How to Move Heavy Furniture Upstairs

Moving heavy furniture upstairs isn't for the faint at heart. One wrong move can cause serious bodily injury and/or damage to your furniture. Do not attempt to move heavy furniture upstairs if you have any doubt you're up for the task; there's no shame in hiring professional help or asking able-bodied peers for assistance. Remember to stay hydrated throughout and take breaks when you need to. Keep small children out of the way while the move is in progress.

You'll have to work together to get it done.

Step 1

Map the route. Count how many stairs you'll have to walk up; observe railings, corners and uneven steps. Know exactly how and where to step when moving furniture since it will be difficult to see your feet.

Step 2

Prepare the furniture to make each piece as light as possible. For dressers and heavy trunks, remove the drawers and contents. Take apart any pieces of furniture that can be broken down and put back together, such as heavy dining room tables, bed frames, exercise equipment and sectional sofas. Wrap fragile pieces of furniture in furniture pads.

Step 3

Rent or purchase equipment that will help leverage your furniture for the upstairs move. Truck rental companies, for example, offers customers utility dollies, furniture dollies, appliance dollies and furniture pads. Follow the instructions on each piece of equipment and use them carefully.

Step 4

Assign a leader to wait at the top of the stairs and offer suggestions to the primary movers about how to maneuver.

Step 5

Pick up furniture from the bottom corners; lift with your knees, not your back. Keep in constant communication with the person helping you, so that you lift and set down each piece of furniture at the same time. If you're turning a difficult corner in the stairwell, lift the furniture above the railing while you navigate. Wear gloves and boots to protect your hands and feet.

Step 6

Build a ramp to slide heavy furniture up short flights of stairs. If you're in a hurry, improvise with two large pieces of plywood.

Step 7

Place furniture as far into the room as possible to keep movers bringing up new pieces of furniture from tripping on pieces brought up previously.