When your summer break has come to an end, and you put your suitcases away for another year, it’s easy to use them for storage purposes.
After all, they’re a convenient way to tuck things away in a safe place when you come back from your holidays, but it may not be the best idea. At least, according to an expert.
A recent TikTok moving hack suggests using suitcases to transport heavy items during a move, but storage expert Scott Evans, CEO of Pink Storage, says caution needs to be taken with this approach.
This is because heavy items can put a huge amount of strain on zippers and wheels, leading to serious damage and safety issues. Suitcases are designed to carry lightweight items like clothes, not heavy belongings like books, exercise equipment or even kitchen appliances.
Overfilling a suitcase can lead to broken zippers and buckled wheels, which can make it difficult to use the suitcase and your items could even spill out at the worst possible moment.
Scott said: “Even more dangerous is when people try to navigate stairs and escalators with overloaded suitcases. Cases are not designed to be carried when filled with heavy items and individuals put themselves at risk of injury, strain and even accidents if the suitcase slips from their grip.
“Lifting these heavy suitcases can also put you at more risk of accident and injury, especially if you’re not using professional help when moving.
“Instead, individuals should use specially designed moving boxes for heavy and bulky items to prevent damage to themselves and their items, and ensure safety. Hand trucks can also make the process of moving items either to a new home or a storage facility much easier and reduce the physical strain on your body.
“It’s also important to not move large pieces of furniture alone. Ask friends for help or consider using professional movers. Not only will a professional team have the expertise and equipment to handle heavy goods, but they can often do it more efficiently and safely too.”
As well as potentially being unsafe, overloading your suitcases could cause so much damage that you could end up having to replace them. This will only add more expense to your next planned holiday.
Even though people on TikTok dub it a “smart” idea, it turns out it’s not quite the case. Scott said it can lead to a lot more issues than it’s worth.
So, the next time you have to move a lot of things quickly, make sure you do it safely. No move is worth sustaining an injury over.