“Getting enough sleep improves concentration and attention, vital to preventing any accidents from occurring”
“Start by considering how you’re going to box everything up, popping heavy items into small boxes and light items into larger ones to prevent any heavy overloading”
“Make sure you have a proper breakfast and stay hydrated and fuelled throughout the moving process, as the last thing you need is fatigue early on”
“Don’t forget to keep any medication you might be taking to hand, as the last thing you need is to be rummaging around in boxes at the end of a long day moving to find it”
Facts/stats
Sixty one per cent of us rate moving house as more stressful than getting a divorce
(Metro)
Back injuries are the most common injury to occur due to manual handling
(CHAS)
Muscle cramps and tensions are a common moving day injury
(John Ryan Removals)
It’s an amazing feeling completing on your new home – but it’s no surprise that the next step involves quite a few challenges. From letting businesses, family and friends know you’re moving, to those ‘disagreements’ you have over what to take, what to give away – and what to donate to charity. Then there’s the packing and moving that’s stressful enough in itself – not to mention the problems it can cause your health if you’re not careful enough. It’s therefore vital that you take care to look after yourself, following these essential tips and tricks to keep that body of yours in perfect working order.
PLANNING PERMISSION
Want to move safely? Now’s the time to plan ahead! Start by considering your fitness levels, with regular exercise working to increase your strength, reduce any joint pain and help fight tiredness. Walking and swimming are both good exercise methods to consider, as well as planks, bridges and even seated workouts if you’re not as able bodied. Daily stretching is another must, improving your range of motion and decreasing any risk of injury, while getting enough sleep improves concentration and attention, vital to preventing any accidents from occurring. Consider the food you to choose to eat, too – protein from eggs or lean meat, healthy fats from salmon, nuts and seeds, and vitamins from fresh fruit and veg all working to improve joint health and build muscle. And don’t forget about registering for a new GP and locating your nearest pharmacy, as the last thing you need is to find yourself in need of advice or medication and you’re not sure where to turn.
PACK IT IN
Next up comes the correct way to pack up your belongings (after those ‘disagreements’ we mentioned earlier on what should and shouldn’t be coming with you!). Start by considering how you’re going to box everything up, popping heavy items into small boxes and light items into larger ones to prevent any heavy overloading. That way you’ll also reduce the issue of hurting your back – the largest single cause of disability in the UK – as well as also a potential problem damaging your feet; with 60% of injuries occurring this way. Pack lighter boxes first to prevent yourself from tiring out too early, remembering to tie up electrical cables to avoid a potential trip hazard when you start to unpack. It’s also worthwhile packing your belongings in bubble wrap, towels, pillow cases or anything else that will keep them – and you – safe. Why you? If a box does to decide to give way, it’ll provide more padding as well as additional protection for you.
SAFETY FIRST
You should also think about what could happen on the day you’re moving itself, taking action to lessen the chance of you injuring yourself. Clothing is the first area to look at, making sure what you choose to wear is not too tight so you can’t move properly, not too loose or long for fear of catching on handles or tripping over – and not too loved so you become upset if it gets dirty or damaged. The fabric you select is also important, with flexibility and breathable options allowing sweat to escape to the outside environment and therefore keeping you comfortable on what’s sure to be a tiring day. Layering is wise if moving during the colder months, so you can take off what you like according to how hot you feel, and wear trousers with pockets and zips to carry what you deem essential, like medication, keys, purse, and your phone. And don’t forget about additional protection, with steel toe caps, hardy gloves and knee pads if they’re needed.
MOVING ON
It’s move day: where to begin? Warming up is a good place to start, lubricating joints and increasing flexibility to minimise any strain and injury. Make sure you have a proper breakfast and stay hydrated and fuelled throughout the moving process, as the last thing you need is fatigue early on.
Next, move your belongings as safely as possible, starting with using the proper equipment for anything too heavy, such as furniture, appliance and stair dollies, as well as other lift aids. Don’t load anything if you haven’t read the instructions first, using straps to support items further. If you do, however, lift heavier items manually, do it correctly, bending hips and knees to squat, before keeping the item close to your body and straightening your legs to lift. Why? Poor or incorrect posture is one of the main causes of injury during moving or handling, while trip hazards are another issue that can easily be avoided, clearing hallways, doors or narrow corridors of boxes or other items below eye level. The stairs, too, are another potential problem if you decide to place belongings there, rather than taking them to the appropriate floor, especially when you consider the fact that there’s an estimated fall on the stairs every 90 seconds in the UK. Then there’s the importance of asking for help if needed, plus taking regular breaks to prevent you over-exerting yourself and further increasing the risk of an accident happening. Speaking of injury, if you start to see any signs of something beginning to hurt or ache – stop! It’s your body’s way of telling you you’ve done too much, so take as much time as you can and again turn to those that are helping you move to explain why you need some additional support. Finally, don’t forget to keep any medication you might be taking to hand, as the last thing you need is to be rummaging around in boxes at the end of a long day moving to find it.