How do I get a ton of topsoil into the back garden when the side gate is too narrow for a wheelbarrow?

[ApuskiMcClusky]

I've had a ton of topsoil delivered for a raised bed, but somewhat belatedly realised that the side gate is too narrow to fit a wheelbarrow through. We need to get it off the driveway ideally today - anyone got any suggestions before I start carrying through thousands of bucket loads? And to make matters worse, DH has a stomach bug, so it's down to (puny) me.

Can you not use a different wheelbarrow?

rubble sacks?

Do you have children to bribe to help you?

Only other suggestion is to put it into one of those groundsheets and carry it through the gateway? You should be able to get more in than a bucketload - just don't drag it, as you'll wear a hole in the bottom!

Can you measure the side gate and nip down to B&Q for a narrower wheelbarrow?

We've tried our wheelbarrow and the neighbours', and neither fit. DS's Bob the builder one fits! Sacks or groundsheet are an idea - I'm just eyeing up the ikea blue bag I use for laundry and wondering what weight it would take..

You can get slim plastic trugs quite cheaply from b&q. Your back is worth buying the right tools for, moving a ton of soil will knacker you.

Ikea bag in wheelbarrow. Wheelbarrow to gate. Bag through gate. Wheelbarrow through gate on its side. Bag back in wheelbarrow to the raised bed. Minimize the carrying.

Trug buckets on a skateboard?

Wheely bin but don't over fill it (about half full should do it). If you can take the lid off all the better for tipping. Failing that, a small army of fit young blokes and a crate of beer!

You can tell from my post that I too have a husband who comes down with dibilitating illness at the wrong times!!!

Wheely bin a v good idea - but doesn't fit! I have about 53 cm to play with, will have a look at a trolley from B&Q, otherwise CaurnieBred's idea may be the way to go! Plus next door neighbour is washing his car outside at the mo, so he may take pity on me!

Thanks!

How about CaurnieBred's idea but with two wheelbarrows, one either side of the gate, so you just need to lift between the two - minimise the lifting even more?

Do you have one of those luggage wheelie things? Could get a trug on that probably, or an old buggy?

Trugs and a pushchair? Lots of trips,but it'll save your back.

Lovely neighbour has suggested taking the fence panel out, so we can get the wheelbarrow through, hopefully that'll work!

I recently did just this. I used the Trusty big blue ikea bag. What I would do without them I don't know. It was fine by the way, bag now back in service as a laundry sack.

Hope you got it sorted without too much pain.

We had exactly the same thing and ended up spending the whole day carrying buckets of soil round the side of the house