Tips for Moving Without Risking your Health

If you’re like most people moving homes, chances are you have a lot of belongings. Rooms full of items and necessities – years of accumulation filling up your entire home. Which is great for whenever you need something obscure; you might even pat yourself on the back for having held onto this or that. But when it comes time to move, you’re not nearly as excited about that random object you found from 10 years back. Instead, you’re ready to downsize and clean out.

Whether or not you actually get rid of items is up to you. However, when it comes to the moving part, there’s plenty of work to be done. Most of which is heavy, unpleasant, and downright time consuming. You can even cause injuries when lifting too much weight, or without giving muscles the proper time to recuperate. 

Relocating in a Back-Friendly Manner

To avoid injury, especially for those who generally don’t lift, remember a few simple rules.

First, pack it light. If you have a large book collection, consider filling boxes that are half full of books, half sweatshirts. Or towels, or yarn, or stuffed animals – whatever it is that will help even out the weight. The same can be done with other heavy items, like dishes or glassware. Desks and dressers can have their drawers removed (or at the very least, emptied).

Next, lift it right. With the legs, not the back. Don’t pick up anything that’s too heavy for you – have someone else do it instead. Or enlist the help of a dolly for safe movement. 

Finally, hire it done. Whether that be with a moving company, or offering up the neighborhood boys free dinner for loading or unloading a truck, it can save you some serious grief later on. 

Avoid ill-advised behavior when moving for a smooth transition that won’t cause injury.