Back in the day you and your buddies would think nothing of moving your lava lamp and all your worldly goods on a weekend. At that time you mirrored the Bob Segers’ song playing in the back ground, you “felt like a million, felt like number one, in the height of summer you never felt so strong, Like a Rock”.
Moving was done in an afternoon, in-between a few pints and a lot of laughs. Well time keeps trucking on and although in your mind you are still living in the glory days, the old rock may be getting a little weathered.
Being in the moving business in Peterborough and Kitchener Waterloo, Ontario for over 30 years I am still amazed at the number of folks my age or older, wanting to move on their own. When I hear that they are thinking of moving themselves I always feel it’s time for an intervention. The reality is, back then, you hadn’t yet amassed the stuff you have now and your back, knees and shoulders are not in the same condition they were 20 or 30 plus years ago.
Today when you can finally afford a mover it is just not worth doing it on your own.
- Reality check #1, go over and grab the end of the sofa and give it a controlled slow lift, using your legs, keeping your back straight and oh ya almost forgot be sure to drop it before you hear a pop. Now take a look around your home. The average weight of household goods in a 3 bedroom home weighs in the area of 8,000 to 10,000 lbs. Yes 4 or 5 tons. Your stuff weighs about the same as an African bull elephant. If your reading this Jane, tell Tarzan there is more to this than he may remember.
- Reality check # 2, still want to eat that elephant, let’s break it down into bite size pieces. That weekend move you are thinking about doing equates into 100 squats using 100lbs to load the truck then you have to offload, so take that to 200 reps. Think about it , 200 dead lift reps using 100 lbs. (give that a go at the gym next Saturday just to get limbered up a little, pre move)
- Reality checks #3 add a little cardio. Add in a 20 yard carry taking the goods out to the truck (if you can get the truck to the door), now double that to offload ( let’s round it down) to around 5000 plus yard carry, so call it 2 miles or 3.22 kilometers. Not over yet add, an incline; yes there is a walk board at the end or beginning of every trip. So again, to put it in perspective strap on a 50 lb. weight take a 2 mile walk going uphill and downhill every 15 yards . How are the old knees these days?
- Reality check #4 Can you drive the truck? If not, is a day with your brother in law or old buddy telling you how to lift things really worth it? (The guy driving the truck instantly graduates to resident expert). On top of him you will owe everyone that helps or that just shows up and drinks your beer and eats your pizza, big time and for a long time. Besides what impression do you make with your new neighbors when you roll up to your new digs looking like the Beverly Hillbillies?
There is a time in your life when moving yourself was just fine and then there is now. When selling your home and right sizing I would suggest you do a reality check, get some moving estimates in advance and budget that service into the selling or buying cost.
If looking for movers in the Kitchener Waterloo or Peterborough area, contact McWilliams today for an estimate.
Keep on trucking but get someone else to do the heavy lifting, it is well worth it.