If you’ve decided to carry out your own home clearance, then there a number of factors you’ll need to consider. A property clearance entails heavy lifting of items like boxes, furniture, electrical items like fridges and sometimes even carpeting or plasterboard! So it’s imperative if you are going to go done the DIY clearance path that you take every precaution to safeguard your health as well as the environment when disposing of you unwanted junk!
So why do people make such a big fuss over lifting or carrying boxes? Well the answer is that by lifting or carrying a heavy item can cause severe injury to your back or knees, some that can become chronic and leave you with permanent damage! Also you might want to consider what good you’ll be to yourself or anyone if you put your back out during your first day of the home clearance! Your do-it-yourself plan will go straight out the window and you’ll have no choice but to call in a professional clearance company to take care of the junk disposal! So here are a few tips on how you can perform a safe domestic clearance, significantly limiting any chance of injury!
This may sound ludicrous at first, but your clothing while taking care of furniture clearance is so important! Make sure as your bending down, lifting and lugging items from your home that you are wearing loose fitted clothing. Anything too tight, uncomfortable could restrict your movements and leave you feeling stiff. Meanwhile it’s also important to wear shoes that cover your entire foot to protect them in the event that you drop a box or two! It’s also a good idea for your shoes to have rubber soles that wont’ slip on the floor, giving you a firm grip on terra firma! Finally always wear good fitting, anti-slip gloves to protect your hands during a waste disposal operation!
Always pay close attention to a box before you attempt to lift it. Don’t try to be the big man or woman and just lift it anyway if it feels too heavy. Get some help! Also if you’re confronted by an obstacle course of furniture or building debris, take extra caution as you carry the box and attempt to manoeuver it outside. You don’t want to trip over with the box in your hand. You could fall and seriously injure yourself! Finally before you even lift up the box, have your eye on the area you want to place it. An end goal is key!
When picking up a box it’s important to bend you knees slightly as you do so (but avoid the squatting position) and then lift back up using your knees, hips and back as a propeller into standing position. Don’t put too much strain on your back, as this is the main cause of back injury. Once you’re holding the box make sure to keep your balance by placing feet shoulder width apart and with one foot positioned slightly before the other. Now while ferrying a box outside, remember it’s best to keep the item close to your body in order to give it the maximum amount of support and reduce the risk of it falling and crushing your toes! Believe it or not, the item will also feel a little lighter if you hold it in the embracing position! Meanwhile park your van as close as possible to the entrance of your home, to reduce the time you’ll be carrying boxes of other heavy items.
Now once you arrive at the landfill or recycling plant and are ready to dump your old items, do this carefully. Remember that items like fridges and washing machines contain chemicals harmful to the environment when they break down, so wear a facemask when at the end stage of your junk disposal!
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