Lately, I have been rearranging the furniture in my home but have found that a lot of the pieces are too heavy for two of us to comfortably pick up and move. I purchased the Forearm Forklift Moving Straps for $17 from QVC and they have been a huge help. I am sure I will continue to use them for a long time.
These straps are designed to help you lift furniture, appliances, and large items. They say they can hold items up to 600 pounds. I was a little skeptical about how simply putting these straps under something heavy would make it so much easier to lift, but after watching them do it on television I decided to give them a shot.
These moving straps replace the dolly casters that you used to need to move heavy objects. The casters left scratches on wood and tile floor but I do not have that problem anymore. The straps also help to stabilize whatever you are carrying so you can move through doorways without the object tipping and denting the door frame.
The straps encourage proper lifting technique. I have lifted dressers, armoires, and a refrigerator with a partner and not felt any strain on my back. They help you to do jobs that you otherwise may have had to hire expensive movers to do, find more here.
To use the straps, you simply lay one on each side of the object you want to move. Then you tip the object up and kick the strap underneath. Crossing the straps in an X makes sure that they will not slip out from under whatever you are carrying. Make sure to do this so you don’t end up with a broken toe. Each person grabs the ends of their two straps with one in each hand. You then slip your arms through the appropriate loop for your height and slide it down so that it is touching the crease of your elbow. This leaves your hands free to help stabilize whatever you are carrying. Straighten your legs and the object will come up with you.
As you can see, they are fairly simple to use. It only takes us a minute or so to get something set up to lift. I am very pleased with how well they work. I have been able to move many things around my house that I would never have been able to do without the moving straps.