A lot of people try to minimize expenses when they are moving to a new home. Some will even decide to forego using a professional mover and try to do the move on their own. While wanting to save money is understandable, moving a household from point A to point B is never easy—and a lot of people get injured while moving because they didn’t plan ahead and prepare for the challenges. Here are a few tips that can help reduce your risk of injuring yourself while moving to a new home, apartment, condo, townhome or senior community.
• Have the right equipment. One of the best ways to avoid injuries on moving day is to use the proper equipment, like appliance dollies, standard dollies, plastic wrap to contain drawers, correct packing supplies for electronics and moving blankets to wrap furniture correctly. These can make a move easier and safer. Professional movers have a lot of special equipment that helps them move heavy items up and down stairs easily.
• Don’t overpack boxes. If you, your friends and your family are doing your move, you want to make sure boxes are easy to lift. That probably means you’ll have to use a lot more boxes since you can’t overpack them. You also need to make sure weight is distributed evenly, in order to avoid strained muscles. Professional movers are used to moving heavy boxes—and lots of them. Your friends aren’t.
• Lift with your legs. Don’t lift heavy items by using your back. It’s the most common mistake that people make when moving themselves. Place your feet shoulder-width apart for a wide base of support. Bend into a squat so you are using your legs and your lift upward. Keep your back straight and breathe when you lift the item. Take your time. If you are in a hurry, it’s easier to hurt yourself.
• Keep halls and stairways clear. If you leave rugs on floors or boxes in hallways, it’s easy to trip and hurt yourself. The last thing you need is a stubbed toe or chipped tooth because you fell. Remove loose items, extension cords and pets from pathways.
• Hire a professional mover. When you try to move yourself, it’s pretty easy to injure yourself. It also takes more time for you to move, and more items can be damaged. If you want to reduce the risk of injury, the smart move is to use a professional mover, like Cowboy Moving & Storage. Cowboy Moving & Storage has been moving Coloradans statewide since 1968. They are family owned and operated, and never use contract or day labor. Their employees are tested for drugs and alcohol, and thoroughly background checked. In fact, most employees have worked there for more than 10 years. You can trust Cowboy Moving & Storage with your valuable belongings—and save you from the hard work, hassles and risks of injury while moving it all yourself. Call Cowboy Moving & Storage at 303-789-2200.