Moving is always harder than you think… In the best-case scenario, you’d move from a small, one-story home to another small, one-story home that isn’t too far away. However, we move for many reasons, from wanting to leave our current location for a better one to just needing to compensate for life changes.
As a result, we rarely experience the ideal moving conditions. If you find yourself worried about facing hazards as you begin finding reliable movers for small-scale LA relocations, then read on for some advice on how to overcome those challenges.
Stairs
Moving with stairs is a big worry for many people. They can be pretty dangerous even in everyday life and you’re about to find yourself lugging large and heavy items up and down them multiple times, after all.
Luckily, there are quite a few things you can do to minimize the risks, and a great example is to measure everything involved. Measure the space between the railings, the height of each step and the length and width and the space you have at the top of the stairs, especially if it is tight or full of sharp turns.
Once you’ve gotten the staircase measurements you can then ensure the items you’ll carry up aren’t too big for the process by measuring them as well. Furniture and boxes need to be introduced to the tape measure in order for this to work. If a furniture item is too big or heavy to take up or down the stairs as it is, see if it can be taken apart somehow.
For example, take drawers out of dressers and shelves out of bookshelves. If this doesn’t work and the items are either still too much for the stairs or movers to handle or can’t be taken apart, then talk with the people you’re moving with to get their opinions on your next steps.
Incorrect Lifting
We’ve all heard that you need to lift with your legs, not your back, but it’s difficult to understand what this means exactly until you’re suffering from extreme pain in your lower back from not heeding the advice. The proper lifting technique takes time to master but will help you avoid this pain.
Once you’re in front of the box you need to move, bend down. Stay facing the box straight on as you do this and make sure your legs and hips are burning, not your back. There should only be a slight arch in your lower back. To make this simpler, make sure your shoulders always align with your hips.
When you’re ready, place both hands under the box before straightening back into standing. Keep the box at roughly belly button height and don’t go any higher than this or you’ll put strain on your shoulders, arms and back.
Gently bend down again to place the box where it’s supposed to go and make sure once again that your legs and hips are doing the bending, not your back. Before you fully lift a box, gently test it. Move it slightly with your foot when possible or attempt to pick it up slowly. If it’s too heavy for you, stop and either get someone stronger to help you or find a dolly to move the box.
Poor Weather
Ideal conditions would see us moving on a crisp fall day or a relatively pollen-free spring morning, but this ideal is difficult to meet. You’ll likely find yourself struggling to move thanks to sweltering heat and high humidity, blistering cold temperatures or even pouring rain. Moving in these conditions isn’t impossible but it’s definitely not easy.
Before your move begins, discuss with everyone involved what their weather limits are. Friends and family will likely try to help as much as they can but hired movers will likely have limits listed in their contracts on both when they will and won’t move and what they do and don’t cover. Make sure these limits are well understood by all parties before weather hits so no one is left high and dry.
Physical Limitations
Before your move begins, you need to know your physical limits especially if you don’t regularly exercise. You need to also be aware of the signs you need to stop and take a break or even seek medical attention.
You should stop and rest if you find your muscles hurt or ache or you realize you haven’t stopped for a drink in a while. Immediately stop and get medical attention if you get dizzy or nauseous or feel chest pain and shortness of breath.
While minor pain is expected to some extent during exercise, any pain in the chest, extreme pain, excessive sweating and more are all bad signs that should be addressed by a doctor as soon as possible.
