How to Move Furniture Upstairs

Prepare yourself for the move. Analyze the direction of the stairway to determine how best to maneuver furniture over railings or around corners. Wear non-slip shoes and heavy-duty gloves to prevent injury during the move.

Enlist the help of friends or family members to help you move items upstairs. Help will minimize the risk of bodily injury, damage to the interior of the home or damage to the furniture. The Apartment Ratings website suggests two or three additional people to help you manage and balance furniture as you move it upstairs.

Rent a dolly to help you with the heavy lifting. Furniture or appliance dollies usually have straps, which you can use to secure a sofa or refrigerator to the dolly as you pull it upstairs. If the dolly does not have straps, secure furniture to the dolly with bungee cords or ratcheting tie down straps.

Remove the drawers from a dresser for easier handling and replace the drawers once the item is upstairs.

Dismantle furniture, if possible, to fit into upstairs doorways. For example, break down a bedframe by removing the railings and head and footboards. Dismantling furniture makes it lighter to carry and not as awkward to fit through a door. Keep all bolts, nuts or screws together in a sandwich bag as you dismantle.