Moving is difficult enough when packing and transporting small items, but when you need to move large items like appliances, furniture, exercise equipment, fish tanks, and pool tables, it can be frustrating to realize you can’t always do it on your own.
Friends and family can be a solid option, but so are labor-only movers.
What Is Labor-Only Help?
This is typically limited to a specific task, such as loading or unloading a truck, moving heavy furniture, or simply lifting and carrying objects too heavy to move on your own. This is quite common in the moving industry, where labor-only movers are often used to assist in moving heavy or awkward belongings.
Where to Find Help
Labor-only movers are pretty common and can be found in various places. Whether by word of mouth in the neighborhood or via an Internet search, they can quickly and easily help move large items. Below are the best ways to find labor-only movers:
- Ask Neighbors or Friends
- Neighborhood Networks
- Internet Search
Ask Neighbors or Friends
They are the most trusted labor-only movers and make it easier to trust that they will do a good job and not damage your items or home. It will also lower your stress and make the move more of a social event.
Neighborhood Networks
Don’t hesitate to tap into any available neighborhood networks. Schools and churches might have students needing service hours. This type of help is great for general lifting and carrying, making it easy to assign them specific tasks. You might find people looking for hourly or part-time work easily filling the labor-only mover role.
Moving Large Items With Labor-Only Movers
Moving large items is more involved than moving smaller, more manageable items. Below are several things to consider when moving large items:
- Protect Yourself and Be Careful
- Disassemble Whenever Possible
- Plan a Route and Stick to It
- Have the Necessary Tools Available
- Protect Your Home and Belongings
- Take Regular Breaks
Protect Yourself and Be Careful
Whether moving yourself or using labor-only movers, it’s essential to protect yourself. Wear gloves to protect your hands and prevent blisters from forming. Also, remember to lift carefully, keeping your back straight and bending at the knees. Serious injury can result if you lift improperly.
Disassemble Whenever Possible
One of the best ways to move heavy or awkward furniture is to disassemble it into smaller pieces, making it more manageable for you and labor-only helpers. Remove the drawers from dressers, desks, and chests of drawers to make them lighter and easier to maneuver.
Remove mirrors to pack them separately. Make sure to put any screws, handles, and hinges in a Ziploc baggie and tape it to the piece of furniture they came from to make reassembly quick and easy.
Make A Plan and Stick to It
Before lifting or moving anything, it’s crucial to map out the best route when moving heavy furniture. Make sure to make note of hallways, doorways, and stairwells for the labor-only movers.
Be sure to inform them of any potential safety concerns or hazards to avoid during the move to lower the chance of injury.
Have the Necessary Tools Available
Several tools are needed when moving large items to make it easier on your house, yourself, and your labor-only movers.
- Furniture Dollies
- Hand Trucks
- Furniture Sliders
- Lifting Straps and Shoulder Dollies
Furniture dollies and hand trucks are great tools to move large objects efficiently from one place to another. They distribute the weight evenly and minimize the effort needed to move furniture and large appliances, allowing them to be wheeled from place to place.
Furniture sliders can be placed under the legs or sides of furniture to easily move them across smooth surfaces.
Lifting straps or shoulder dollies provide a strap mechanism that allows for safer and easier lifting of heavy items. These also diminish the chances of injury while moving them.
Protect Your Home and Belongings
It’s essential to protect both your old home and your new one. Make sure to cover the floors with moving blankets and drop cloths.
Also, safeguard banisters by covering them with moving blankets and protective pads. They can easily be damaged while moving heavy furniture up or down the stairs.
Take Regular Breaks
Moving large items is physically and emotionally taxing. Regular breaks will give your body a chance to rest and limit the chances of injury. Stay hydrated by drinking fluids and recharge your batteries by eating regularly.
Benefits of Labor-Only Movers
Labor-only movers provide this great management tool that can help by cutting costs and making the move easier to oversee.
The most significant benefits include:
- Additional Flexibility: Labor-only movers can perform various, specific tasks such as moving furniture within a house and loading or unloading household belongings from a moving container.
- Cost-Effective Option: They are far more affordable than full-service movers because you only pay for the labor and not the overhead of insurance, fuel, and moving trucks.
- Physical Labor Focus: Their primary focus is hands-on work, which includes moving items, lifting and carrying heavy items, and loading and unloading vehicles.
- Greater Control: Using labor-only workers can provide additional control over the move, allowing you to choose what tasks you’d like them to handle and which ones you want to handle yourself.
When all is said and done, why not hire a professional?
Smooth Move can handle all your moving needs, from pre-planning to unpacking in your new home.