Everyday Ergonomics Tips
10/18/2019
While there are plenty of “ergonomic” products on the market that can enhance your work life, there are also some simple tips and tricks that can make your everyday home life easier as well. When it comes to areas in your home, like the pantry, toy room, and garage, it can become a habit to just put items wherever they fit or in the closest available spot at the time. Here are a few simple tips to make finding and handling items easier, and more “ergonomic”:
- Try to store the heavier items within your power zone, between 39" and 48" above the standing surface.
Whether it’s your KitchenAid stand mixer or a circular saw, you’ll want to limit the lifting and lowering height to between your knees and shoulders to maintain maximum strength capabilities. - Consider storing heavy items in a mobile container kept at floor level so that you don’t have to lift them. Items like bags of dog food or massive LEGO collections can be kept in storage containers with wheels, and then pulled out as needed to avoid lifting the items.
- Keep a step stool handy. Most people prefer to maximize the amount of useable space they have in their home, so store the lightest and least frequently used items on your highest shelves and use the step stool to access them rather than reaching overhead.
- Use clear or labeled containers when possible. Being able to see the item or the name of the item you’re searching for will save you time and motion that might otherwise be spent digging through the wrong container.
By organizing commonly overlooked areas of the home according to these guidelines, you might avoid a possible sprain or strain while, at the same time, keep things neat and tidy.
