Moving into or out of a home with first-floor access is difficult enough, but moving into or out of an apartment building that offers only an elevator or a stairwell as access points can be a nightmare. Luckily, there are those who’ve braved this difficult journey before you.

Cheap Movers Baltimore has graciously shared its tips and tricks for moving into and out of an apartment building.

Moving Dollies and Hand Trucks Are Your Friends

Moving into or out of an apartment building means that your only available access to enter and leave your apartment will either be by elevator or by a stairwell.

When it comes to moving heavy furniture and appliances, you do not want to be stuck moving these items by yourself without some kind of help, especially if you’re stuck using the stairs. This is where a moving dolly or a hand truck comes in handy.

A hand truck is tricky to use on stairs due to it being a long, flat surface on four casters. While using a hand truck on stairs is possible, it is best used for moving heavy objects onto and off of elevators. A moving dolly, however, is a perfect tool to move heavy things up and down a set of stairs. Use it like you would a baby stroller. Place your furniture or appliance on the moving dolly, strap it down, and pull it up the stairs behind you one step at a time.

Prop Open The Front Door

Most apartment buildings have a lobby. This lobby is protected by a front door that locks. This is to prevent nonresidents from entering the building uninvited.

It will be quite a hassle for you to bring a load to the front of the apartment building, find your keys, unlock the lobby door, and move your stuff inside. Doing this will add to the stress and frustration of moving into and out of your apartment building.

It will also cause your move to take more time. You can remove this time-consuming frustration by using a doorstop or a heavy item to hold the front door to your apartment building open. Be sure to clear this with the building superintendent or manager beforehand. They may want to stand guard to ensure no one sneaks inside.

Secure Everything

With the small areas and tight spaces in which you have to move within an apartment building, a lot of accidents can occur. This is especially true when it comes time to move dressers, appliances, and desks. Anything that has doors or drawers can be opened accidentally during the move.

This will cause all of the contents to spill or could cause damage to the door or drawer. Before you begin moving these precarious items, secure any drawers or doors with tape or plastic wrap.

Protect Sharp Corners

The hard, sharp corners of your furniture can cause accidental dents and damages by scraping or hitting the walls of the hallways or elevator.

These damages could result in fees or the loss of your security deposit. Wrapping the sharp corners of your furniture in a blanket or bubble wrap will help to soften the corners of your furniture and act as a buffer zone between the corner and the walls of the apartment building.