In the case you are not opting for full-service movers, then you simply need to follow the precious tips we are sharing below and pack the moving truck like a pro. Although, do keep in mind that some extra help from friends and/or family is always welcome.

Now, let’s get down to the fun part.

Get All the Supplies Together

You can’t possibly just Google moving truck rental near me, pick a suitable one, and book the truck for the moving date without any preparation. Planning will take you a long way with relocating efficiently and safely, and packing the moving truck makes no exception on that note.

Thus, you want to make sure you have all the supplies handy. Fortunately, these supplies are easy to find and won’t break the piggy bank, as well. So here’s a short list of the materials you want to consider purchasing before getting to the part of loading your stuff in the truck.

1. Plastic stretch wrap/Furniture Pads/Paper Padding. You have to keep your belongings away from damage, don’t you?

2. A dolly. A dolly will be your best friend when it comes to moving boxes butalso when it comes to moving heavy items (furniture included).

3. Straps and packing tape. Without the packing tape, you won’t be able to hold the padding which serves to protect your furniture from damage. Meanwhile, without the straps, your furniture will be prone to shifting instead of staying together, which can lead to a disaster once you open the moving truck to see your belongings harmed.

4. Plastic wrap. Keep in mind that the floor of most moving trucks is very dirty.

Thus, before even starting to load your stuff inside you need to make everything possible to ensure the dirt won’t cause extra damage (and extra work after you have finally re-located successfully).

Let the Disassembling Begin

Okay, so you most obviously need to have your furniture disassembled in order to maximize space in the moving truck. Plus, taking apart your furniture will let you move the pieces much easier in and out of the truck.

However, don’t feel at least worried about not being able to disassemble all of your furniture. That’s still fine. But to make your task as effortless as possible, here is the list of tips we have for you.

1. In most cases, you can take apart your bed without much of a fuss. Moreover, by taping the bed frames together you will save more space.

2. Big and heavy dressers can also be taken apart when moving. However, once you already transfer each of the drawers individually into the truck, you may want to put them back together and tape them well for extra protection.

3. One of the easiest task in terms of disassembling is to remove the cushions from your sofas and chairs.

4. When it comes to cabinets, repeat the procedure of taking apart the drawersand loading these individually, just like we recommend doing with a heavy dresser.

5. You must remove the light bulbs from your lamps or otherwise, these will break and cause you harm. Place the light bulbs in a separate bag, wrapping each bulb individually with packing paper.

6. Taking apart table legs is typically easy. But here’s a quick expert tip on transporting the disassembled pieces: roll them in a carpet to save space and ease loading these into the truck.

7. Dealing with bookcases tends to be tricky. Disassembling might not be possible at all but you can still save tons of space if you place small and light boxes on the bookcases. But don’t forget to make sure you wrap and secure the boxes in such a way that these do not fall out of the shelves during the moving. Just go for tape, tape, and more tape.

8. When you remove screws or any hardware, don’t forget to tape it to thefurniture it belongs to. Start by putting the screws/hardware in a separate plastic bag and then label it as to make sure you know where it belongs because even once you tape the bag to the correct furniture, you never know what can happen on the road.

Plan, Prioritize and Organize

You have all of your belongings neatly packed, and the furniture disassembled (of course, only the type of furniture which allows you to do so). So what’s next? Now, it’s time for some real action. Yup, it’s time to load your stuff into the moving truck.

Before you simply head outdoors with whatever box or item you grab, take the time to plan, prioritize, and organize your move, as this is a crucial step.

1. First things first, make sure the path from your street to the moving truck is cleared well so that you can easily move from your home straight to the truck.

2. If possible, take all of your belongings (or most of them) outside on the street. This is very helpful when you need to load your stuff without missing which items you need to get inside first.

3. If the situation does not allow you to place your belongings out on the street, you can label each box/item with a number, depending on the consequence of loading into the truck. For example, the heaviest item will be labeled as #1 as it will need to be placed first.

4. Prioritizing the most necessary belongings which will not be loaded into the moving truck is a must. For example, your most precious possessions, including cash, jewelry, fragile items you don’t want to risk damaging at any cost, as well as prescription medicine, and an overnight kit, which will be easy to reach when kept handy will need to go with you in the cab, and not in the truck. Nevertheless, keep a toolkit available at your disposal, too, so that you can easily start disassembling your furniture once you arrive without having to fuss around.

May the Packing Begin: Step by Step Mini Guide

As a rule of thumbs, it’s best to have two people act as loaders while two more people will act as the movers. That means two of your friends/relatives will be inside the truck to handle and position the load which is being handled from the designated movers.

Step 1: The Heaviest Items First Rule

The heaviest items must always be loaded first. That’s not only more comfortable when it comes to prioritizing your belongings once you arrive at the final destination. It’s also crucial to help you avoid dangerous situations on the road, such as dragging. The moving truck can be dragged due to the weight of the items in the case heavy ones are at the back.

What’s more, the heaviest items need to be positioned at the very bottom. These include appliances and utensils such as a fridge, stove, washing machine, etc.

Step 2: Protection, Protection and More Protection

Not only do you want to make sure your possessions are well-packed but you also need to tape them well into the moving truck to avoid any undesired moving inside. And while it’s a great idea to pack most (or all) of your belongings in advance, adding some extra protection once you have already placed them into the truck is more than welcome. In fact, it can be a fantastic idea to wrap and pack some of the heavy items only when you have already loaded them into the truck. Get creative. You can use mattresses, cushions, and pillows for extra protection, too, especially when it comes to fragile and delicate items, such as a painting or a mirror, for example.

Step 3: Deal with the Longer Items Right

Once you have the heaviest objects (fridge, dishwasher, stove) loaded, it’s time to place your sofas, mattresses, dressers, desks, and drawers. These items are referred to as longer items due to their shape, which opposes the shape of utensils.

Place the mattresses and sofas against the long walls of the truck. Tape them carefully and use them for extra protection when it comes to the drawers and desks you will place in between. Remember, you want to make sure drawers are always facing the walls of the truck so that if these open on the road, at least they won’t open too much.

Step 4: Time to Place your Boxes

When it comes to loading and positioning the boxes into the moving truck, you want to create layers of weight. That means the heaviest boxes will become a stable base for placing the medium-sized boxes on top, and the light-sized boxes on the very top. Here’s where the efforts you have put to label each box carefully will repay every single minute you spent. Tie the boxes well using knots but also by taping them well if needed. Don’t be shy from extra protection.

Step 5: Pack Tight (but Don’t Overdo it!) and Finish with the Fragile Items

Hooray, you are at the very final stage of packing the moving truck. Now, all you have to do is pretend you are dealing with a jigsaw puzzle. There will be various items of odd sizes or shapes which you have not been able to place on top of each other.

So now, it’s the time to squeeze these items inside the truck. Just don’t forget to place the fragile items only on the very top of the stack so that they don’t get damaged.

As a rule of thumbs, you want to pack the truck tightly BUT no items should be squeezed in too tight.

Woohoo, so there you have it - you know how to pack a moving truck with breaking as little sweat as possible. Just keep in mind that it’s all about the careful planning and a pinch of positive attitude, right? And in the meantime, we’re always happy to be of your assistance.