How to Load a Moving Truck

When the time comes to move, you’re going to find yourself busy with a multitude of moving-related tasks. One thing you’ll need to figure out is how to pack everything into a moving truck. After all, that truck is going to be on the road and the contents can shift around. You may be moving just across town, or across the country, but either way, you don’t want items to break in transit.

Pack a moving truck correctly, and you’ll minimize the chances of your furniture, appliances, and other belongings getting damaged.

Select the Right Truck

It’s important to get a truck that’s the right size for your belongings. You’ll also want a truck with a ramp to make it easier to get those heavy items on and off.

To that end, go to the websites of a few truck rental companies in your area. There, you can see what’s available, how much it will cost to rent a truck on the day you plan to move, and more. They may even explain how much will fit in different sized trucks. If not, check out our storage unit size guide and apply that information to truck sizes.

Reserve Your Truck

Once you have a rental company and a truck in mind, reserve the size you need about two weeks in advance. You’ll want to go pick it up on the morning of your move, or perhaps the night before, so you can get the truck loaded just before you hit the road.

Remember The Supplies

You need boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap and other moving supplies to get your belongings ready to move. You can also rent helpful tools such as a hand truck, floor dolly, furniture pads, blankets, mattress bags, and moving straps directly from the truck rental company.

Take Furniture Apart

If you have furniture that can be disassembled for a move, do so. This includes bed frames, many tables, and so on. Read up on how to do so in the related user manual, or look up specific information online. For each piece you disassemble, keep the screws and other small parts in a ziplock plastic bag and tape it to the main body of the furniture piece.

Load the Largest and Heaviest Items First

The largest, heaviest items go in the truck first. Follow safe lifting procedures and use the truck’s ramp to get these big items inside. They include things like refrigerators, dishwashers, and other big appliances, as well as bed frames, tables, chairs, dressers, and couches. They should go in the front of the truck, near the cab. Strap the big appliances to the truck walls.

Load Medium Weight and Lightweight Items

After your large and heavy items are in place, pack the rest of the truck with your boxed things. Pack heavier boxes at the bottom of stacks, and lighter boxes on top. Also, it’s a good idea to pack your small appliances, such as microwaves and coffee makers, in well-padded boxes.

Some of your boxes can go on top of the appliances and furniture you packed in first. Don’t pack them underneath furniture, where they could get crushed.

Where to Put the Rest

While you can pack most of your belongings in the truck, we recommend you take some things with you in your car. These include smaller valuables and fragile items as well as important paperwork. Also, if you’re making a long move, bring travel bags for each member of your family with things like your tablets, laptops, and a few books.

Finally, drive carefully, and have a safe move.