Oregon residents are a hearty breed. They love outdoor adventures, like mountain biking, hiking, camping, and base jumping. That is why 2020 has been so tough for them.

Many Oregon natives feel restless being stuck inside during the pandemic. Local governments have lifted restrictions somewhat, but there are still some activities that they can’t do. For instance, many Oregonians don’t feel comfortable going to restaurants yet because of the continued Covid-19 risk.

If you live in Oregon, and this sounds like you, then don’t despair. There are still some productive things that you can do to occupy your time. For instance, you can do some deep house cleaning.

When you do, though, you must protect your back. Many back problems start during cleaning projects, and they can linger for months or years. Let’s go over some back-protection steps if you’re tackling a major cleaning project.

Lift with Your Legs

As far as back protection tips go, lifting with your legs is one that you might hear pretty often. But what does it mean?

Lifting with your legs means:

• Using your legs and entire lower body to pick up a heavy burden
• Not lifting exclusively with your back

If you bend over rigidly at the waist to pick up a heavy box or some other object, and you’re not engaging your lower half at all, that can be dangerous for your back. You’re straining the lower back in particular when you do that.

When you’re going to pick up something heavy, bend at the knees, and lift with your lower half along with your back. Don’t let your spine take the full strain.

Lift Heavy Objects Together

If you’re an Oregon resident who wants to get rid of all the clutter during the pandemic, then you also shouldn’t tackle the biggest jobs alone. If you’re getting rid of an old bed, couch, or loveseat, for instance, don’t try and lift it by yourself.

Instead, get someone to help you. That might be:

• A spouse or significant other
• A roommate
• A friend or neighbor

Lifting heavy or cumbersome objects together helps you avoid back injuries. If you have a family member help you, then they’ll probably be glad to do it. If you’re calling on a friend or neighbor, you might have to bribe them with lunch or dinner.

Wear a Back Brace

There are also various back supports and braces that you can look into if you’re ready to do a serious cleanout during the upcoming fall season. If you check out Amazon or other online marketplaces, you’ll see back braces similar to what professional movers wear.

These braces and supports cradle your spinal column, particularly the lower back. That is a body part that often sustains injuries, so make sure that doesn’t happen. If it does, then you may be feeling it for weeks or months.

Hire Someone

Of course, if you see that you have a ton of clutter that you need to move out of your living space, you might want to at least consider hiring someone to do it for you. That will save your back, though your wallet will take a hit.

You can hire movers who do this sort of thing professionally. Even if you are not moving out of your house or apartment, if you have a whole basement or crawlspace full of junk, that might be more than what you’re comfortable doing yourself.

You can also sometimes find handy individuals who don’t have any one specialty. Rather, they do odd jobs, like carpentry, painting, landscaping, etc.

The one potential issue if you go this route is that these individuals seldom have insurance. If you hire a mover, they have insurance, so you can feel more confident about inviting them into your home.

At the very least, if you hire an “odd job” person to help you with this project, check them out online to see if they have some positive feedback.

Take Your Time

If you’re one of those Oregon residents who does decide to do a fall cleaning while there’s still some nice weather happening, you can also space out the larger projects over a couple of days. That means less back strain and general fatigue.

You can make it a two or three-day project if you’re cleaning out an attic or basement. There is no need to overburden yourself all in one day, making it more likely you’ll hurt your back or another body part.