That’s me on the left. That concludes my credenza, which is likely to weigh around 300 pounds, if not more. I’m not joking when I say it’s a monster. And I’m approximately 105 pounds wet. But I could transfer it from one end of the room to the other without breaking a sweat, without having to go to the hospital, and without suffering from any long-term back discomfort. How did I pull it off? My thin arms have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Unless it’s a little piece of furniture move, slide it across the room rather than lifting it. Most of us don’t know how to pinch things properly, and though we may have a lovely space, we also have a painful back. If you must lift something, do so with your legs rather than your arms and shoulders, and maintain your back as straight as possible.
Towels and cardboard can be used: Try putting something underneath the legs of your furniture. Instead of raising the piece, gently move it forward or backward to allow the material to slide underneath the legs. The table will be easy to move about the room. Smooth cardboard works well on the carpet; towels or dishrags work well on bare floors.
My favorite go-to product is Magic Sliders. On the advice of my pals at Koontz Hardware, I switched to them a few years ago. As soon as I acquire them, I put them on all of my furniture (instead of using felt pads). Despite being substantially more expensive than felt pads, they outperform them in every way: they’re resilient and make even the heaviest pieces of furniture glide across the room like the Three Stooges on a banana peel.
While it may seem natural to push a bulky item, I’ve found that pulling is more successful than going on specific pieces of furniture. Place one arm on either side of a piece of furniture and, using your arms as a support, lower your body as if you were ready to sit, then scooch backward.
Empty it first: Most of us forget to do this and attempt to move everything once it is filled. Take the time to clear away your belongings. It will not only make it lighter, but it will also prevent things from falling out and causing a giant mess.