We know a lot of homeowners have made the switch to a home gym to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Not only are home gyms great for staying safe during this pandemic, but they are also super convenient and free to use whenever you choose. However, the same cannot be said when it comes time to move your home gym into your new space because most of the equipment is often heavy, awkward, and surprisingly delicate. It’s essential to pack up your workout equipment the right way to avoid damaging your items or home. You do not want to attempt moving your home gym by yourself – this is most certainly not an area fit for DIY movers. However, we still know that some of you will try so we want to at least arm you with some basic tips to help you avoid injury and hopefully set you up for success. Here is how our team handles professionally and safely packing our client’s home gym equipment so that it all safely arrives at their new space.
Hand Weights
Let’s start with the smallest items in your home gym. Always pack your weight and dumbbells in small sturdy containers that will not buckle or break mid-move. Note the word “small” when deciding on a moving container because you do not want to cram all your weights in one larger box, or it will simply be too heavy to lift. Wrap each weight in packing paper or bubble wrap and fill your bins with blankets so nothing has room to shift and the weight remains evenly distributed. As always, we recommend labelling your boxes – label the ones containing your weights as “heavy” so that people know to handle them with care.
Ellipticals
Since ellipticals are often awkwardly shaped and large, sometimes it is easier to disassemble the machine and put it back together in your new home. Take a picture of your machine properly installed and place all the detached pieces in a baggy tapped to the machine to save yourself stress when it comes time to reassemble. Try to leave the front end of the machine on the ground and slide it across the floor using felt sliders. We recommend having three people at the ready to lift the machine up or down stairs – one for the back and two for the front.
Rowing Machines
This kind of home gym equipment is similar to ellipticals in that they can often be folded up to make the move easier. We suggest following the same process as the elliptical but always make sure you are securing the handles before moving with zip ties, tape, or bungee cords so that they don’t start opening mid-move. If your machine does not fold up, also follow the same steps for a non-foldable elliptical to ensure you do not injure yourself or damage the equipment.
Treadmills
If you’re lucky your treadmill will fold down on itself so that you can simply unplug the machine, secure the power cord around it with tape, wrap the machine in a moving blanket, and slide it along the ground using floor protectors. Otherwise, you will have to follow the same protocol as your elliptical – take your picture, secure all the detached parts, slide with felt sliders, lift carefully, unload and rebuild. Remember to always adjust the incline on your treadmill to zero before moving it.
Stationary Bikes
This type of machine is actually one of the easiest pieces to move from your home gym and usually only takes one person. Our team will unplug the machine, tape the power cord to its body, and use packing tape to secure any moving parts. We always recommend felt gliders to move the machine along the floor and bringing in a second person to lift it up or down stairs. Stationary bikes can be deceivingly heavy so remember to lift with your legs to avoid injury or strain.
Weightlifting Machines
Lastly, another tricky piece of equipment to move is the weightlifting machine. We recommend ensuring that you always remove the weights from your machine and pack them how you would for hand weights. Like other heavy and awkward pieces of equipment, we also suggest taking your weightlifting machines apart. We hope you kept your instruction manual because you will need to document where each screw, nut, and bolt should go once it comes time to reassemble the machine. You should always secure any moving parts, safeguard the machine with moving blankets, and wrap bars in towels or additional blankets to prevent damage.
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We hope this list helps explain how to safely and efficiently move your home gym. Trust us when we say that this is no easy task. We always recommend choosing against DIY moves to avoid injuring yourself, damaging the equipment or your home, and having to do costly repairs. Trust our team of moving experts to get the job done for you instead – leave all the work to us so you don’t have to lift a thing!
Want more moving tips and advice? Never hesitate to contact our team with any questions you might have about the moving process. Whether you’re moving across the street or to a brand new city, choosing Deluxe Moving & Storage for your next move is the best thing you can do to ensure a safe and healthy moving experience for you and your loved ones. Learn more about our moving services and packing services that will give you peace of mind when moving. To start your stress-free moving process, give us a call at 519-212-3023, send us a message at rick@deluxemoving.ca, or fill out our FREE, no-obligation quote form. We can help make your move easier and safer, leave the work to us!