If you’re moving into a second floor apartment, getting your furniture into the space can be challenging. The biggest challenge is getting oversized items like couches through narrow spaces and doors.
Fortunately, there are ways to make the process easier. Here are a few tips to get your couch into the space successfully:
Plan Ahead
If you’ve ever tried to move your couch up a set of stairs, you know how challenging it can be. Fortunately, there are some simple tricks you can use to make your life a little easier.
The first thing to do is plan ahead. Take the time to measure your apartment, so you’ll know if you can fit a couch in your living room. You’ll also need to plan out how to get it through doorways, hallways, staircases and elevators.
You may need to tip, tilt, pivot, shift or swivel your furniture to make it fit through narrow spaces or doorways. You can do this by using furniture sliders to make the process easier.
Sliders are cushioned pieces that can be attached to the bottom of your sofa’s legs, making it easier to push or pull without damaging the furniture. However, you should make sure to buy the right size. You may need to trim the pieces down if you’re using them on a sofa that’s too large for the sliders.
Another option for getting a couch up or down a set of stairs is to purchase risers. These risers are usually a few sections long and can be screwed together to create an L-shape.
Once you’ve determined the length of your risers, you can begin putting them together. To do this, screw the female end of your risers to the male end of each section. If you’re putting them together to make a ladder, screw one riser to the top of the other until you have a ladder of two or three sections.
When you’re moving your couch up or down the stairs, be sure to take it slow and practice safe movement. This will help you avoid hurting yourself and damaging your new apartment.
For extra protection, you can also cover the sofa with blankets and sheets to prevent scratches or tears. You can also secure these coverings with straps to keep them in place.
Finally, you can use a lint roller to get rid of any dust and dirt that may have accumulated inside the sofa before you try to move it up or down stairs. This will help you keep the upholstery clean, which can make it easier to move once you’re in your new home.
Know the Dimensions of the Passageways
One of the best ways to ensure a successful lift off is to familiarize yourself with the dimensions of your home and the layout of your building. This will help you narrow down the list of apartments that your search engine trumps up to, and also help you weed out the kinks from the smooth movers. A good start is to take a stroll around your apartment to determine the optimal path for snagging a top of the line sofa from the lobby or the garage, without disturbing the rest of your occupants. The more thoughtful of your kin will probably be able to assist you with the big job.
Use a Ramp
If you have a heavy couch that needs to be moved into your second floor apartment, using a ramp can make the process easier and less stressful. You’ll need to plan ahead and determine what will work best for your situation.
Start by measuring the dimensions of each hallway, staircase, and doorway that you’ll be navigating when getting your couch into the apartment. This will help you decide whether the couch needs to be oriented horizontally or vertically, and how far it’ll need to be turned before it can fit through the doorway.
Next, decide what materials to use for your ramp. For example, if you’re using wood, make sure to choose sturdy and durable wood that won’t warp or rot in the weather. If you’re going to use metal, find a sturdy piece that will stand up well to the weight of the couch.
Once you’ve selected the right material, you can begin building your ramp. The basic construction of the ramp will involve laying down your risers, which are long strips of wood or other materials that are screwed together to form a flat surface. Each riser will need to have a different length, so you’ll need to measure each one and ensure that they’re long enough to be able to span the entire width of the stairs you’ll be using.
You can also purchase ramps already made in various shapes and sizes. They are sold at home improvement stores and many supermarkets.
The most important thing to remember when using a ramp is to be patient and take it slow. This will ensure that you don’t hurt yourself or damage your furniture.
Ideally, you’ll need at least two people to help you lift the couch up the stairs. It will also be helpful to have someone at the top of the stairs guiding it down, so it doesn’t hit a wall or other furniture on its way down.
The quickest and most efficient way to move a couch up or down a set of stairs is to use a ramp, which can be purchased at most home improvement stores. It’s easy to assemble, though you will need to be careful about ensuring that all the edges are straight and square.
Take It Slow
If you have to move your couch from one floor of an apartment to the next, it’s best to take it slowly. This will help to avoid injury and prevent damage to your new furniture.
It is also important to consider the size of your apartment’s hallways, doors, and staircases before moving your couch up or down them. This will help you avoid having to bend over backwards to make the furniture fit through narrow passageways or up or down stairs.
For example, if you live in an apartment with small entranceways, it may be helpful to remove any door or window before you move the furniture up or down the stairs. This will save you from having to bend over backwards and will also allow you to lift the furniture more easily.
Another way to get your couch up or down the stairs is to build a ramp. This will allow you to raise your furniture more easily and can make the job much faster, especially if you are doing it on your own.
A ramp is easy to make at home and can be made from materials such as sand, mulch, or even a piece of plywood. Just be sure to choose a material that is strong enough to handle the weight of your furniture and will be easy for you to put together.
When building the ramp, ensure that the long sides of the risers are perpendicular to each other and that the slope is evenly spaced. This will make it easier to assemble the ramp when it’s time to use it.
Once the material is complete, screw the female end of each riser to the male end of another. This will make it easy to attach them and will create a sturdy ramp that will be durable and safe to use.
To keep your furniture from being damaged while moving it up or down the stairs, be sure to push it gently and only use the lint roller on both sides of it. This will help to prevent dust and dirt from being trapped inside the fabric of the couch.