Who does the heavy lifting?

When I worked as a gardener my lovely customers would ask me to help with these kind of jobs and it was no trouble at all and generally didn't take 5 minutes here and there.

Do you have a regular tradesperson who visits the house e.g. a window cleaner who might be helpful? I used to do it for nothing (I will never be rich!) but even if you paid a little bit for the service it might be a weight of your mind, literally.

We have local 'odd job men' 'man with van' type people here and they are very helpful with this sort of thing.

Contact your local scout group. We were always happy to help when I was a scout leader for a little donation.

Our local authority no longer have the handyman service; they amalgamated with someone or other, but their prices were extortionate, I thought.

I would really like to find a cheapish and cheerfulish handy person.
I could give them years of work in my flat!

I usually wait until my son visits, he is due today so I have a list ready. ? If Im desperate I pay for someone from the local handyman service, Age uk generally have a list or you could try checkatrade. There might even be a handyman service in your area.

I think the thing about lifting is to remove the need as much as possible. Our garden furniture is left out has fitted covers. The mattress is a no turn one. We both have bad backs mine from lifting (people).

I bought some discs, called sliders, off Amazon, which glide easily over a carpet. I use them to move my bed and a very heavy leather settee. They have a slightly rough surface on one side of the disc, varying sizes, and a hard smooth surface on the side that is directly on the carpet.

I now employ a cleaner and she was so impressed with them that she bought a set to use when cleaning for clients, makes moving furniture so easy, I can do it on my own.

I do ask my daughter or son to help turn the mattress over when they visit though.

Also I have a handyman who I use for all sorts of odd jobs around the house, I tend to wait until I have a few things that need doing then call him out. He would certainly move garden furniture but mine stays out all year. He recently fitted a new smoke detector, an outside key safe, an outside illuminated house number ( posh or what!), replaced the extractor fan in my bathroom, repaired some damaged skirting boards and helped me hang some pictures after having decorators in. He charges an hourly or daily rate which I think is very reasonable. I really don’t know what I will do when he retires!

Thanks all, a couple of avenues I can explore there. The local authority solution sounds a good one, as I guess the people would be checked out? I'm not aware that our LA offers such a service, but will check.

Certainly seems like a business opportunity, on the other hand it could be used by the unscrupulous to take advantage of the elderly.
We are in the same boat, not so much with garden furniture, but turning the mattress, moving furniture for decorating etc,

grannyactivist already suggested that - I should rtt.

Do you have a local community FB group? Someone may be offering such services.

We got rid of our heavy wooden garden furniture and bought a metal set which stays out all year.

Our local next door site seems as if it might be good for that kind of thing, too.
It depends, though, if you would be comfortable letting your neighbourhood know that you're quite frail.

Our local authority offers a Handyperson Service to anyone over 60 or with disabilities. You can hire someone for a day or half a day to do small jobs such as heavy lifting, putting up or taking down curtains, putting up shelves, changing tap washers etc. We haven’t used the service, but apparently you just pay a reasonable hourly rate and for materials. Our neighbouring local authority offers a free service (paying for materials only). It might be worth checking whether your LA has a similar scheme?

In my town there is a local Facebook page where exactly this sort of help is often asked for - and such requests always receive positive responses.

There is a business opportunity for somebody there.
A lifting service.

That is a difficult situation. I wonder if there’s a local scout group who might offer some help for a small donation.
Hope you find someone soon.

I find it difficult to lift things these days, too.
My mattress needs turning but I can't do it, and I'm spending all night almost falling out of bed.

I remember huffing and puffing moving all our heavy garden furniture when the strong winds were coming, I always had to do it alone as my husband worked away. Could you replace it with all weather furniture instead, just take the cushions in?

I leave my garden furniture out year round. No moving needed.

I think you could hire someone to move things for you if you don't have any family to help out. If you are part of any kind of community (church?) maybe there are young people who will do it for a small payment, or just to help out.