How to move into a building with no elevator

When moving into a high-rise building, chances are there will be an elevator to help you move up your furniture and boxes. However, sometimes that isn’t the case and you may have to move to a higher floor in an apartment building that has no elevator.

It’s largely irrelevant whether the building has never had an elevator or whether it does have one but it’s currently out of service – and it will be unavailable on the day of your move. The thing that matters is that you won’t be able to use it to lift up your heavy and large items quickly and safely.

So, what should you do when you’re moving into a walk-up apartment?

The following tips for moving into a building with no elevator should help you manage that tough relocation task without any moving day accidents.

Don’t move any furniture

When moving into a walk-up apartment, think twice before taking any furniture pieces with you. Under ideal conditions, your new place would be fully furnished and you wouldn’t need to move any large and heavy furniture with you. Imagine how much easier and safer a furniture-free move would be, especially when it comes to moving into a building with no elevator.

Of course, the above-mentioned best case scenario is rarely possible so you should at least go through your furniture items again. However, this time, before you make your final decision, visualize how you’re lugging those bulky pieces up multiple flights of stairs, tight corners, and high railings. That could help you change your mind.

You never know: How to move without furniture

Measure and disassemble your large furniture

When you know that you’re moving into an apartment building without an elevator, it’s important that you measure your big furniture pieces beforehand so that when you finally get them all the way up to your new place, they will at least fit through the front door. So, always measure your large furniture items to avoid unexpected trouble at the door of your new apartment.

If you’ve already made up your mind that you’re taking some of your furniture pieces despite the lack of an elevator in the building you’re moving into, then do consider disassembling the bed, dresser, couch, china cabinet, desk, or dining room table into smaller elements that will be much easier and safer to move up the stairs.

Read also: What to do when furniture won’t fit through the door

Wrap and pad your furniture items

When moving into a building with no elevator, the stairs will be your only way to get your stuff up to your place. And that’s okay when you’re moving cardboard boxes – whether you’re carrying them by hand or lugging them up using a moving dolly, moving boxes are a pretty safe load to deal with.

However, when you’re moving furniture pieces with sharp edges up the stairs, you may easily hit a wall or chip a corner in the process. To avoid move-in trouble that would force you to spend extra money on repairs, you should wrap all furniture items in thick blankets. Also, consider securing sheets of bubble wrap on their corners as extra padding.

Packing tips: How to pack furniture for moving

Use an appliance dolly

Carrying heavy items up multiple flights of stairs is hard work and can be rather risky at the same time. When you and your helping friends start to get tired during the move-in process, things will become even more dangerous.

Be smart and avoid trouble before it hits. Make sure you get an appliance dolly (aka a hand truck) to help you move your heavy stuff up the stairs – one step at a time.

First, make sure the heavy furniture pieces or the big boxes are secured well onto the hand truck – do it by using the straps that come with the moving dolly or separate pieces of strong rope. Then, have someone stay behind the dolly to guide and support the hand truck as you stand in front and pull the L-shaped lever up slowly and cautiously.

Thus said, move up the heavier items first when you still have the energy to do so. That way, as you start to get more and more tired, you’ll be left with more lightweight items that should not be that problematic.

Good to know: What’s a moving dolly and how to use it?

Wear the right clothes and shoes

Moving into a building that has no elevator is not the right time to make a fashion statement. Remember to dress appropriately for the occasion and base your decision about what to wear on comfort and safety.

Choose comfortable clothes made of flexible and breathable materials. As far as footwear goes, go for closed-toe shoes that have excellent traction (non-slip soles). It’s a good idea to wear shoes with adequate ankle-protection as well.

Don’t wear any jewelry pieces as they may get caught onto something and break, or worse – cause an accident.

Also, it’s vital that you protect your hands and fingers from any sort of injuries while you’re moving all types of items up the stairs. Invest in high-quality work gloves – they will also enable you to grip whatever it is that you’re carrying more securely, thus preventing any accidents caused by heavy items slipping off your hands as walk up the stairs.

Good advice: What to wear on moving day

Reach out to your friends

The best advice you can get when moving into a walk-up is to get help – either from friends or from professional movers.

Remember that a household move is not a one-man job. Even when you’re moving only a small load, you should never try to do it entirely on your own. Carrying various items up the stairs is very exhausting physically and the risks of accidents are always greater when a person is on their own.

Make the move much easier on yourself by reaching out for timely help. Do it as early as you can so that you can ensure your helpers will be available on the day of the move. Your pals won’t likely be too enthusiastic to move heavy stuff up multiple flights of stairs for hours, but that’s what friends are for, right?

Assure your helpers that you’d do the same for them.

See also: How to get friends to help you move

Hire professional movers

The most sensible thing you can do when moving into an apartment that has no (working) elevator is to hire professionals to do the heavy lifting for you. Sometimes it can be tough to decide which way to go – ask friends to help you out or pay professional movers instead. In those cases, there’s something that can help you make the right choice – the 3-rd floor!

If the apartment you’re moving into is above the third floor, then you should definitely get professionals on your side because even the weightlifting friends you have will find the task violently exhausting. The physical labor alone can be too much to handle for anyone who isn’t a moving professional.

When hiring movers, don’t forget to explicitly inform them that the delivery building is a walk-up, that is – there’s no elevator in it. Also, do tell the movers how many stories there are between the street level and your new apartment.

Get a free moving estimate to learn how much it’ll cost you to hire experienced apartment movers.