Staying Safe While Moving Furniture Into Storage

So you’ve decided that moving some of your furniture into self-storage, even just for a few months, is the best choice. What is your next step? Find friends who can help you move everything? Hire a moving company to transport everything? If you choose the former, it’s important to know when you’ll be moving furniture, how many pieces you’ll be storing, and who’s coming to help. At EZ Storage® in Detroit, we have a free* local move-in truck that can make transporting furniture much easier, and it also means that you won’t have to call your friend with a pickup. In this post, we’ll look at some ways to prevent injury while moving furniture into storage.

Spare Your Back

You’ve heard it a thousand times – always lift with your legs, not with your back. If you’ve ever tried to lift something heavy without bending properly, then you most likely know what can happen to your back when you do so. By bending your knees, getting as low as you can, and then picking up your end of the couch, you can spare your back from pain.

Push, Don’t Pull

If you’re using moving pads to slide your favorite recliner towards the front door, get behind it and push, instead of pulling it. Pushing allows you to use your weight and strength to move the chair, instead of fighting against the weight of the furniture (you’ll also avoid the risk of tearing the fabric).

Make Sure the Path is Clear

Before you and your buddy pick up that couch and head to the truck, make sure the path is clear. This can help you and your friends avoid injury, especially if one of you is walking backwards (which is usually the case when moving furniture). If you have boxes or other things in the way, there is a greater chance that somebody is going to trip, drop their end of the couch and damage the furniture, or worse, themselves. Taking a few minutes to clear a path can save a lot of headaches, both literally and figuratively.

What Are You Wearing?

Before you start moving heavy items out of the house, take a moment to assess what you’re wearing. If you have sandals or flip-flops on, consider swapping them for some closed-toe shoes or work boots. The corner of a chair or couch coming down on your exposed toe can quickly ruin your day, and closed-toe shoes can help you avoid injury. You’ll also want shoes with good traction, especially if you’re going to be traversing stairs with your furniture.

If you have a baggy shirt or pair of pants on, change into something more fitting. You still want to be comfortable, but a baggy pant leg can catch on the corner of a bookcase and cause you to drop the piece of furniture. You’ll also want to pick clothes that you won’t mind getting dirty.

Finally, a good pair of work gloves can help you protect your hands from friction burns or cuts. If you’re moving anything with glass in it, such as a coffee table, the gloves will protect both the glass and your hands.

There are many things to consider when moving furniture into a storage unit, and by practicing the tips in this post, you’ll hopefully be able to prevent injury to yourself and others, as well as damage to your belongings. EZ Storage® offers convenient access hours on every day of the year, so no matter when you need to move your things, you can find a time that works for you.

Visit us in Detroit today to find your storage solutions!

*At Participating Locations, Some Restrictions Apply