6 Safety Tips For Moving Furniture

One of the reasons many people find moving stressful is because it involves a lot of physical activity.

A survey involving 1,000 American movers even showed the top two most stressful parts of moving: packing and sorting out items on what to keep and get rid of, with results of 48% and 47%, respectively. But other than packing and sorting out stuff, you’ll likely experience another struggle when moving houses is moving bulky and sometimes oddly-shaped furniture pieces.      

If not careful, you could put yourself at risk of physical injuries when moving bulky furniture pieces. Moreover, you can consider hiring professional movers like Movinghub to help you and prevent any inconveniences or damages. And so, this article will share with you a few tips on how to move your bulky and awkwardly-shaped furniture pieces properly and safely.      

Aside from planning the moving process, setting a furniture moving plan is also essential. Start by taking inventory of all the bulky, oddly-shaped, oversized furniture pieces you might need to move. You can check each room, list down all the heavy furniture pieces you might need to remove and proceed from there.     

Then, plan a route for taking those furniture pieces out of the house and into the truck. During this stage, you may encounter issues such as small door frames, narrow hallways or stairs. At the same time, you need to create a route plan for carrying and moving the same furniture to your new home.     

Lastly, once you’ve figured out their route plan, you may plan the order when you move the items. Preferably, start by moving the heaviest furniture pieces first and leave the lightest ones as the last.   

If some of your furniture pieces are too large to go through the doors, hallways or stairs, see if you’ll need to disassemble them or find an alternative route. If the latter is not an option, you’ll need to disassemble your furniture pieces so you can easily carry them out of the house and load them safely to the truck.   

Some furniture pieces are too heavy and bulky for you and your helpers to carry. Thus, it’s best to invest in furniture moving equipment to help ease the lifting and moving process. Some of the furniture moving equipment you must have may include:    

• Moving dolly   

A moving dolly is a helpful tool for moving heavy or bulky items. You may choose between a four-wheeled, horizontal dolly for wide and large items or a two-wheeled, upright dolly for taller objects. Either way, strap your furniture securely before you push the dolly.   

• Furniture sliders   

Furniture sliders, also called gliders, are hard plastic or rubber pieces placed under your furniture’s legs. Using them will help you easily slide your furniture pieces on the floor while protecting your flooring and furniture from scratches and damage.   

• Lifting straps   

Lifting straps are strong weightlifting accessories usually made from leather, nylon, or canvas. You may use them to relieve weight from your arms and back when lifting heavy objects.   

You must follow proper and safe lifting techniques when moving your furniture. Otherwise, lifting heavy objects incorrectly can put you at risk of injuries and body aches. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted that there were over 86,000 reported cases of lifting-related injuries. In addition, the University of Virginia quoted BLS stating that 80% of back injury cases are caused by incorrect lifting techniques.    

Thus, one must follow proper lifting techniques to avoid the risk of injury or lifting-related accidents. Here are a few safety tips when lifting and moving heavy furniture during your move.  

• Firmly hold on to the heavy furniture.   
• Keep your back straight, and always lift the load up by bending your knees, not your back.   

• As you carry the heavy object, keep it close and centre to your body to maintain stability.   
• If the furniture is too heavy, ask one or more people to help move the furniture and ensure everyone follows the same proper lifting technique.   

Remember, furniture moving can be dangerous when done incorrectly, so ensure you and your helpers take note of the safe lifting techniques above.   

Wearing improper clothes or shoes when moving furniture can put you at risk of injuries or accidents during the move. So, remember to dress appropriately for the activity. Preferably, wear closed shoes or boots, comfortable and breathable clothes, and gloves.    

Despite knowing the proper lifting methods and taking precautions, moving furniture isn’t easy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2018, employees in the transportation and moving industry have the highest number of cases of physical injuries, garnering 184,470 injured workers, due to the nature of their job. Thus, if professional movers are at risk of injuries during the moving process, how much more are those with little to no experience moving furniture pieces?    

The safest way to move your furniture is to hire professional movers. Besides their expertise, skill and experience, they are trained to properly move, lift and handle heavy furniture pieces before, during and after the move. At the same time, they can disassemble furniture when necessary. So, take the stress off your hands and let the professional movers handle the challenging parts of the moving process.   

Wrapping up   

If you opt to move without hiring a professional moving company, ensure a basic understanding of the safety tips mentioned above when moving your furniture. But for a hassle-free and stress-free move, professional movers are available anytime to help move your furniture safely and securely. So, if you have an upcoming move, schedule your move with us today!