Moving your household items from your old home to your new home can be a long, complicated process. There are ways to make it easier and safer, whether or not you are employing small local movers to help. It is often simpler and faster to get help in one way or another, of course.
On Your Own
It is usually a fairly simple thing to move a box of towels or toys. Many items you will need to move can be handled on your own, with some effort and caution. The old adage of “lift with your legs, not with your back” helps prevent back injury with whatever you are lifting. Simple work gloves can help with keeping a firm and steady grip, and help prevent many small hand injuries. Proper balance in your load is especially important, both personal balance and item balance. Carry items close to your center of balance to more easily control them. Turn your body position by shuffling your feet, not by twisting your back. Wear good non-slip shoes and clothing unlikely to snag on items you carry or walk past.
Many Hands Make Light Work
A household rarely consists only of such simple items that you can handle yourself, however. Knowing the limits of what you can safely carry comes with practice, and is a personal estimation. Pushing yourself to injury through pulled muscles, damaged joints or even dropped goods will not help the moving process. Operate within your limits and exercise foresight and caution. Many such ideas might be considered common sense, but sometimes common sense falls prey to a tight schedule or distraction. Deliberate premeditated caution can save a lot of time and pain.
A lifting partner can help with heavy items, but also with oddly shaped items, fragile items, flexible items that shift during transport, or even something as simple as having an extra hand to open a door when needed. An assistant can provide a lookout to prevent wall and floor damage, other undesired collisions, or help make sure lifters don’t misstep on stairs or around other obstacles. Should injury occur, companions might even be crucial to prevent more grievous injuries or provide medical assistance.
Mechanical Advantages
Even with other people helping, sometimes an item is too much trouble to move by hand. Tools like furniture sliders, dollies or strap systems can be key to making a move safely. Some homes have such tools on hand, but hiring local movers can allow access to tools that you don’t have for whatever reason. Local movers also often have more training in how to use such tools, which can make a big difference in safety and efficiency. A hand truck or dolly is a fairly simple device, for example, but knowing best how to load it and use it for a variety of items might be best left to experienced hands.
Local Knowledge
At My Small Moves our Salt Lake City Movers are trained to work in teams to handle materials, especially heavy or fragile items. Local movers also know well how to handle local concerns, from traffic and parking to quirks of architecture. Safe driving, aided by knowing the area, can also make all the difference with keeping your goods safe in transit. Some items may not even be possible to move into certain locations, and local movers can help sort those concerns before they become a problem for people or possessions.
Proper Preparation
Moving a household worth of items can be a complex operation, but a bit of preparation and organization can go a long way in making the process painless.
If your goods are loosely packed and easily shifted within containers, anyone carrying them could more easily lose their balance. Secure your goods within their boxes, and safely close your boxes (tape the top securely, double tape the bottom before loading with tape along the seam and other tape across the seam and up the sides a bit), and you’ll protect your goods as well as your movers. Don’t overload your boxes; 50 pounds maximum is a good rule of thumb. It wise to have more, lighter weight boxes in order to prevent problems with overly heavy boxes that could break or cause carrying problems. Trying to optimize space with overstuffed boxes is almost never worth the safety tradeoff.
Clean walkways, both inside and outside, can also be important. Movers often can’t easily see where they are stepping, and tripping hazards ought to be minimalized, especially moving hazards like pets, children or toys. Wet or otherwise slippery floors need to be carefully navigated. Elbow room and finger clearance around corners can also make a difference in avoiding injuries. A bit of foresight can be critical, as holding a box by the bottom instead of by the corners can be important when going through tight spaces.
Staying Healthy
The most important machines in this process are the people involved. Keep your own systems functional with proper hydration, nutrition and rest. This can be especially important in the Salt Lake City area, as the dry, hot climate in Utah summers are especially draining, and our cold winters come with slipping and tripping hazards on top of the temperature. Our local Salt Lake City movers are experienced with these concerns, and are well suited to help you.
Foresight, planning and caution will go a long way in making your move smooth and painless. Small local movers like the My Small Moves team are an excellent resource. Getting things done the right way quickly will save you time and trouble.
Skilled Local Salt Lake City Movers
My Small Moves are local movers specializing in apartment, townhome, house, POD, storage unit, senior living, and commercial moves. Call or text us today!