7 Tips That Will Help You Move Safely Within the Concrete Jungle

Although all relocations are difficult, that statement is particularly true for NYC. The city’s hustle and bustle affect everyone and everything, including your preparations, meaning you’ll often have to plan ahead just in case an accident occurs. If you don’t want to spend your last few weeks before the move worrying about everything, hire Twin Brothers Movers to assist you with the preparations.

Following These Moving Safety Tips Will Help You Avoid All Sorts of Accidents During the Move

Whatever your reasons to move might be, planning an NYC move from start to finish without any professional assistance will take you through all sorts of situations that aren’t always the safest. Fortunately, the following seven relocation tips will help you avoid all kinds of accidents during your preparations, allowing you to stay safe while still finishing all of the work on time.

#1 Having a Good Plan Will Allow You to Move Safely

While heavy lifting might be the most challenging part of your relocation, starting the preparations with a solid plan will allow you to move almost anything relatively easily. Before you even attempt to lift even a single item or a box, it’s crucial to iron out all the details, including the path you’re going to take when loading your belongings. Knowing how to approach every possible situation will allow you to move efficiently and safely, ensuring you don’t run into any issues during the preparations.

Remove All Obstacles on the Way Before You Start Moving Things Around

Maneuvering large items is much easier when you don’t have to worry about tripping over something, so it’s better to remove all obstacles that are in the way right from the start. Make sure that there’s a clear path from every room to the truck, including the building stairway, elevator, and driveway. This will significantly reduce the time you have to carry some very heavy items, allowing you to move everything much more quickly in general. Considering there’s undoubtedly going to be some bystanders nearby, designate a person who will keep the path clear while you’re loading the belongings. You certainly don’t want anyone to get in the way, as this could easily cause you to drop something and get injured.

Find Someone to Take Care of Your Pets and Children

Considering the last two weeks before the relocation can get pretty intense, it’s crucial to figure out what you’re going to do about your children during this period. Although a teenager could maybe pack dishes or help you box up a computer, it’s better to leave younger kids out of the process, as they quickly get in trouble even under normal circumstances. While you can create a danger-free zone to keep the little ones contained, it might be better to find someone to take care of them for the time being.

Leaving them with a family member or a close friend is your best option, but you can also hire a professional sitter to keep them safe. The same thing applies when relocating with pets, as most animals are very susceptible to relocation stress. The hustle and bustle of people going in and out of the home will quickly get them ruffled up, so better leave them with a friend for a few days or find a professional pet sitter. This is particularly important when hiring New York City movers, as you don’t want anyone accidentally stepping on them while carrying boxes.

#2 Wear Clothes That Won’t Limit Your Movement

Although heavy lifting can be incredibly difficult, wearing appropriate attire will make the task significantly easier to handle. Similar to going on a walk in a Brooklyn park, you’ll want to wear comfortable clothes that won’t limit your movement in any way. Avoid wearing pieces that are too loose, as they could easily get caught onto something, causing you to drop a heavy item and possibly hurt yourself. On the other hand, very tight clothing often prevents a full range of motion, meaning you’ll have a much harder time lifting containers off the ground.

When it comes to footwear, opt for shoes that provide support and keep the ankles safe. No matter how hot it is outside, don’t wear flip flops, heels, or anything that exposes your foot, as you could easily break a nail or worse while packing furniture and loading the truck. Focus on wearing something that’s also appropriate for the weather, so while sneakers might be great for most of the year, boots are certainly better for winter and when there’s precipitation. Finally, if you can’t pick a proper outfit, just wear what you usually would when going on one of the best hikes near NYC.

#3 Don’t Overpack the Containers

Overpacking is a very common mistake people make when boxing up books and many other everyday household items. While a single book might not be too heavy on its own, the weight stacks pretty quickly, meaning you’ll soon end up with containers that are impossible to lift off the ground. Even if you manage to pull it off somehow, one misstep could result in a severe back injury.

If you’re having trouble lifting even a part of the box, try to redistribute the weight evenly. To avoid breaking your fragile items, start by placing the heavier pieces on the bottom and continue from there. If the container is still too heavy, using some tools and equipment will enable you to lift it. Otherwise, you’ll have to take something out to make it lighter.

Avoid Overpacking by Using Appropriately Sized Containers

The key to not overpacking is knowing how much weight any container could hold. While there’s nothing wrong with packing plates in large boxes, you won’t be able to lift any of them once they are filled to the brim. The same goes for all other heavier belongings, so you’ll need to choose which containers to use when packing specific items. To avoid overstuffing anything, take note of how much weight each box size can handle:

• Small box – 50 pounds or less,
• Medium box – 65 pounds or less,
• Large box – 70 pounds or less.

Professional New York City moving companies recommend you pack heavier things in small and medium-sized boxes, while you can freely pack most of the clothes and pots and pans in large ones. Extra-large containers should only be reserved for bulky belongings that aren’t necessarily heavy, like blankets, linens, pillows, and larger clothing pieces.

#4 Use Proper Lifting Techniques and Avoid a Painful Injury

Most people fear the hard labor part of the relocation simply because they’ve heard incredible stories of people suffering painful injuries while trying to pick up some containers off the ground. Although it is possible to hurt yourself when dealing with incredibly heavy objects, using proper lifting techniques will minimize the chance of damage occurring during the lift. Considering you can never eliminate the risks that come with these sorts of activities entirely, it’s completely ok to look for some professional assistance if that makes you feel safe.

Follow These Steps When Lifting to Avoid an Injury

Those planning on handling all preparations on their own should take some time to learn all the lifting protocols before attempting to lift anything. If safety is your top priority, the following steps will help you prevent a painful injury even when dealing with your heaviest belongings:

• Face the box with feet at shoulder-length apart,
• Squat down while keeping the back straight,
• Grip the box from both sides firmly,
• Return to the starting position by lifting with your legs.

See, that wasn’t too hard now, was it? The main thing to keep in mind is that you should keep the back as straight as possible, as inappropriate bending produces the majority of heavy lifting injuries, which many inexperienced bodybuilders learned the hard way. Once you’ve got the object up, slowly carry it to the truck, and repeat the movement when placing it down.

#5 Stay Safe by Using Proper Tools and Equipment

Relocating a piano and other incredibly heavy belongings would be next to impossible without the proper tools and equipment. Although most furniture can be disassembled, you’ll often be left with bulky parts that still can’t be carried that easily. Instead of using brute strength, why not simply place the problematic items on a dolly and be done with it? This incredible piece of equipment will allow you to move just about anything, and it’s only one of several useful tools that exist on the market. Check out the video below to see how to mount a piano and other massive furniture on it with ease.

Sometimes You’ll Require Shuttle Transportation

If you’re living in Manhattan, there’s a good chance you’re going to need shuttle transport. The borough is filled with narrow streets, which often prevent large vehicles from getting close enough to the driveway. Since you won’t be able to carry most of the heavier pieces for too long, try to find a way to transport your belongings from the sidewalk to the truck. Considering driving is not popular in the borough, not everyone will have access to a small van or a vehicle of any kind. Fortunately, you can rent shuttle transportation from many local movers in New York.

#6 Deal With Dangerous Objects Appropriately

Learning how to deal with dangerous household items appropriately will allow you to prevent all potential safety issues during relocation. Many sharp objects like knives and various tools can penetrate containers if not properly wrapped, leading to accidental cuts while packing or unpacking. Fortunately, most of these injuries can easily be prevented by wrapping sharp objects with enough packing paper and bubble wrap. Just to be sure, roll each wrapped item in a towel and secure the entire thing with a rubber band.

Learn How to Deal With All the Items Professional New York Moving Companies Won’t Move

Besides some of your everyday household items, you will also have to deal with all potentially hazardous items movers won’t move. These usually include everything from fairly common cleaning agents to explosives and firearms, but each New York moving company has a list of non-allowables. If you’re planning on shipping and packaging dangerous goods through a professional, know that you will be required to follow strict safety procedures and guidelines. It’s often much simpler to just get rid of them before the move or transport them yourself.

#7 You’re Almost Certainly Going to Need Some Assistance

Relocation might be a complicated endeavor that requires weeks and months of planning, but you won’t have to go through it all alone. If you’re relocating in a hurry or need some assistance with packing electronics, know that you can always contact your friends and family to help you with the preparations. They will likely be more than happy to assist you, so find a way to thank them for everything. You can either celebrate over a few drinks at one of the excellent Brooklyn breweries or by throwing a fun going-away party at home. If you choose the latter, remember to order some good NYC takeout.

Considering All the Risks, It’s Much Safer to Hire Our Local New York Movers to Assist You

As you can see from everything we mentioned, more than a few things that could go wrong during your relocation preparations. Considering these were still only some of the tasks you’ll have to deal with, relocating on your own might not even be worth the risk. If you’re planning on adding “hire a professional relocation company” to your to-do list, know that Twin Brothers Movers can provide all the essential services you’ll need when moving within New York City.

Our company offers incredible residential relocations that you can use whether you’re living in Staten Island or the Bronx, as we actively cover all five NYC boroughs. If you don’t want to deal with boxes at all, simply get our packing service and watch as our experienced local crew secures all your belongings in just a few hours. Entrepreneurs looking to move their offices should book a commercial relocation with us and not worry about a thing. Anyone who wants to have a simple, stress-free move should contact us and request a free quote from one of our representatives.