7 Safety Tips for Moving Furniture

7 Safety Tips for Moving Furniture

So, you decided to take a big leap of faith and move your furniture on your own. Before you do, here are a few important things to remember to help prevent injuries or damage to your furniture.

Check for danger zones.

Before moving any piece of furniture, make sure the path is completely clear. Many injuries happen because people forget to check danger zones. A danger zone is basically anything that prevents you from moving your furniture safely. For example, toys, shoes, boxes, clutter or any item that could cause a safety hazard. If there are any other pieces of furniture in the way, make sure to move it before attempting to haul it out of the room.

Make sure children and pets are in the safe distance away from you (far away). For some reason kids and pets love to get in the way when it’s time to move heavy furniture.

Just take a quick walk around the object you’re moving to make sure nothing or no one is in the way.

Check for outside debris.

Moving furniture from out of the house, apartment or office, onto the moving truck, can be a very tedious process. To prevent accidents, make sure the outdoor path is are free of debris, ice, snow or mud. Moving day can be a magnet for accidents.

Use a furniture dolly.

A furniture dolly (or utility dolly) is a lifesaver, even for professional movers. A furniture dolly is a two-wheeled, L-shaped handcart that helps transport heavy items. You can either buy or rent one from a moving company.

Use moving straps.

Professional movers use moving straps to help move heavy furniture more efficiently. You’re basically saving yourself from serious injury by shifting the weight from your back to a stronger muscle group within your body.

Use a furniture slider.

It takes a lot of muscle to move heavy furniture. A slider is basically a piece of rubber on one side and plastic on the opposite side that helps to slide furniture with ease. Using a slider will help make moving furniture from one section of a room to the other side of the room a lot easier.

Simply place the slider underneath each corner or leg of furniture and voila! You’ll be able to maneuver and shift the furniture with ease.

Use furniture felts.

Furniture felts are an absolute must when placing your furniture in a room with hardwood floors. You’re basically saving yourself from a serious damage to your floors. In many cases deep scratches may require a complete refinishing which can easily cost thousands of dollars.

Wear comfortable shoes and the right type of clothing

Here are the items that you definitely don’t want to wear on moving day: loose-fitting clothes, dress shoes, heels, open toe shoes, sandals or flip flops. A comfortable pair of shoes that covers the toes, like timberlands, work boots or sneakers with ankle support will do the job.

Make sure the clothes and shoes that you wear are flexible and breathable, so you can move around freely without any restrictions. Wearing the right clothes is not just about feeling comfortable, it also has to do with your safety.

Lastly, consider buying a pair of durable work gloves to help protect your hands and improve your grip.

‍