Moving to a new home can be both exciting and stressful. But lifting and moving all those boxes and furniture is an arduous and dangerous task. While you might be concerned about damaging your belongings, there’s also a risk of damaging your body while lugging heavy and unwieldy boxes and furniture around.

To prevent injuries while making the move from one home to the next, we’ve prepared a short guide to help you protect yourself from harm.

Do a short warmup

Lifting heavy items is as much of a workout as a bodybuilding exercise at a local gym, so prepare accordingly. Before you lift the first box, make sure your muscles are ready to follow the pace. Do a few arm and leg stretches to prepare for the moving process, both physically and mentally.

Stay hydrated and eat

It might not seem obvious, but moving boxes can be dangerous on a hot summer day. Always keep a bottle of water on hand for hydration. Working in the sun means most of the moisture in your body will be sweated away, so make sure you don’t run out of fluids.

It’s easy to forget to eat when trying to get everything accomplished in as short of time as possible. Your body needs fuel, so keep a few healthy and quick-to-eat snacks handy. Snacks are also an excellent way to reward friends for helping with some of the work (in which case we recommend pizza).

Wear proper footwear

We recommend wearing good, sturdy shoes or boots. Open-toed slippers are just accidents waiting to happen. A foot is more prone to slipping out of such a shoe, and they often aren’t comfortable enough when carrying the added weight.

Ensure proper seals

If you’re moving boxes, make sure they are closed properly and are in good condition. When moving furniture, tape any cabinet doors closed and strap furniture to dollies to prevent mishaps.

Mind your technique

The most important thing to keep in mind when moving is the lifting technique. Here’s how to do it safely:

• Spread the feet shoulder-width apart to maintain stable footing.

• Bend the knees to pick up the box or the furniture piece. Never hunch over to pick a box up. We can’t emphasize this enough.

• Don’t pick up more than you can handle. If the box seems too heavy to lift, it probably is. Remove something from the box or ask for help.

• Breathe in before you lift. Breathe out when you pick the box up. Doing this supports the abdominal muscles and the spine.

• Pick the box up by straightening the legs rather than lifting your torso. In other words, pick up with the knees, not the back.

• Avoid sudden movements. Making rash decisions and moving too fast are some of the best ways to end up with a box on your toes.

• Bend the knees when putting the box down. Again, don’t hunch over.

Use professional services

If you don’t want to hassle with the most stressful parts of moving, contact a professional moving company. They can do all the heavy lifting with no fuss. Even if you have packed everything up yourself, they can move every box much faster and stress-free.

Miranda Delivery Service offers moving services across Arizona, interior design moving and storage, furniture delivery and assembly, and commercial storage. Call 480-389-5928 today!