No matter what you are trying to lift or carry, everybody has heard the same old sayings like, “don’t lift with your back” or “bend your knees and use your hips”.
These pieces of advice are not to be redundant, but are very sound pieces of advice when it comes to lifting furniture, instruments, and other heavy items during your move. It is very easy to get an injury when you are not taking the proper precautions or using the right techniques when it comes to lifting and maneuvering.
Most people feel that they can easily move stuff on their own without the help of others or professionals, and this is usually when injuries occur.
We want you to avoid any injuries or damage to your belongings, so we’ve compiled several furniture lifting and carrying techniques to help you get through your move.
How to Safely Lift & Carry Furniture
The last thing you need to add to the stress of moving is an unnecessary injury due to improper lifting and carrying techniques. Keep the following in mind when moving to avoid hurting yourself.
Use Your Legs
Like we said earlier, it is crucial to use your legs as your main area of strength when it comes to lifting heavy furniture.
Bending at your back or your waist can cause serious injuries like herniated discs, strained or pulled muscles, or damage to other parts of your body if you are not lifting properly and try to adjust or over-compensate.
Your legs are your strong point on your body and when you bend at the knees and lift from your quads up to your core, you are saving your body a lot of strain and tiredness from overworking the wrong areas.
Work smarter, not harder!
Find the Best Grip
Once you have lifted the heavy item, make sure that you have a proper hold and grip on it.
Using moving gloves that provide extra grip in case your hands are too sweaty are a great solution. They allow you to get a better grasp on the piece of furniture, especially if it is awkward to carry like a dresser or some form of chest.
Tables and beds are typically easier to carry versus stuff like couches! Whether you have gloves or not, you want to make sure you have a firm hold on whatever you are carrying.
The last thing you want to do is drop the piece of furniture, causing damage to your feet, the item, and whoever else is helping you move it.
Prep for Your Move & Clear Space
This step doesn’t necessarily teach you how to use proper moving and lifting techniques, but it could save you a lot of pain and hassle!
When you are moving your furniture either around your house, or in and out of a new house, you want to make sure the area around you is clear. If you have pets or children, you don’t necessarily know what toys could be laying around or if the dog is going to walk under your feet.
One false step could lead to a serious injury and you don’t want anything to get in your way. It’s also a good idea to clear any rugs out of the area too, where your foot could easily slip up under.
Setting Furniture Down
We’ve talked about how you should lift and carry the furniture that you are moving, but what about setting it down once you have reached its new resting place?
It is the same advice as lifting. You want to squat down with your knees, just like doing a squat at the gym, and make sure that your fingers and feet are out of the way when putting the piece of furniture down.
It is just as important to be cautious and pay extra attention and to not rush now that you have moved the furniture.
Know Your Limits
One last thing to remember is to try not to move any large, heavy pieces of furniture on your own. It is always better to bribe someone with pizza or beers to help you come move your stuff around, or to hire a moving company for extra help.
This makes the job easier on you and will hopefully help to prevent injuries.
Professional Movers Can Help
Taking your time and using the proper techniques is crucial to not getting hurt or damaging your belongings during your move. There is no need to rush and you will be grateful for taking extra care while moving your furniture.
If something is ever too heavy or awkward for you to move on your own, contact a professional moving company who can come out with experienced movers and get the job done efficiently and safely for you!