Tips for Moving Heavy Items Easily

Hiring professional moving services is the most convenient way to move, especially when you’re moving heavy or bulky items. However, the ideal scenario is not always possible and you may have to do it yourself. When performing DIY moving,  you’ll have to do one part of the job yourself, but it doesn’t mean you have to be completely alone. When it comes to moving heavy items with ease, you’ll have to have some help. One person alone just can’t carry the heavy fridge up and down the stairs or lift a heavy couch on their own. If you don’t have professional movers helping you out, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take their tips to move heavy items like a pro. We’ve prepared a helpful step-by-step guide to help you out. Follow our top tips for moving heavy items easily.

Make a plan

Before you tackle the actual moving of your heavy items go ahead and make a game plan. You want to be as efficient as possible when it comes to moving heavy or bulky belongings, so you should figure out the details first. Figure out which item is the heaviest, move it firstly, and then proceed to move less heavy ones. Check the dimensions of your heavy item as well as the dimensions of doorways and hallways to make sure you can pass through on your way to the moving vehicle. Arrange for a few helping hands, whether your friends are helping you or you’re hiring moving labor. Also, check if there are any obstacles on the way out, such as other pieces of furniture, home décor, etc. Although creating a plan is a bit time-consuming, it’s much better to be prepared.

Get the equipment

When you’re moving heavy or bulky items, you should take advantage of all the great tools out there. You can purchase any of these handy tools but you can also save by renting them from your local moving company. Start by getting moving straps aka furniture straps that will help you lift heavy items easier. These lifting straps are adjustable so you can make them suitable for different sizes of furniture and the size of your body. Next, you should buy or rent furniture sliders that will help you load a heavy piece. Sliders create a mobile barrier between the item and the floor so you could move something with ease and they also protect your floors.

Then, another must-have for moving heavy items is a furniture dolly. There are two different types of moving dollies and you’ll probably be fine with only one. A dolly will help you move the heavy item with ease because it has wheels so you can push instead of carrying such a heavy object. It’s very important to secure the item in place before pushing the dolly so it wouldn’t fall off.

Break it down

The easiest way to move a heavy item is to disassemble it and move smaller pieces. For instance, you should know how to disassemble furniture when moving. Consider taking it apart, including all the doors, shelves, drawers, doorknobs, cushions, and all other removable pieces. The more you can break it down the easier it will be to move it. Make sure to keep all the screws or smaller parts separated in a zip lock bag. You should also mark the bags to their corresponding pieces, so you wouldn’t mix parts later on when it comes to reassembling your heavy items.

Safety always comes first

When you’re moving heavy items, you also have to be careful not to hurt yourself during the process. All the moving equipment listed above will help you stay on the safe side, but it will not do all the work for you – you will still have to push, pull, lift, and drag. When doing so, make sure you use proper lifting techniques and always ask for help if something is too heavy or doesn’t seem like a one-man job. To avoid injuries, always lift by bending your knees and not your waist. The trick is to use your legs and not your back, otherwise, you’re risking a serious back injury.

Also, never twist your body while you’re carrying something – always turn your entire body or put the item down for a while when you have to turn. Carry items as close to your body as you can, as this will maintain balance and get your upper body involved. And last but not least, keep the pathway clear so you wouldn’t trip over something while you’re carrying a box or another heavy item.

Get help

If you plan on moving heavy items DIY, you’ll have to get a few helping hands. Even with all the moving tools, you’ll still have to do a lot of heavy lifting, especially when it comes to stairs. Taking heavy items down the stairs is challenging enough even if someone is helping you, so don’t try doing it alone. There should be one person lower at the stairs setting the pace and another person higher on the stairs following the pace and always take it one slow step at a time.

Unloading plan

The first step to a successful move was making a loading plan and the last step is to have one for unloading as well. You should use all the same tools you used to take the heavy item out of your home. Know the order you want to take items out of the moving truck and plan a layout in advance to save time once you arrive at your new home.

If moving heavy items seems like too much hassle and you prefer to leave it to professionals, go for a licensed and reliable Brooklyn moving company. Rabbit Movers are at your service – contact us anytime and we’ll provide a free moving quote.