It’s estimated that an average American relocates more than 11 times in their lifetime. In 2022 alone, some 27.3 million Americans uprooted their lives and moved to new cities. But moving can be hectic if you don’t manage it properly. You have to juggle a lot of responsibilities while ensuring the well-being of your whole family. Your belongings aren’t the only things that need protection during a long-distance move.
Most people associate moving with mental stress when it’s also a physically exhausting experience, as you do a lot of heavy lifting and run up and down the stairs. So, look for ways to minimize accidents and keep yourself safe, especially if you’re moving and packing on your own. Here’s how to ensure a safe move:
1. Rent a Spacious Self-Storage Unit
You don’t have to pack everything in your home and have it transported to your new home right away. Try taking fewer items, the most essential ones, to your new place. But if you’re worried about home invasion or robbery in your Louisiana home, such as Shreveport, here is a safer solution.
Despite being the third-largest city in the state, Shreveport experienced a population decline of over 3,000 people from 2020 to 2021. That’s because they probably wish to move to a place with less crime and better education. Data shows that the crime rate here is 144% higher than the national average. To ensure the safety of your belongings during your move, consider renting storage in Shreveport, Louisiana. This way, you can have peace of mind knowing that your items are secure until you’re ready to settle in.
You can monitor your things from your new home and then come back to Shreveport whenever you want to take them with you.
2. Wear Suitable Clothes For Moving
Wearing proper protective equipment is necessary to navigate the moving process safely. You must wear the safest shoes, headgear, and garments when moving things out of boxes and into the boxes.
Avoid wearing baggy clothes, instead, go with breathable garments so you can do strenuous work with ease. Instead of heels or sandals, go with boots that protect your toes. Head to your nearest Walmart and buy the necessary protective gear. Moreover, ensure you have work gloves and a tool belt. You can keep track of your tools with a tool belt, and work gloves protect you from splinters or nails.
3. Use A Dolly And Furniture Sliders
Do you have the necessary equipment to safely move all your possessions out of the house?
Ensure you have a moving dolly and furniture sliders (talk to The Home Depot for moving supplies rentals) to lift heavy objects safely. While moving dollies prevent you from overexerting yourself when moving bigger household items, furniture sliders keep your floors damage-free from even heavier ones across the room. You don’t want to damage the floor just before leaving this place, do you?
4. Lift Weighty Objects With Caution
It’s a lot safer to let experienced professionals do all the heavy lifting and move your boxes into their moving trucks for easy transportation. However, if you still think you’re up to the task then:
- Grab a box tightly while wearing gloves
- Keep your back straight and bend your knees
- Position the heavy box close to your waist for balance
- Don’t turn around by twisting your back, but with your feet
- Take small, controlled steps when carrying the item to your destination.
5. Secure Your Boxes
Ensure the safety of your boxes by choosing sturdy ones in the first place so they withstand the weight and pressure of your items. Reinforce the bottom seam with tape and ensure its top seam is tapped shut once the box is packed. But avoid overpacking and fill the empty spaces in a box with crumpled paper or packing peanuts instead. That’s how you can ensure the safety of your belongings.
6. Store Your Valuables Sensibly
When relocating, take extra care of your valuables and store these priceless items properly. Studies will show that glassware, crockery, mirrors, and photographs are the most damage-prone items to move. Ensure these fragile items are packed securely to avoid mishaps en route to your new house.
Use high-quality packing materials to secure your stuff and wrap fragile items individually. Always use small boxes for heavier items and cushion the bottom of these boxes with crumpled paper. Place your jewelry in small pouches or wrap them in a soft cloth. Dissemble electronics to pack them using padded boxes. Seal these boxes tightly; don’t forget to label and document them to avoid losing them.
7. Keep Yourself Hydrated While Traveling
Relocating can be exhausting if you’re moving to a place located far removed from your current home. Ensure you have stocked up on ample food, drinks, and medicine before embarking on this trip. If you have kids, have some snacks and energy drinks to chomp on to keep them hydrated.
Drink plenty of water before starting your long-distance journey out of your current city. Have frequent breaks on the way to prevent exhaustion and replenish your energy levels. Driving continuously makes you more exhausted than you can even think of! So, avoid driving for 24 hours straight.
8. Take Care Of Your Kids And Pets
It’s important to make children a part of the moving process. They can help a little with packing things and planning some aspects of relocation. But lifting heavy items isn’t appropriate for them. Similarly, kids shouldn’t be playing around with the moving boxes because it can get dangerous. You may even consider removing your children entirely from this process and bringing them to your relative’s house or a friend’s home who can babysit them. The same goes for your pets.
Ensure your furry friends receive no injury in the hubbub of relocation.
9. Check The Weather Before Moving
Move after checking your city’s traffic conditions and the weather on the road. If moving in winter, you can find roads empty because summer is the season when most Americans relocate.
So, turn on the radio in your car and switch to the weather channel. Also, take regular weather updates from the internet to make sure you’re moving on a sunny day, especially if you live in Louisiana, a state particularly susceptible to storms and hurricanes. Spring is by far the best season for a comfy move.
Conclusion
This blog explains a few ways to ensure a safe move and prevent accidents. Moving can easily make you much more exhausted than you initially bargained for. So, your best option is to hire a moving company. But if that doesn’t work out, try procuring the PPE necessary to do all the heavy lifting. Lift weighty items cautiously; get a moving dolly and a furniture slider to do the job. Secure your boxes properly and rent a storage facility nearby where you’ll dump your extra stuff and take fewer items to your new place.