Sore muscles and fatigue are common after home relocations, but unfortunately, so are injuries that could have been easily avoided. Most people are surprised to learn that even the slightest change in how you lift heavy boxes or the angle at which you roll a wheeled package can make all the difference between an easy removal and a stressful and painful one.

Even if you do hire a professional moving company, it pays to know how to lift and move things properly. Here are some great tips on how you can avoid injuries yourself and keep others around you from getting hurt while you pack up and move.

A majority of the injuries sustained while moving stem from people not knowing how to lift heavy objects. It is a common habit to simply bend your back and try to pick up or lift and shift a heavy object. While this might work with small or medium-sized boxes (though you should avoid the habit altogether), when you try this with large boxes and heavy objects such as washing machines and furniture, you expose your back to a large number of risks. Bending your back to lift heavy items can result in all kinds of injuries from severe back strains to torn ligaments and even spinal injuries.

So, how do you avoid back injuries while picking up heavy items? Instead of bending your back, you bend your knees and adopt a sitting position on your haunches and then lift the item or push it to a different location or tilt it onto a moving trolley. By doing this, you use your knees for support and the strength in your arms to lift and your back is not strained trying to manage your own body weight while also "bringing up" a very heavy item from the ground. 

Now, most of us will not be very keen to invest money in moving equipment and tools, given how rarely they come in use, but if you are a family that shifts every few years, this is an investment you stand to gain from. As all man and van companies will confirm, the right tools make all the difference in the removal process. In fact, having some basic tools can safeguard you against most injuries. Some standard doilies and moving straps are a long-term investment, especially if you don't want to spend a lot of money on professionals every time you move.

It's ironic that some of the most obvious safety dangers are the ones we are least likely to pay attention. For instance, most home removal and relocation accidents happen because of small items that strewn about and scattered through the house. When you are carrying a heavy load out to the moving vehicle, all your attention will be on the weight you are lifting. While you must watch where you go, it is a bit unrealistic to assume that you can manoeuvre and make your way through all the chaos and clutter of a home being packed and moved.

A top safety tip is to keep all the paths and routes being used to move items absolutely clear and free of any items. Even a small role of tape or an innocuous wire could make you trip and get badly hurt. Before you start moving the items in your house, clear out everything lying on the floors. Even after you are done packing there will be tons of odds and ends lying about and these could cause some nasty falls. Make sure the floors are completely clear and check to see furniture and other items to be moved last are not jutting out. Do this for your removal team and they'll be so grateful!