How can I make or buy something to help me lift my suitcase to pack it as well as other items? I can't lift.

Question

I have a back injury. I live alone. I travel. I can't lift anything over a certain weight. I have a problem lifting groceries and other things. If a fork lift were tiny it would be perfect for my home. Is there anything on the market that can lift for me. I have rolling luggage and a lift on my car. I need one in my home. I can make something or buy something.

Answer 1

Use a short piece of wooden plank or durable plastic to make a ramp. Use a small shopping cart with wheels to push it up to your car boot.

hope this helps.

edit: oops sorry, i thought it was for your car. If u need to store something on the shelves, i would suggest making a pulley systems that would lighten the load off your back.

Answer 2

you said you already have rolling luggage (rollers to put under your luggage). Here's what I'd do. Go thru your drawers and pull out what you want to put into your luggage, and throw it on the floor in a pile. Drop your luggage to the floor. Get down on the floor with your stuff and pack it into the suit case. Then put the suitcase on the rollers and get yourself off the floor.

First buy a piece of lightweight but strong board the size of the opening of a car door. Place it into the opening of the car door (front or back seat) at a slant, block the slant at the bottom.
Attach a rope to the luggage, throw the rope (thru the inside of the car) to the other side of the car and pully it up into the car. If you need to brace yourself against a wall or a tree to do that then do it. Once pulled in you just have to pull up the board and you're done. I have a back problem too.

For groceries it's a different story...take a taxi (they will even bring the groceries into the kitchen if you tip them). Or use one of those disability vans that some counties provide. Or if you have a housekeeper service in your county they will do the shopping for you when you're really stuck, however they work at 4 hours each time. So have them clean your place, do your wash, do the grocery shopping, etc. to accommodate the 4 hours. Be sure and do a full month's grocery shopping so as to make the trip worth your while.

One additional thing, when I'm down for a month (can't get up) I use the "Gophur" to do the reaching for me, and to get things from the refrigerator...It's a lifter ($10-15 and even used ones on amazon.com) and looks like a long pair of scissors.

Answer 3

tiny fork lifts can be made in the garage.
or available with the forklift company dealers.