How to Lift Objects Safely
Moving day means heavy lifting — and back injuries are common. Here’s how to lift safely (or when to leave it to the professionals).
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Every year, people hurt themselves moving house by lifting badly. A strained back can turn moving day into weeks of discomfort. Whether you’re doing some of the lifting yourself or simply want to stay safe, here’s how to lift properly.
Plan the Lift First
Before you pick anything up, think it through. How heavy is it? Where is it going? Is the route clear of obstacles, with doors propped open? If an item is too heavy or awkward for one person, don’t risk it — get help or use equipment.
Use the Correct Technique
Stand close to the load with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend at your knees and hips, not your back, keeping your back straight. Get a firm grip, then lift smoothly by straightening your legs — let your strong leg muscles do the work, not your spine. Keep the load close to your body throughout.
Don’t Twist or Overreach
Twisting while carrying a load is a common cause of injury. Turn with your feet, not your waist. Avoid reaching above shoulder height with heavy items, and never carry so much that you can’t see where you’re going.
Use the Right Equipment
Sack trucks, trolleys, moving straps and furniture sliders make heavy items far safer to move. Our team arrives fully equipped with blankets, straps and the right tools — one reason a professional move is so much safer than going it alone.
Know When to Call the Professionals
Some items — pianos, large wardrobes, safes and white goods — are genuinely hazardous to move without training and equipment. Our team handles heavy and awkward items every day, including specialist piano moving. If in doubt, leave it to us — it’s not worth a serious injury.
Moving is hard work. If you’d rather protect your back and let an experienced, fully insured team do the heavy lifting, request a free quote.
Warm Up & Dress for the Job
Lifting is a physical task, and just like any other workout your body performs better — and is far less likely to be injured — when it is properly prepared. Before you tackle a single box on moving day, spend a few minutes loosening up. Gentle shoulder rolls, a slow walk around the house, a few squats and some hamstring stretches all help wake up the muscles you are about to rely on. Cold, stiff muscles strain easily, especially first thing on a chilly Sussex morning when the adrenaline of the day can tempt you to dive straight in.
What you wear matters just as much as how you stretch. The right kit keeps you safe and steady on your feet throughout a long day of carrying.
- Wear flat, closed-toe shoes with a good grip — never sandals, flip-flops or smooth-soled trainers
- Choose close-fitting clothes that won’t snag on door handles or banisters
- Use sturdy gloves to protect your hands and improve your grip on awkward edges
- Avoid loose scarves, jewellery or anything that could catch on furniture mid-lift
Staying hydrated and taking short breaks also keeps your concentration sharp. Tired, dehydrated movers make mistakes, and most lifting injuries happen late in the day when people are rushing to finish. If you would rather skip the strain altogether, our house removals team handles the heavy work so you can focus on settling in.
Lifting as a Team — Communication is Everything
Many of the heaviest items in a home simply should not be lifted alone. Sofas, large appliances, double mattresses and solid wood furniture are far safer with two or more people sharing the load. The trick to a good team lift isn’t just muscle — it’s clear communication and coordination so that everyone moves together and nobody takes more than their fair share of the weight.
Before you lift, agree who is leading. That person calls the moves and everyone else follows. A simple, agreed countdown — “ready, steady, lift” — means you all rise at the same moment rather than one person bearing the full weight while another is still bending. Decide your route, your resting points and which way the item turns before your hands ever touch it.
- Match partners of roughly similar height and strength where you can
- Keep talking throughout — call out steps, turns, doorways and stops
- Move slowly and in unison; never let one person rush ahead
- The person walking backwards should have someone guiding their path
If you are short on hands, a single experienced mover with a trolley can often achieve more safely than several untrained helpers. Our man and van service is ideal when you need an extra trained pair of hands for the trickiest items, while keeping the rest of the move in your own control.
Carrying Down Stairs & Through Doorways
Stairs and doorways are where most lifting goes wrong. They force you to change height, angle and grip all at once, often while you cannot see your feet. The golden rule on stairs is that the heaviest end of the load goes downhill last — in other words, the person at the bottom of the staircase takes the lighter share and acts as a brake and a guide, while the person at the top supports the weight. Going up, this reverses: the lower person carries more, pushing the load up rather than pulling it.
Take stairs one step at a time and never walk backwards down them unless you are the upper person and have a clear line of sight. Keep the load close to your body and lean slightly into the staircase rather than out over the drop. Rest at landings if you need to — there is no prize for doing it in one go.
- Measure tight doorways and turns in advance so you don’t get stuck mid-lift
- Remove doors from their hinges where a few extra centimetres makes the difference
- Tilt and angle large items rather than forcing them flat through a frame
- Have a third person spotting at the turn to call out hazards
Awkward staircases in period Sussex homes are a daily reality for our crews, who carry the right straps and techniques for narrow Victorian halls and steep loft conversions alike. You can read more practical guidance on our wider helpful tips pages.
Handling Specific Tricky Items
Different items demand different tactics, and treating everything the same is a fast route to a strained back or a damaged piece of furniture. A little forethought about each awkward item pays off enormously on the day.
Sofas and armchairs are heavy, soft and have no obvious handholds. Tip a two-seater on its end to fit through doorways, and always lift from the solid frame rather than the cushions or arms, which can tear away. Wardrobes and tall units should be emptied completely, with doors and drawers either removed or securely taped shut so they cannot swing open mid-carry. Mattresses are deceptively unwieldy — they flop, fold and block your view, so use a mattress bag with handles and carry them on edge with one person at each end.
- Boxes: pack heavy items low and keep each box light enough to lift comfortably — never overfill
- Washing machines & appliances: drain, disconnect and secure the drum before moving
- Pianos: never attempt these yourself — they are uniquely heavy and easily damaged
- Glass & mirrors: tape, wrap and carry vertically, never flat
White goods are particularly risky because of their weight and the trapped water inside. Follow our step-by-step guide on how to prepare a washing machine or dishwasher to be moved before you tip one onto a trolley. And when it comes to a piano, the safest decision is always to leave it to specialists — our piano moving service uses the proper equipment and trained crews to protect both the instrument and everyone involved.
Using Sliders, Straps & Trolleys Properly
The right aids turn an impossible lift into a manageable one, but only when they are used correctly. Furniture sliders — small discs that sit under heavy items — let you push a wardrobe or sofa across a floor instead of lifting and dragging it. They protect your back and your flooring at the same time. Lifting straps loop under an item and over your shoulders, transferring the weight to your strong leg and shoulder muscles rather than your hands and lower back.
A sack truck or trolley is the single most useful tool for boxes, appliances and tall items. Always tip the load fully back onto the trolley’s frame so its weight is balanced over the wheels, and go slowly over thresholds and ramps. Strap the load on if the trolley has a securing strap — an unsecured item can slide off on an incline.
- Push, don’t pull, whenever possible — pushing uses stronger muscles and keeps you in control
- Check the floor surface; sliders work on hard floors and carpet, but not loose rugs
- Keep your back straight and let the equipment carry the strain, not your spine
- Inspect straps and trolleys before use for frayed webbing or worn wheels
If you don’t own this kit, it isn’t worth improvising with bedsheets or makeshift ramps. Our crews arrive fully equipped as part of every booking — request a free quote and let us bring the proper gear to your door.
Protecting Your Back Over a Long Move Day
A house move is a marathon, not a sprint. The first few lifts feel easy, but the cumulative strain of a full day of bending, twisting and carrying is where real injuries take hold. Pacing yourself is not laziness — it is the smartest way to reach the end of the day without an aching back or a pulled muscle that lingers for weeks.
Listen to your body. Twinges and tightness are early warnings, not things to push through. Alternate heavy lifts with lighter tasks so the same muscle groups aren’t worked continuously, and share the load fairly among everyone helping. A short rest, a drink of water and a few stretches every hour will keep you fresher and safer than working flat out and collapsing at lunchtime.
- Take regular short breaks before you feel exhausted, not after
- Rotate jobs so no one spends the whole day on the heaviest items
- Keep hydrated and have snacks to hand to maintain energy and focus
- Stop the moment you feel a sharp pain — pushing on makes injuries worse
Of course, the surest way to protect your back is to let trained professionals do the heavy lifting. Our experienced Sussex crews carry items safely all day, every day, and a full packing service means you needn’t lift a single box yourself.
What to Do When Something is Just Too Heavy
There is no shame in admitting an item is beyond you — in fact, recognising it is a sign of good judgement. If you cannot lift something comfortably with the people and equipment you have, stop. Forcing a lift that is too heavy is the most common cause of serious moving injuries, and a single moment of strain can put you out of action for weeks. The item will still be there; your health is harder to replace.
When you hit a piece that is too heavy, first reconsider your approach. Can it be partially dismantled to reduce the weight? Can drawers, shelves, legs or doors come off? Can you bring in another person, or wait until more hands are available? Can a trolley, sliders or straps share the burden? If the answer to all of these is still no, then it is time to bring in help with the proper equipment and training.
- Never sacrifice your safety to save time or money — the maths rarely works out
- Dismantle large items into smaller, lighter components where possible
- Be especially cautious with anything overhead or on stairs
- Call professionals for anything you genuinely cannot manage safely
As a family-run, fully insured Sussex removals company, we deal with the heaviest and most awkward items every single day. If you are facing something you simply cannot shift, call us on 01903 893731 or email contact@wolves-removals.co.uk — we are always happy to help.
Clearing a Safe Path Before You Lift
The best lift in the world goes wrong if there is something to trip over halfway across the room. Before you pick anything up, walk your entire route from start to finish and clear it completely. Trailing cables, loose rugs, children’s toys, pets underfoot and stray boxes are all hazards that become invisible the moment a large item blocks your view of the floor.
Pay particular attention to the transition points — thresholds, the top and bottom of stairs, and the step out to the van. These are where footing changes and where most slips happen. In wet Sussex weather, lay down old towels or a runner over slippery hard floors and keep the path to the van as short and direct as possible.
- Prop open every door on your route, or remove them entirely if needed
- Move rugs, mats and trailing wires well out of the way
- Keep children and pets in a separate, safe room during the heavy lifting
- Park the van as close as the road allows to shorten the carry
A clear path also speeds the whole job up, because nobody has to stop mid-lift to shuffle an obstacle aside. If you would rather hand the planning and logistics to people who do it daily, take a look at our house removals service and let our team manage the route, the lifting and the loading from start to finish.
We’re a friendly, family-run Sussex removals and storage company that has been keeping its promises since 2016. From a single item to a full home or office move, every job is fully insured and led by a dedicated coordinator, so you always have one point of contact.
As a LAPADA member and a Checkatrade-verified team, we handle it all with real care — expert packing, home and business removals, clean, secure storage and specialist antiques handling across Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Kent.
How to Lift Objects Safely — FAQs
Stand close, feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees (not your back), grip firmly and lift with your legs, keeping the load close to your body.
Plan each lift, never twist while carrying, don’t overload yourself, use equipment like trolleys and straps, and get help for heavy items.
No — pianos are heavy and easily damaged. Use our specialist piano moving service.
Yes — our team arrives with blankets, straps, trolleys and the right tools to move heavy items safely.
As a general rule, no. Sofas, wardrobes, appliances and double mattresses are too heavy and awkward for one person and should always be shared between two or more people, ideally with lifting straps or a trolley. If you don’t have enough hands, an experienced mover with the right equipment is far safer than struggling alone. Our man and van service can provide that trained extra pair of hands.
Take stairs slowly, one step at a time, keeping the load close to your body. With two people, the person at the top supports most of the weight while the person at the bottom guides and steadies the load and watches the path. Never walk backwards down stairs unless you are the upper carrier with a clear view, and rest at any landings rather than rushing. A third person spotting at turns adds a valuable extra margin of safety.
The most useful aids are a sack truck or trolley for boxes and appliances, lifting straps to take weight off your back, and furniture sliders to move heavy items across floors without lifting. Sturdy gloves and flat, grippy shoes are essentials too. If you don’t own this kit, it isn’t worth improvising — our crews arrive fully equipped on every job, so you can simply request a free quote instead.
Stop the moment a lift feels genuinely beyond you, or whenever you feel a sharp pain — never push through it. Heavy, fragile or uniquely valuable items such as pianos, large appliances and antiques are best left to trained crews with the proper gear; for example our piano moving service uses specialist equipment to protect both the instrument and everyone involved. If in doubt, call us on 01903 893731 — as a fully insured, family-run Sussex firm we move the heaviest items safely every day.
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