In a Chicago walk-up, the stairs are the move. Three flights of narrow, twisting steps change what a box should weigh, how big it should be, and how many trips it takes to get a one-bedroom out to the street.
Packing for a walk-up is really packing for a staircase. Here's how our crews approach it.
Measure the Stairwell Before You Pack
Walk the route a box will take from your furthest room to the front door. Look for the tight spot: the switchback where the railing narrows the turn, the doorway at the bottom, the vestibule you can't pass two people through.
Once you know the tightest point, that measurement sets your maximum box size. For most Chicago walk-ups, that means boxes no wider than a laundry basket, and nothing you can't hold with one hand on the rail.
Smaller Boxes Win in a Walk-Up
Every box gets carried by hand down every flight, so weight is the enemy. Books go in small boxes, no larger than a single shelf's worth. Kitchen items get split across more boxes than you'd use in a house with a driveway. Glass and dishes get grouped in small, padded boxes.
Two manageable boxes cost less time and far less risk than one box you have to hug against the wall while you feel for the next step.
Stage by Floor, Not by Room
In a walk-up, you stage boxes just inside the front door, then carry them down in one continuous flow. Bringing every box to the entry at once blocks the hallway and turns a two-person job into a traffic problem.
Packing happens room by room on the way out. The crew works the furthest room first and stacks in the hallway in the order boxes need to leave, with labels facing the door.
Parking Permits and Load-In Windows
Chicago street parking is its own scheduling problem. Reserve a loading zone or move a car the night before, and plan loading around the highest-traffic part of the day rather than during it. A truck that has to circle the block between loads adds hours to any walk-up job.
The same logic applies at the other end. Confirm stairs, elevator access, and any move-in time restrictions at your new building before move day.
Let the Crew Carry the Flights
Stairs are where injuries happen, and they're the reason walk-up moves take longer than the square footage suggests. Our crews pack by floor and destination, so boxes arrive at the door in the order they need to go down, with nothing heavier than it should be.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving out of a Chicago walk-up? Book your packing service and we'll pack in the sizes your stairs can actually handle.
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