How to move a couch upstairs without getting frustrated
Moving a couch up the stairs is the classic moving day challenge. It’s a heavy, bulky object that can be a big hassle if you don’t plan ahead. Perhaps you moved to an apartment building without an elevator, or maybe you have a room upstairs that needs a good place to sit. Whatever the reason, here’s how you tackle it like a pro:
In Preparation:
You will need two people to make this work. You could put your furniture, your walls and your own body at risk if you try to muscle it up on your own. Don’t go it alone.
If you’re buying new furniture, don’t just measure the room the couch will be placed – measure any bottlenecks on the route to get there so you won’t get stuck.
Scout out the route ahead of time and move any small tables or items out of the way. If you’re in an apartment building, consider telling any neighbors along the way what you’re doing. If needed, you can ask them to open their door to let you have a little more space to turn the furniture around.
Couches often have wooden legs that are held in place with screws. Remove them before you get started and your couch will be significantly easier to move. Anything that can come off, including cushions, needs to come off before you lift it up
If you have blankets to wrap around the couch, secure them in place with a spool of stretch film. This will help keep your grip tight. Make sure to cover up and wooden armrests with the blankets to avoid gouging the walls.
Talk it over with your helper which part of the couch is the left and which part is the right. The top, bottom, front, and back are universal. Decide what it means to rotate it clockwise and counterclockwise. That way if you get in a jam and need to advise each other which way to move it, you’ll have a clear, common vocabulary.
Time to move:
Do not carry the couch parallel to the ground, as this is unstable and wobbly. Instead, have the person in front carry their end high and the person in the back carry their end low. This will help both partners keep the furniture under control.
Take it slow when you get to the actual stairs and remember to think in terms of 3-D. In some spaces you will need to wedge the couch in diagonally or standing on its end. Softer couches can also be squeezed to make them a little slimmer when space is tight.
Be careful when pressing the couch against a wall, as a tight fit can leave impressions on some types of walls.
When you get to a doorframe, try standing the couch on one end and “hooking” it around the frame. This will require less space to maneuver.
Of course, if all of this seems like more bother than you want to deal with, you could hire an experienced, insured moving company based out of Massachusetts to place your couch upstairs for you, along with any tables, bed frames, mattresses, or other large pieces of furniture you have on hand. We also sell moving supplies and can be reached at 1 (800) 233-6683.
