecture, impactful interiors and green homes. Whether moonlighting as an interior decorator for private clients or renovating the Victorian terrace in Essex where he lives (DIYing as much of the work as possible), you’ll find that Hugh has an overarching fondness for luxurious minimalism, abstract shapes and all things beige. He’s just finished a kitchen and garden renovation, and has eyes set on a bathroom makeover for 2024.