Tips for Moving Up and Down Stairs

Moving furniture up or down stairs is one of the biggest challenges of moving. Stairways can be narrow, have corners you’ll have to navigate, and require one person to lift the high end of furniture while another person lifts the low end. All these things make it difficult to maneuver, whether you’re dealing with outside stairs in an apartment building or indoor stairs in the home. For indoors, you should also take measures to make sure that both your furniture and the stairs aren’t damaged. To make your next move involving stairs as safe as possible, follow these tips.

Measure Twice, Lift Once

Before you even attempt to move anything up or down stairs, you need to know what dimensions you’re dealing with and how much room have. This means you should measure the furniture that is going to be moved, as well as the width and height you’ll have to work within the stairwell. Naturally, you’ll want to disassemble any furniture that can be taken apart to make the job easier, but if that’s not an option, you’ll want to know what sort of space you’re working with so you have a plan going in.

The Right Equipment Makes the Job Easier

Having the right equipment to make moving easier is tremendously helpful, and perhaps nowhere is this truer than when stairs are involved. A hand truck with straps is ideal for shifting many items up or down stairs (especially up) since the wheels allow you to slide an item on the stairs one by one if needed. Be sure to use the straps if you’re using a dolly to avoid tipping, which can be a serious safety hazard.

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Indoor Stairs Need Protection

If the stairs you have to contend with are in your home, you’re going to want to take some steps to protect them. Furniture can cause a lot of dings and scratches, especially when it’s being moved up or down through a narrow area without a lot of room for error. The protective covering should be used on stairs, walls, and banisters just to provide an extra layer of protection. It’s important to remember, however, that what you use on the floor needs to be non-slip and firmly secured so that it doesn’t contribute to an accident.

Warp Furniture to Protect It

Just as stairs and walls need some protection, your furniture will too. In fact, covering your furniture helps protect both because it provides two layers or protection should you bump, nudge, or lose your grip on something on the stairs. Take special care with anything that has glass, and it doesn’t take a direct hit to cause damage. A good, padded blanket should do the job and you can add a layer of bubble wrap underneath if you’re dealing with something really delicate.

Consider Hiring Movers

And finally, if you’ve got a real challenge on your hands such as stairs that have a corner partway up, or difficult-to-relocate items, you should consider hiring haulers. They’re experienced in handling tricky corners and the up-and-down lifting of stairs and can be hired for just that portion of the move if you prefer. In other words, you can hire haulers just for the labor portion and not pay the higher cost of a full-service move.