How to safely move sports equipment?

Whether you are a respectful gym owner or a sports enthusiast who has a mini gym at home, moving sports equipment is proven to be quite a challenge. Unless you are transporting just a yoga mat, you will have to put some effort into ensuring a successful outcome. And that means moving your belongings without damaging them and injuring yourself. Even with the help of moving companies Nutley NJ, there will be some tasks you ought to take care of. So, without further ado, let us see how you can safely move sports equipment.

Clean and sanitize your sports equipment before the relocation

While the moving companies NJ will handle the official relocating and heavy lifting, you will have to do some other things. The first one is cleaning, and considering how filthy sports equipment can get, you understand how important it is to clean it. With that said, we suggest that you start with:

• Wiping down your yoga mats and other yoga accessories. This won’t’ take much effort. All you will need is either an all-purpose cleaner, or an all-natural spray solution, and some paper towels. Of course, if you wish to go out of your way, you can purchase a cleaner specifically designed for yoga mats.
• Thoroughly clean all handrails on the machines that have them. This would include your treadmill, elliptical, weight machines, and other work equipment. Don’t forget to go over other surfaces as well. To clean your gear, it is enough to use an antibacterial spray or some wet wipes that contain such a solution.
• Wash towels on a hot water cycle in the washer, and make sure they are completely and thoroughly dry before you start packing them for the road.

The purpose of this is to prevent any bacteria and germs from traveling with you to the new place. Not to mention that cleaning your equipment will also keep it in tip-top shape after transportation.

Addressing specific gym equipment

Now that we have covered the first and most important step of this ordeal, we will move on to the specific details of the way you ought to move sports equipment.

Transporting yoga mats

Let’s start with smaller items first, as it will help you ease into the challenges that await. So, begin with packing yoga mats, and accessories, including yoga blocks, gym towels, and blankets. You are going to need large boxes that will be able to hold all of these belongings. As they are not particularly heavy when conjoined, you won’t have to separate them in smaller packages. To save space, roll your yoga mat from top to bottom, and then secure it with a carrying strap or a carrying bag. Apart from preventing it from opening, it will also keep your mat clean during transportation.

Move sports equipment such as dumbbells, barbells, and other weights

Being that you lift weights, you probably know how heavy they can be. However, what you might not know is that, when combined, their weight presents quite the challenge for relocation. So, you want to approach this task with greater attention and precautions. It is important that you avoid hurting yourself, especially during this perilous part. Unlike your yoga equipment, here you will need lots of small and sturdy boxes. They need to be strong enough to handle the weight of your heavy items. Distribute the weight amongst the boxes, and reinforce the bottom, should the need arise.

If you do not have cardboard boxes that are strong enough to hold your weights, it would be wise to purchase plastic bins. Once you have found suitable packages, wrap your weights in bubble sheets, or newspaper, so as to protect them during the move. It will also give them a buffer to prevent the weights from hitting each other or damaging the box. Stuff the box with plenty of blankets and towels to maximize this protective effect.

Relocating your treadmill

Possibly the biggest challenge of your quest to move sports equipment, moving a treadmill will put your brains and brawn to the test. You can consider it a proper workout. To start off, make sure you thoroughly wipe it down and unplug the machine. Next, find a few strong helpers that will be there when the time for heavy lifting comes. Of course, contacting a moving company would save you all this trouble, but let’s presume you are adamant about taking care of this on your own. Fold your treadmill up, and lock in into place, whilst it is in the upright position. When folded, it would be wise that you wrap your treadmill in moving blankets, so as to protect it from getting damaged during the transportation process.

As treadmills are on the heavy side, and we mean extremely heavy side, it would be smart that you employ some sort of a hand truck or a large dolly with wheels. This will be of immense help when it comes to carrying the treadmill to the moving truck.

Moving the elliptical

Not only is elliptical bulky, but it also cannot be particularly folded up. As you can imagine, this makes it quite a headache for transportation. The way you ought to go about this task is to disassemble the elliptical’s hardware. It will make it much, much easier to maneuver through hallways, doorways, and any other narrow passages. Use your wrench and screwdriver for the disassembly, and don’t forget to collect all of the nuts and bolts. Place them in a labeled bag to prevent them from getting lost. Cover the equipment with moving blankets, so as to protect it during transport.

Keep yourself safe when you move sports equipment

The most important advice is to ensure no harm comes to you. As you already know, all heavy lifting is done from the legs, arms, and shoulders. The lower part of your back needs to remain straight and thus safe. Do not wear flip flops come moving day, but rather something that is both protective and not slippery. It would not be a bad idea to do a bit of a warm-up before you get to the heavy lifting. Although, we really recommend you to leave the heavy lifting to professionals who do it practically every day. Plan, prepare and be ready to admit you cannot do something all on your own, especially if it means risking your health.