5 Safety Tips When Moving Yourself
When moving to a new home, moving safety should be a top priority. Moving yourself to a new place creates physical and mental stress that increase the likelihood of injuries. Before you move, consider these five moving safety tips.
Lift properly
One common moving injury is muscle strain caused by improperly lifting heavy objects. More serious lifting injuries, such as hernias, are also possible. To avoid these, it’s important to lift with your legs by keeping your back straight and bending your knees to reach items on the ground. It feels natural to bend at the waist to pick things up, but doing so forces you to lift with your back. Another tip is to try to avoid bending over by placing boxes and suitcases on a table or bed to fill them up. Utilizing a dolly, furniture sliders, and moving straps for heavy items also helps.
Protect hands and feet
Smashed fingers and toes, cuts, and strains to hands and feet are other common moving injuries. Thick work gloves are useful for protecting your hands and helping you grip items more securely. Wearing proper footwear is also crucial. Never wear sandals while moving because they can easily slip off your feet and cause you to trip. Instead, opt for something more sturdy. If you have them, steel-toed boots are the best way to protect your toes from being smashed by heavy items. A good pair of sneakers is also great for providing arch support and comfort.
Keep kids and pets safe
Moving is stressful for children and pets because it disrupts their routine and increases anxiety. Dropping kids or pets off at daycare or a sitter may be the safest option. If that’s not possible, young children should be secured in a crib or playpen while moving. A toddler who gets in the way of an adult moving heavy furniture could cause the adult to trip, risking injury to everyone. Older kids can be enlisted to help in order to keep them distracted. Pets should be secured in a bedroom or crate. An anxious pet can cause a person to trip or the animal may dart out of an open door and run away.
Plan for the weather
An important part of moving safety is to plan for inclement conditions. If it’s hot outside, try to move items during the cooler hours of the day. Park close to your house and take advantage of any shady spots. Cold, rainy, or icy conditions are also potentially dangerous. Be prepared to mop up water tracked into your house to prevent people from slipping. When driving to an unfamiliar location in inclement weather, make sure to take it slow and stay alert. Regardless of the conditions, make sure to take breaks throughout the day to eat, rehydrate, and rest.
Pack smart
Packing your items properly is about more than just organizing; it’s also about safety. One major concern is flammable or hazardous materials. Aerosol cans, cleaning chemicals, oxygen tanks, or any other potentially-dangerous item should be packed carefully and labeled clearly. If you choose not to bring these items along, dispose of them properly. While you stack items in a moving truck, do so conscientiously so that they don’t fall. When you arrive at your destination and open the truck, do so slowly in case items have shifted.
Following these moving safety tips will help you complete your move without any unexpected trips to the E.R. Another great way to avoid injuries and stress is to hire Cord Moving and Storage Co. Our professional movers can help make your move a breeze.