During a house move or office relocation, it is very common to have to transport large and bulky items. Some items like a grand piano and a heavy safe are not really designed to be moved by one or two persons. Heavy furniture like a king-sized mattress or a teak wood cabinet can be physically challenging to move around when you are just rearranging a room or living room; and it’s going to get a lot worse if you need to carry it out of the house or apartment and into another.

Of course, you are welcome to hire a company like Happly Australia to give you a helping hand with all of this, but you may be giving them assistance where you can, or they may be another time where you’ll need to do it yourself. Therefore, we have outlined some rough steps on how you can make moving heavy objects easier with the hope of preventing injuries to yourself and damage to your belongings.

1. Use the correct lifting techniques

• Ensure that you can see your steps when moving. Get someone to help guide you when you are carrying large items that block your view.
• Do not bend forward when you lift the item. Rather, stand with your feet shoulder width apart, face the item so you do not have to twist your body and squat to meet the load while keeping a straight back.
• Use both hands to make sure you get a good grip, slowly lift the item through your leg muscles and knees while keeping your back straight.
• Keep the item close to your body so you won’t be straining yourself with the item at arm’s reach.
• Never lift a heavy item higher than shoulder level
• When putting down the item, your back should still be straight, so bend your knees as if you’re about to sit on a chair.
• Don’t twist your body, even when moving around corners. It is easy to sprain your waist, legs or shoulders when you twist your body while moving heavy stuff.

2. Dismantle items where possible

Remove any part of your heavy furniture that is removable, especially parts that protrude from the furniture, such as the legs and arm rests. Package these items separately so that the furniture is easier to manoeuvre through stairs, turnings, doors and rooms. Ensure that you label them so you can remember what item of furniture needs which pieces! Also identify movable parts such as drawers and doors – these parts should be taped with masking tape very securely to prevent the items from moving or dropping out during the moving process. It might be a good idea to look for faulty or damaged furniture and remove it or give it to the company for repair. In the case where the office furniture is damaged beyond repair, you can choose to buy new ones on https://www.officemonster.co.uk/ or on websites of other such office supply companies that distribute furniture and other essentials for office spaces.

3. Wear appropriate clothing

Wear comfortable clothes that are not too tight or loose to enable you to move around freely and without the risk of getting snagged during the move. Wear shoes with sufficient grip so you minimise any chances of slipping.

4. Seek professional help

When you book your movers, be sure to let them know what item you have so they know what equipment to bring along on the moving day. Similarly for transporting goods overseas or long distances, check the pallet terms and conditions. Moving big and bulky items does not have to cause you a big headache or body aches all over. Chillax and leave the heavy-duty task to professionals that handle office relocation brisbane or where you are located.

5. Slide items of furniture if necessary

Furniture sliders can make your life so much easier when moving heavy furniture. If you’re unable to find sliders, it’s easy to improvise with household items such as rugs, towels, plastic container lids or Frisbees. Make sure to only use soft sliders on hard surfaces and hard plastic sliders on soft surfaces.

If you are moving overseas, say for example, from Atlanta to Montreal or Toronto, consider hiring a trucking company like CSA Transportation (https://www.csatransportation.com/contact/trucking-atlanta-ga) that can ensure your shipment’s transport in a safe and timely manner. For local transportation, most professional moving companies such as those on Shiply’s network are equipped with the necessary equipment such as sliders, blankets, dollies and trollies for transporting larger items, which they will bring on the day of the move.