Keep Your Move Safe: Moving Safety Tips

Moving is tough. Not only does it take a lot of time, effort, planning and money, it can also be dangerous. Nobody wants to have to stop in the middle of a move to take a trip to the hospital because of an injury. Here are tips to make sure that no matter who does your move, they stay healthy and safe on the big day.

Stretch Out First

Moving is a strenuous activity. You are going to be lifting and moving your body all day long. The best way to get ready for this is to take some time to stretch your muscles out first, just like you would if you were playing a sport or working out at the gym. Stretching out will lessen the chances for back injuries as well as pulled or strained muscles. It’s the best way to get started before lifting a single box and putting it in the truck.

Don’t Skimp on the Equipment

At first you might think you can handle everything in the house by hand. It is a safe bet that pretty soon you are going to wish you had a dolly or hand truck to help you during your move.

When moving, it always pays off to spend a few extra dollars for an appliance dolly or hand truck. These are very helpful tools for moving around cumbersome appliances. Not only can they help on flat surfaces, they are ideal for stairs as well.

One other essential piece of equipment for moving day is gloves. Fingers are easily pinched between boxes or between furniture and door frames. Protect your hands and fingers from injury by having good sturdy gloves. Make sure that they don’t decrease your grip. There are plenty of gloves available that have gripping surfaces to help with lifting.

Lift Properly and Safely

While you have probably heard this over and over again, you always want to lift with your legs and not your back. When you go to lift a box up, bend your waist back a bit and bend your knees. This puts all the stress on your legs, which can take it, and not on your back, which cannot. When you are lifting you should feel all the tension in your arms and legs, never in your waist.

Also remember that if it feels too heavy, it probably is. Put it down and get some help with it.

Have a First Aid Kit

While nobody wants to have an injury happen, they often occur anyway. Sometimes accidents are unavoidable. When one does happen, you want to be prepared. Don’t wait until someone has a cut to find you have packed away all your first aid. Ice packs, pain killers, bandages and ointments are good things to have in your emergency kit. You might also want to jot down the number for emergency services at your new home.

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