Five Tips for Preventing Injury During a Move

lake forest moving companies 01Five Tips for Preventing Injury During a Move to Lake Forest

All too often, DIY movers wind up injured or sick during the moving process. After all, moving is stressful, which can easily lead to illness. And if you’re not use to picking up heavy objects on a daily basis, it’s easy to get injured while doing so.

If you’re determined to do at least some of the move on your own, you can take specific steps to prevent injury and illness during a move. Here are five to consider:

1.Give it time

One thing to know about the moving process is that it takes loads of time. Even those who hire the best Lake Forest movers for a full-service move find that moving comes with loads of details to take care of. These details take up your time and effort, and if you leave them until the last minute, you’ll find yourself stressed, sleepless, and prone to sickness.

 

If you’re doing some of the packing on your own, it’s even more important that you ensure you have plenty of time to get things done. Cut back on social engagements leading up to your move, and start packing – a little at a time – at least six weeks before your moving day. Otherwise, again, you’ll find yourself stressed to the limit and much more prone to basic illnesses like colds.

2. Leverage proper body mechanics

All too often, those who are in good physical condition are the most likely to get injured during a move. You might assume that just because you lift weights and run regularly, you’ll be able to handle picking up that heavy box, no problem. But if you pick it up wrong, you’ll wind up with a sore back or other possible injuries.

No matter your physical condition, you’ll definitely want to practice good body mechanics before you start lifting boxes and furniture onto that moving truck. The main goal is to lift using the strength of your legs, rather than your back. That’s because your back – especially your lower back – is your weakest point. If you’re not sure how to position yourself to make this happen, look around online to find a good tutorial for using good body mechanics to protect yourself while moving.

3. Pack boxes light

When you’re preparing to pack, be sure to get more small boxes than large boxes. That’s because it’s better to have lots of smaller, lighter boxes than it is to have fewer boxes that are heavier. Sure, it takes more trips to the moving van, but it also protects you from being injured during the moving process. This is why many Lake Forest moving companies have their own weight limits per box, even.

You can pretty easily keep boxes at a reasonable weight by packing the proper items in the proper boxes. Put lighter weight items, like clothing and blankets, into bigger boxes. Put smaller, denser items like books into smaller boxes. When in doubt, you can always weigh a few boxes to ensure you’re on the right track.

4. Disassemble furniture

For the most part, it’s easier to pack furniture into a moving van if you disassemble it. And breaking up furniture into its component parts makes it easier to pick up and move, as well. Yes, this takes extra time, but it can definitely be a big factor in an injury-free move. So get out your screwdriver, and start taking those heavy pieces apart well before moving day.

5. Ask for help

You might assume that you can’t afford to hire the best Lake Forest moving company on moving day. But the fact is that by the time you rent a moving van, you’re out some significant cash, anyway. It’s often not much more expensive to go ahead and hire pros to do the heavy lifting for you. It’s definitely worth getting a quote, since hiring movers is absolutely the best way to keep from getting injured during your move.

If you do have volunteer help during your move, instead of hired help, just be sure that no one gets injured. Otherwise, you could be on the hook for medical expenses. This is even more reason to keep boxes lightweight, and to be sure that everyone practices good body mechanics when helping with your move.