Whether you’re putting up the holiday lights on your roof or rearranging your furniture, you can injure yourself if you aren’t careful. Many of us are carried away by the excitement of decorating our homes and jump into the physical aspect without considering the damage we might do to our bodies. Fortunately, the most common injuries from decorating can be avoided with a bit of advance planning.
Falls & Tripping
Falling from an unstable ladder or chair can cause severe damage to your back. If you fall from any kind of height, a compression fracture or herniated disc is often the result. Both are painful and can have you sidelined for weeks. If you don’t get relief from medications or physical therapy, you may have to consider more advanced herniated disc treatment.
To avoid falls, never stand on a chair instead of a ladder. We get it, it’s so easy to pull over a chair while you’re reaching up to hang a painting, but a chair can easily tip over. If you use a ladder to reach higher spots, make sure someone holds the ladder in place.
Electrical wires strung across the floor are a serious tripping hazard. If you need to plug in a lamp, make sure the electrical cord is either secured to the baseboard or covered by a rug so unwary toes won’t get caught and send you crashing to the ground.
Heavy Lifting
Rearranging your furniture or putting new furniture in place often leads to strained muscles or herniated discs. Lifting or moving furniture should never be done by yourself. Enlist someone to help you raise bulkier pieces like a sofa. Remember to lift using your knees rather than your back. Be sure weight is distributed evenly between you and whoever is holding the other end of the sofa.
It’s a good idea to invest in some inexpensive sliders to put beneath your furniture so that you can easily slide it across the floor instead of trying to lift it. Better yet, consider hiring a moving company to come to your home and move furniture for you.
Paint Fumes
Painting your house is one of the most inexpensive ways to dramatically change your décor. However, many homeowners neglect to properly ventilate the rooms they are painting. This can trigger headaches, make you dizzy, and affect your breathing. Any time you’re painting, wear an appropriate mask and keep doors and windows open, so you aren’t overcome by the volatile organic compounds found in many house paints.
Decorating your house is a wonderful way to personalize your living space. Be sure you exercise caution and protect yourself from injury while decorating so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor without a trip to the emergency room.
