Moving Tips – Maintaining Safety

Moving is quite stressful, both physically and emotionally. Your body can experience much stress and possible injuries along the way. Ensure that you keep your home safety-proofed, even if you’re hiring movers for the moving process.

Box Weight – All of your boxes should weigh not more than 50 pounds. If you’re not certain about the weight of a box, try to lift it. You must not experience too much strain when lifting it and you should also feel steady while standing. You may have to carry the boxes over a long distance to the truck or up and down the stairs so consider the accessibility issues of both your old and new home. Also, take note of the proper way to lift things; avoid bending over when picking up an item. You can just squat down; then lift the box with your whole lower body.

Proper Equipment – Rent the right equipment to save yourself from back strain. Having proper equipment will also help you move and stack bigger, heavier pieces more easily. A dolly can help you in carrying boxes. You may also want to use straps to secure boxes to the dolly or to help you in lifting big items.

Examine the Property and Check for Any Dangerous Areas – Before moving day, try to check areas around your old and new home. Find the nearest spot where the moving truck can park safely. It might be necessary to reserve the spot prior to the move. Check if there are any uneven walkway or sidewalk spots. Make sure that steps in the front walkway of your house are clearly visible. You can mark the steps with chalk, if necessary, and highlight where the step is situated. People get easily distracted during a move and those helping you with the move may not see the steps, especially if they are not familiar with your home.
Rent a traction mat if the entrance to your house tends to become slippery when wet. You can rent it from mat rental outlets and moving companies. Additionally, mats are useful in making sure that movers don’t accidentally step on fragile areas.
Take note of other dangerous areas such as tree branches, poles, posts or anything that could potentially pose a problem for movers. Remove low hanging obstacles or mark them.

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