How To Lift Heavy Furniture When Moving House

Aug 30, 2021 Moving furniture is among the most challenging tasks you have to manage during a house move. Majorly household furniture is expensive and heavy, which is why you have to be extremely careful while lifting and loading/unloading it. Mistakes and unpreparedness can lead to serious musculoskeletal disorders and hospitalisation. According to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), since 2000, at least 27 people have died in Australia from toppling furniture. Also, people of all ages face the risk of getting injured by toppling tables, chairs, desks, shelves and other furniture. Most people hire professional removalists in Canberra to manage the complicated process of packing and moving heavy furniture. Professionals have the experience, equipment and expertise to lift and move beds, tables, wardrobes, etc. But if you want to manage this activity yourself, here is your complete guide outlining tips for lifting heavy furniture when moving house. Have a look.

Create An Inventory

Heavy and large furniture items need to go in the moving truck first and before small boxes as they are placed against the vehicle’s walls. Thus, you need to create an inventory of all the big and heavy furniture in your home to ensure they are loaded on a moving day without confusion. On the inventory list, include details about the furniture type, its location in your home and measurements. It will come in handy before and after your hired removalists in Canberra arrive to move your belongings. Even if you are renting a moving truck instead of hiring professionals, create the list to avoid stress and hassle.

Buy/Rent Moving Equipment

Professional removalists in Canberra always lift and shift heavy household items with moving equipment. These tools enable them to drag and pick furniture securely and avoid serious injuries. Therefore, you should buy or rent moving equipment to manage the activity without sustaining sprains, strains, scrapes, etc. Here are some tools professionals commonly use for handling heavy furniture. • Moving dolly • Straps and harnesses • Furniture sliders • 4-wheeler • Hand truck These equipment will help keep your back, arms, legs, shoulders and neck from dislocating or stressing.

Use Right Lifting/Shifting Techniques

While handling heavy furniture, you need to maintain accurate posture and use the right techniques to avoid toppling items. Therefore, before you start the activity, practise to ensure you can lift or shift the furniture without sustaining injuries. Here are some professional techniques removalists in Canberra use to handle big and heavy things smoothly. • Avoid dragging or lifting extremely bulky furniture like couches, desks, and tables, among others. Instead, slide them with furniture sliders, towels, blankets etc. This technique will prevent scuff marks, scratches, dents or line floors and carpets. • Don’t try to lift above your capacity and seek the assistance of household members. • Before you start lifting or shifting furniture, warm up your body by stretching. Also, practise the motions you need to do for moving the furniture. • Breathe correctly by inhaling while lowering the heavy furniture and exhaling while lifting. Don’t hold your breath. • Lift with the strength of your legs rather than your back. Wearing a back brace would also help you maintain proper posture.

Disassemble Furniture

Inspect the furniture in your home to see which ones you can disassemble, as it will make packing and moving them easier. If you don’t have the instruction manual for the items, take pictures of the furniture during the dismantling process to know how to put it back together. You can remove shelves, racks, knobs, handles, planks and various other items off the furniture to make it more manageable during a house move.

Lift Furniture With Assistance

Items like couches, tables, chairs, wardrobes and shelves, among others, are challenging to lift alone. Therefore make sure you take the assistance of other household members to manage the tasks with you. You can shift the furniture to the side as moving furniture vertically is nearly impossible, and it increases the risk of toppling. Make sure each person carrying the item picks it from an end rather than the middle. Furthermore, while taking furniture downstairs, the person on the lower end should hold the item from below, and the person on the upper end should grab the furniture from above. It helps keep the items at an angle and take it down the stains without hassle.

The Bottom Line

Lifting heavy furniture is unavoidable while moving house, but you can end up injuring yourself without proper technique or tools. Therefore, hire furniture removalists in Canberra to manage the activity and ensure you can move smoothly. However, if you want to handle and load heavy furniture on the moving truck yourself, follow the tips shared above. Whatever choice you make, take care of your safety and ensure the items are moved securely.