Moving to a new house shouldn’t be more of a pain than it already needs to be. Between filling out lengthy paperwork, paying dreaded realtor fees, and getting your wayward pets in their carriers, moving homes comes with its own range of physical and emotional difficulties. During this time, the last thing that you’ll want to deal with is an annoying injury, which is why we’ve put together this handy guide filled with everything you need to know about moving safety. If you need any more tips or advice, don’t think twice about giving us a call – after all, we’re your friendly Dallas movers who’re always happy to help!
Mark Out Unsafe Areas and Make Pathways
Even if you’ve lived in your current home for 45 years, it’s not until you start moving your furniture that you really notice hazardous things like uneven floorboards.
The day before your Dallas movers arrive, spend a bit of time inspecting your apartment and marking out unsafe areas. This could include things like poles, uneven steps or even low tree branches.
To avoid potential trips and collisions, mark out clear pathways that dodge these dangerous areas.
Pay Attention to Box Weight
The most common moving-related injury is a back injury caused by lifting heavy boxes. For increased moving safety, make sure that none of your boxes weigh more than 50 lbs. You should also be mindful of your own body and what it can handle. If you’ve recently had a back injury, it’s best to stick to moving light boxes.
As your Dallas movers, we can do most of the heavy lifting, but you might still want to move the boxes around when they reach the other side. Make sure they’re a weight that you’re comfortable with and never over 50 lbs.
Lift with your Legs – Not Your Back
When lifting heavy boxes, it’s important to carry all the weight in your legs and not your back. By paying attention to this important moving safety tip, you’ll significantly reduce your risk of back injury.
To lift boxes safely, bend your knees to lower your body to the floor: you should never lean forward when picking up heavy boxes. When your arms are at the same height as the box, simply grasp it then elevate your body in the same way that you went down. When you’re walking with the box, promote good posture by keeping your back straight, eyes facing forward, and chest and hips out. Squat again to put the box back down. Even better, don’t lift at all – just give us a call!
Hire Equipment
If you’ve decided to do your own packing, we recommend hiring equipment for enhanced moving safety. As well as boxes, our Dallas movers can provide you with dollies, straps, padding, stair rollers and even packing tape! Not only will this moving equipment help speed up the packing process, it’ll keep your home safe and accident-proof.
Organize Your Boxes
When the big moving day arrives, it can be difficult to point out which boxes are heavy, which are light, and which are delicate if they’ve not been carefully arranged.
By organizing your boxes, your Dallas movers will know exactly which boxes to be extra careful with and you’ll know which boxes should be left to the experts, too!
Have Enough Helpers
It’s almost impossible to move house with just one or two people. Whether or not you have friends and relatives who can assist you, the extra professional help you can get from a Dallas movers company like Delicate Moving will make things run much more smoothly and safely.
Keep Pets and Children Out of Harm’s Way
On moving day, the last thing you’ll want is pets and children getting under your feet. Not only can this cause trips and falls on your end, your little precious ones could get injured, too. For unbeatable moving safety, keep your pets and children in a separate area.
Pets should be fine to stay in a closed-off room, but your children might need extra supervision. If they’re too young to help out, ask a neighbor or relative if they could look after them for the day.
Wear Appropriate Clothing
While we know you might want to look good for your big arrival in your new neighborhood, it’s much more important to wear clothes that promote proper moving safety. Here are a few tips:
- Loose or floaty clothing is easy to get caught in things. Instead, wear clothing that’ll sit close to your body, such as jeans, leggings, capri pants, and t-shirts.
- Sneakers are not only comfortable, they help to promote good posture, and the grips on the soles can help prevent you from slipping.
- Even though the sun will probably be shining, avoid wearing open-toed sandals as these can lead to serious cuts or grazes.
- Gloves, like gardening gloves, will help pad your hands and protect them against splinters. They’ll also give you extra grip when carrying boxes.
Keep Plenty of Water on Hand
Moving house can be physically demanding, so make sure that everyone has access to plenty of fluids. Not only will staying hydrated help prevent you from overheating in the sun, it’ll also help limit muscle fatigue the next day, too.
For an extra sugar kick, switch out the water and treat everyone to some sweet tea or lemonade. (We’re sure your Dallas movers won’t be complaining about that!)
Moving safety can be overwhelming and that’s why hiring a moving company can limit the stress that goes with relocating. Here at Delicate Moving, our expert Dallas movers can help make your move as safe and easy as possible. Call us today at 214-390-6714 and let us know what we can do for you!