Anything that can be boxed, should be boxed. Don’t avoid doing this because it makes the whole moving day task much easier. You do not want loose things laying around on moving day because if you think about it, what do you do with them? They’re harder to carry unboxed and where do you put them on the truck.
The rule of thumb for packing boxes with household goods is to use smaller boxes for heavier items such as books, records, tools, etc. Larger boxes are for lighter things such as clothing, pillows, linen, bedding, etc. Don’t make the box heavier than the lady of the house can handle because more than likely, she’s going to have to move it around at some point in the day.
How Much Should Moving Boxes Weigh
The maximum weight of any box of any size to be carried by one person should not exceed 40 – 50 lbs. A big box weighing much over 50 lbs. can break in transit just due to the limited constraints of its cardboard and normal moving pressures. Very heavy boxes can easily be dropped and if so, any goods within them will probably be damaged. Besides, carrying extremely heavy boxes requires 2 persons at once which is very inefficient. When the boxes are lighter, one person can handle a couple of them at once which is much more efficient.
At a 50 lb. weight one person can carry 2 or 3 boxes behind them at once with a
How to Carry Moving Boxes
Carrying boxes in your arms in front of you is the most energy consuming and exhausting way to move them, but sometimes it the safest method since you have the most control. When the box is too big to carry in front of you with an unobstructed view, you can carry it behind you freestyle just as shown on the big box pictured below.
Free style means you’re not using a humpstrap to carry the box.
But most times you will carry 2 or more things behind you, by holding them with your arms straight back, gripping only the bottom box and bending forward a bit at the waist for balance.
You can also tape them together and tie them up onto your back with a humpstrap.
Carrying boxes behind you actually puts all their weight, well balanced, onto your strong hip and leg muscles.
Gripping and carrying a lot of weight in front of you can damage shoulder sockets and will strain your back and stomach muscles.
By freestyle carrying boxes behind your back, or by humping them with a humpstrap holding the boxes behind your back, you can carry 2, 3, 4 boxes at a time which is especially practical when going to second, third or fourth floors because the moving cartons not that heavy and trips are saved. Strange as it may seem, when carrying a multi-box load on your back, it’s best to put the lightest box on the bottom and the heavier boxes on top to balance the load best on your hips. This is another reason that each box should not be too heavy.
Some people think its easier to load a large box full of books or heavy items and have two people carry it but this is extremely inefficient compared to having each individual carry a few boxes at a time. Besides, a big box full of heavy books can break open in the midst of your move and make a big mess.
How to Use Dollies to Move Boxes
It’s much, much better to carry boxes on dollies or a gurney whenever you can. This allows you to move them with a minimum of effort.
Two wheel dollies work well wherever a lot of inclines or hilly ground is present because they are very controllable.
Four-wheel dollies work best on flat surfaces because they can be used to carry not only boxes but also all kinds of furniture items like couches, dressers, armoirs, etc. all of which 2 wheel dollies cannot handle.
Big gurneys are found in storage facilities or warehouses and can carry big loads of boxes or furniture. But they aren’t normally carried on a truck because they take up way too much cargo space.
See the dollying section for more information on this mode of transport.
