Moving to a new home is exciting, but it can be a bit tricky if you live in a one-level house and now you need to do all the logistics for moving with stairs in a two-story house.
Making all those plans to move your furniture safely around the new layout and not damage the furniture and stairs in the process as well is not as easy as you may think. Thankfully, moving into a new place with stairs can be a lot easier with the right kind of moving supplies and a team of professional movers from Zenith Moving.
However, for all those enthusiasts out there, who want to try to do most things on their own, I will talk about all of the precautions you need to take when you have stairs in your new home. I will also mention some useful tools you can use in the process. This guide will show you how to safely move when you have stairs as an obstacle.
Moving With Stairs Guidebook
Carrying heavy items up and down stairs is a big challenge even for those people who are in avid physical shape. Not only that you must lift heavy and bulky things, but at the same time you need to do it without damaging walls, doors, staircase banisters, or the piece of furniture you are moving. Oh and I almost forgot to mention the most important thing – not hurting yourself or your helper.
At first, this seems easy, then after some time, it seems like a mission impossible. But luckily for you, this doesn’t need to be so complicated if you plan it right and find a few volunteers to give you a helping hand, or back in this case.
A detailed plan is crucial!
Make sure you have enough time to plan this action ahead of time. I suggest that you sit down and carefully think about all the heavy and bulky furniture you have that needs to be relocated. Maybe you don’t need all those chunky items after all.
Anyhow, measure the height, width, and depth of your furniture. Your next move is to measure the width of the stairs, the space around corners, and the distance to the ceiling. You must be sure that your furniture can fit through!
One time I didn’t do that. I bought furniture for my balcony without measuring my staircase. Did I mention that I live in a duplex apartment and that my balcony is on the roof? Now, you all know how this story ends. No, I did not return the furniture, we used ropes and pull it up through the windows. But kids, please don’t do that, be smart and measure!
Be ready to adjust the angle when you move items to make sure that they can go through and down. Of course, if you hire Zenith Moving professionals you won’t be needing to do all that math and heavy lifting.
Anyway, always make sure you have enough people to help you carry down each piece of furniture to avoid injuries. You’ll need at least 3 people to move bulky furniture safely.
Learn how to move safely!
Moving with stairs can end up badly if you didn’t take some time to prepare yourself as well as your helpers, and minimalize the chances of getting injured. There are a few things you need to learn about before lifting that weight. Here is the list of the most important tips you need to remember.
- Proper way to lift – No matter what you are lifting, make sure you bend your knees and lift the weight with your legs and not your back! Having a good grip and standing up slowly is how you avoid injuries. Remember how you lift weights in the gym, the same goes here.
- Angle – The weight of the item you’re carrying is always greater at the lower angle, so naturally, the strongest person should be behind the item to manage the weight, and the weaker one in front to help with guiding.
- Take it slow – Don’t rush, the item you carry can easily get away from your grip and fall to the bottom of the staircase or slam into a wall. But the worst part is that it can injure someone in the process.
- Reposition – Taking time to adjust your grip or the angle is very important this way you will be able to make the turn without damaging the walls and safely land the item on the ground.
Protect your home and stairs from the damage
To minimize damage to your walls and banisters you need to apply some extra precautionary steps. Of course, that dents on the staircases and scuffed walls can happen even when you did everything to prevent them. Here are some main strategies that professional movers use to protect walls and stairs during the move:
- Use stair runners or non-slip drop cloths – Stair runners are made from neoprene that effectively protects your wooden stairs during a move and provides a non-slip surface. Non-slip drop cloths on the other hand protect your wooden stairs from scratches that are caused by dirt and dust. Use painter’s tape to fix them in place.
- Use old blankets, cloths, or rugs – Thick materials like carpets, blankets, and covers offer protection against scratches, dents, and scuffs. Of course, make sure you secure them well in place with painter’s tape.
- Use plastic film on carpeted stairs – This carpet mask is self-adhesive and will help maintain traction, protect you from injuries, and save you some time.
- Wrap your banisters – Wrap blankets, covers, old sweatshirts, or thick towels around the banisters. This way you will prevent damages that sharp edges and corners of large furniture can cause. Also, cover the walls of the staircase with old bedlinens to prevent scuffs.
- Remove doors – Sometimes radical steps are necessary. Remove the doors or anything that might get in your way to add extra maneuverability.
Moving with stairs – the right type of equipment
Having the right type of equipment is what will make this task much easier and safer. Since you’ll need this equipment now and who knows when again, the best option is to rent it. Here’s what you will need:
- Hand dolly – This is an L-shaped, two-wheeled, or four-wheeled cart that has a flat platform. They can be wedged under the furniture if needed and tilted back to ease up the transportation.
- Stair climbing dolly – These are specifically designed for stairs and they allow one person to transport heavy items up and down the stairs. They usually have three wheels that are arranged in a triangular fashion. Two wheels are always placed on the steps while the third wheel rotates up to the next step.
- Moving straps and harnesses – These straps will help you ease up the weight of the item you are carrying. You will need to attach a strap with a loop under the item you are moving, your helping partner must do the same on the other side. Make sure that the stronger person is on the bottom since gravity shifts the weight downstairs.
- A sturdy blanket – You can save up some money on renting and using old blankets for items that aren’t so bulky and heavy. Simply slip the blanket under the furniture and use the excess fabric as handles.
- Box of basic tools – If your furniture can be broken down into smaller parts with a screwdriver, and other tools make sure you do that. Remove mirrors from dressers, doors, or legs to make carrying more comfortable.
Moving With Stairs Is Effortless With The Right Team Of Professional Movers
Yes, many moving companies charge extra fees when relocating including moving with stairs. A lot of people get annoyed by this and refuse to hire help, but think about it for a second. You won’t need to plan anything, you won’t need to buy or rent any additional equipment, you won’t need to stress and sweat about it, and most importantly you won’t risk the health of your loved ones. In my opinion that is a great bargain for the bucks.
If you are here reading this, that means you are thinking about DIY-ing your moving process. We at Zenith Moving are always up for a constructive consultation before making any further decision.
