How to hoist furniture when moving

So, you’re moving into a new home and intend to bring your old sofa along as it is comfortable, beautiful, high quality, in good condition, and just the right size and the right style for your new living room. The only problem is it doesn’t fit through the door. Or through the hallway. Or along the stairs.

This is quite a common problem, in fact – it may not be a sofa, but an armoire, a piano, a kitchen appliance, or another bulky household item, but it often happens that an oversized piece can’t be moved in (or out of) a home the traditional way, especially when the home is an upstairs apartment.

In such a case, a different solution is needed. And usually, the best solution is to go through a window.

Hoisting furniture through a window is an effective way to move bulky pieces in or out of a property – as long as it is done properly.

Here is how to hoist furniture in a safe and efficient manner, so you don’t have any trouble moving your larger items into your new place:

Prepare the furniture

As usual, your first task is to get your bulky piece ready for moving:

1) Empty the furniture and remove any cushions, pillows, throw covers, etc. (as applicable)

2) Measure the furniture – not only its height, width, and length, but its diagonal dimensions too. Sometimes, it is possible to manoeuver a bulky item through a tight space when you tilt it at a certain angle – you need to be sure that there is really no way to move the piece in or out of your home the traditional way before you decide to hoist it through a window.

You also need to make sure that the furniture will actually fit through the window – you don’t want to go into all the effort to hoist your oversized piece over the balcony only to find out that it won’t fit through the window. So, don’t forget to measure the window, too.

3) Remove any detachable furniture parts – When furniture doesn’t fit through the door, the best way to move it is to take it apart – the disassembled furniture will be safe and easy to relocate and the problem of “fitting” won’t exist. It is, however, possible that a piece can’t be – or shouldn’t be – disassembled, so this option isn’t viable.

Even if a furniture item cannot be fully dismantled though, it may still have some detachable parts (such as the legs of a sofa, for example). You’re, therefore, highly recommended to remove any detachable parts from your bulky piece before attempting to take it through a window – the partly disassembled furniture will be lighter, more compact, and less prone to damage, so the hoisting process will be much easier.

4) Wrap the furniture in protective coverings – Hoisting furniture over a balcony and/or through a window is a difficult and dangerous task that can easily result in damage to the piece – and to the property. So, before you get down to work, you need to take measures to protect your furniture and your balcony railings and window frames:

• Protect the furniture – Wrap the piece in old blankets (or furniture pads) and stretch wrap to keep it safe in case it rubs against a wall or railing and to prevent dents, scratches, tears, and other damage. Be sure to wrap the furniture fully in thick, soft coverings, tape them in place, and secure the wrappings with stretch wrap – the double protective layer will protect the piece from dust, dirt, and moisture and will prevent damage to the upholstery and delicate finishes during hoisting (scuffing and scratching caused by friction as the furniture goes over the rails, dents and nicks caused by bumping against the wall, possible tears from the sharp edges of the balcony railing, etc.). The soft protective coverings will also minimize potential damage to the railings and window frame (See also: How to pack furniture for moving);
• Protect the balcony railings and the window frame – If your balcony has wood railings, wrap them in blankets (or other thick, soft protective coverings) to prevent damage to the balustrade when the furniture is moved over it. Metal balcony railings should also be wrapped in protective coverings to minimize the risk of damage to both the railing and the furniture. Do not forget the window through which the furniture will be moved into (or out of) the home either – it’s best to remove the panes (to eliminate the risk of breaking them during the hoisting process) and protect the frame with thick fabrics or foam padding (Related: How to protect doors and door frames during a move)

5) Use straps to create loops – Once the furniture is wrapped in protective coverings, it’s time to “strap it up”. Use durable straps and make sure they fasten tightly around the piece and hold it from all sides.

Create loops within the straps at both sides of the furniture or at its four top corners – these loops will be used to attach ropes for pulling the piece. It’s a good idea to create a loop at the bottom of the furniture, too – so you can keep the piece away from the wall during the hoisting process (to prevent rubbing).

Make the knots tight, so they don’t come undone while the furniture is in the air.

6) Attach long, sturdy ropes to the loops – the ropes will serve to lift (or lower) the furniture and guide it during the process. Make sure that each rope is at least twice as long as the height from the ground to the balcony (or window) with a few extra feet to allow for easier handling. Pass the ropes through the loops.

Alternatively, you can pass a very long rope through all the loops and make a tight and secure knot in the middle – then, the furniture will be well balanced and you’ll be able to lift (or lower) it using only one rope. This method however will not work for very heavy or very large furniture (a single rope can’t hold too much weight and/or ensure proper balance).

Now, your furniture is ready to be moved through a window. You can get down to work.

Hoist the furniture

So, how to hoist furniture through a window? The job is not easy and requires a lot of care.

You need at least three people in order to move a furniture piece through a window – two people at the window and one on the ground. The more hands there are available, though, the better.

There must be excellent synchronization between the people at the window pulling the ropes, as all ends of the furniture piece must be lifted simultaneously – so the piece doesn’t tilt or swing and hit the wall or a lower-level window. Be sure to pull at a slow, even pace so the furniture is moved steadily and smoothly.

The person on the ground should act as a spotter, warning the people pulling the ropes of possible obstacles and alerting them if something doesn’t seem right. If needed, this person can also use the rope passed through the loop at the bottom of the furniture to keep the piece well away from the building.

Once the furniture is lifted to the window level, it has to be carefully carried through the window into the room.

Bonus tip: If you’re hoisting furniture through a window that is not very high (on the second floor, for example), you can move the piece using an inclined plane and furniture sliders, instead of pulling it through the air. A long, sturdy metal ladder positioned at an angle to the window (or to the balcony) will work great as an inclined plane.

Pulling the furniture up the plane will be much easier, much safer, and much faster than pulling it through the air – the plane will support the weight of the piece and there will be no risk of the furniture swinging and striking the wall. Taking the furniture inside the home once it is lifted at the right level will also be easier, as you won’t need to lift it by hand.

Good to know: How to hoist furniture over balcony

When hoisting furniture over balcony, the process is exactly the same as described above – except at the end.

When the furniture is lifted to the balcony level, you need to get it over the railing and into the home. It’s a risky process, so you need to be very careful – and you need many helping hands.

Grab the furniture securely and lift it over the railing, taking care not to bump the piece into the balustrade or damage it on the sharp edges of the railing.  You don’t want to accidentally drop the furniture back down, so make sure someone is still holding the ropes attached to the piece tightly and securely – just in case.

If you’re using the inclined plane method, you’ll be able to pull the furniture to the top of the railing. Then, you’ll have to carefully lower the piece onto the balcony and carry it inside the room.

See also: How to move furniture into an apartment

Important: Take safety measures

Hoisting furniture though a window is a dangerous endeavor, so you need to take every possible precaution to prevent personal injuries during the process:

• Make sure everyone involved in the task wears work gloves – for better grip and to avoid rope burns;
• Make sure all ropes used in the hoisting process are strong and in good condition (not frayed or damaged in any way);
• Make sure no one stands under the furniture while it is in the air;
• When using an inclined plane, keep the ladder stable and balanced by holding it down while the furniture is moving over it;
• Do not try to lift more weight than you can handle safely.

It’s a good idea to pad the area beneath the window or balcony – lay several thick blankets on the ground to cushion the fall in case your furniture is dropped during the hoisting process.

See also: How to prevent accidents and injuries when moving

All things considered, moving furniture through a window is very risky and very difficult. You may be able to manage on your own if the window (or balcony) isn’t too high up, there aren’t many obstacles, and the furniture is not too heavy or too large. In all other circumstances, you need professional moving help.

Use professional furniture hoisting services

Professional movers offer furniture hoisting service as an accessorial moving service. They have the specialized equipment (hoisting cranes, sky jacks, rigging systems, etc.) and technical know-how to perform the job in the safest and most efficient possible. And they provide insurance, too.

In most cases, professional movers use furniture hoists to move furniture pieces and other bulky items through a window. Furniture hoists are hydraulically-powered platform lifts that can be ground-mounted or vehicle-mounted. Once the hoist is set up, the furniture piece is loaded onto the platform and lifted up to the window. The hoisting process is fast and easy and the risk of personal injuries, property damage, and damage to the lifted item(s) is reduced to a minimum.

This method is, therefore, safe to use even for delicate items (such as antique furniture, pianos, grandfather clocks, etc.) and extremely heavy items (big safes, hot tubs, specialized equipment, etc.) – and it is the best way to hoist furniture and other bulky items to higher floors.

Keep in mind, though, that professional hoisting services are quite expensive – they require specialize hoisting equipment and great expertise, so they come at a high cost (furniture hoisting fees start at around $75 and go up to a few hundred dollars). Using a professional furniture hoisting service is only worth it if you’re moving a piece with great monetary or sentimental value. Otherwise, it may be better to simply sell the furniture and buy a new piece that fits through the doorways and hallways of your new home.

Good to remember: If you’re using professional moving services to relocate your belongings to your new home, ask your chosen movers if they can hoist your oversized furniture piece through a window and how much it will cost you. If the moving company provides the service, they will include the price in your moving estimate and the fee will be much lower than if you requested hoisting services only.

On moving day, the movers will bring the necessary equipment and enough experienced crew members to perform the job safely and quickly and ensure your smooth and successful moving experience.