Prevent Moving Injuries: How to Lift Heavy Boxes Correctly

People often get hurt on moving day because they don’t lift heavy items correctly. Lifting heavy boxes or furniture the wrong way will almost always lead to muscle strain and back injury. That's why the Southern California moving professionals at Affordable Quality Moving and Storage put together step-by-step instructions on how to lift properly during a move. These steps can help with moving, loading, and unloading your belongings on moving day. They can even help when you’re in the process of packing and moving boxes or furniture around your house before you move.

1. Wear Appropriate Moving Attire

It is important to wear the right clothes on moving day. Whether you’re packing and decluttering around your old house, unpacking at your new home, or in the midst of moving, you should wear comfortable clothes or athletic wear. Avoid wearing anything constricting that will make it difficult to bend your knees, and avoid open-toed shoes in case you drop a heavy item on your feet. Wearing comfortable clothes will make it easier for you to move.

It's also important to dress right for current weather conditions. If it’s going to be warm, try to wear loose-fitting clothing that will keep you cooler. If it’s cold outside, wear warm layers of clothing that you can add or remove as needed. The more comfortable you are, the easier it will be to move everything.

2. Determine If You Need Assistance

Before lifting anything, assess the weight of the box. If the box is too heavy to carry on your own, ask for help. If you are moving on your own, you will need friends or family members to help you with the heavy lifting. If you think you can handle the weight of the box on your own, you can skip this step.

It's important to remember that even if you are capable of lifting something by yourself, that doesn't make it a good idea to lift alone. Moving is a marathon, not a sprint. If something would tire you out after lifting it, you might as well wait for assistance and save yourself from exhaustion later.

If a box or object is oddly shaped or particularly cumbersome, you may want to get help lifting it. It may not be too heavy, but if it is difficult to move or carry because of its shape or size, you could drop it or injure yourself by trying to lift it. It’s better to play it safe and get someone to help!

3. Stand Facing the Box

Before lifting any heavy item, stand and face it so your shoulders line up. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart. If your feet are too close together or too far apart, you will only increase the chances of a back injury. You’ll want to make sure your shoulders are squared and that you are not twisting your back or leaning to one side.

4. Bend Your Knees & Squat Down

Once you are facing the box, bend your knees and squat down. Prevent hunching over! Instead, keep your back straight and strong to prevent a back injury. Hold the box at the two opposite corners and pull in toward your chest to keep the box from slipping.

5. Lift the Box with Your Legs

Next, keep your knees bent and your back straight and carefully lift the box by straightening your legs. By lifting with your legs and not your back, you’re less likely to suffer any injuries. As you stand up, bring the box toward the center of your chest.

If you feel sharp pain or discomfort at any point during the lifting process, gently set the box back down. Don’t push it – get help lifting and carrying it.

You’ll use the same technique to set the box down, slowly lowering it by bending your knees and squatting down to lower the box into the moving truck or wherever you’re planning on leaving it.

6. Carry the Box Close to Your Body

When carrying anything heavy, you’ll want to hold it close to your body. Trying to hold a box away from your body will only put additional strain on your back, shoulder, and neck muscles. Hold every box close as you carry it, and move slowly to avoid tripping or slipping.

7. Use Moving Straps, Dollies & Other Tools

There are a lot of different tools that can help with lifting and moving heavy boxes and other items. Utility dollies, which stand upright and have two wheels, can be helpful for moving stacks of boxes. Furniture dollies, which have large flat bases with four wheels, are great for moving large and cumbersome items. Moving straps and ropes are helpful for lifting large items and for securing boxes or furniture to dollies and in the truck.

Contact Our Skilled Southern California Movers: (661) 622-2636!

Save yourself from the risk of getting injured during moving day and leave it to our Southern California moving professionals at Affordable Quality Moving and Storage. We help homeowners and businesses with all kinds of local, long-distance, and international moves. We are proud to provide highly rated moving services to clients embarking on any type of move. Our licensed, bonded, and insured team provides reliable moving services throughout Burbank, Temecula, San Diego, Santa Clarita, nationwide, and around the world.