If you’re planning to move, then you probably already know by now that packing everything and loading it into a moving truck can sound like an intimidating task, and things can get quite difficult if you’re not well prepared.

You can hire professional furniture movers if you want them to do load everything, but at the end of the day you still have to do the packing, so there are some things you need to know when it comes to the whole ordeal.

Truck size and packing supplies

You can’t really start packing if you don’t have anything to pack with. Make sure you get all the supplies you need, from boxes to packing tape, to plastic wrap, to moving blankets, and everything in between. Other supplies you might need are a mattress bag as well as moving straps to keep things in place.

Also, since items will shift during transit, you may need extra padding to place in between boxes. You will also need to figure out how big a truck you need to rent. If you’re unsure, you can call a truck rental company, and they will help you figure things out.

Get your furniture ready

Best way to do that, if possible, is to disassemble it. This will make the furniture easier to pack and carry. Try taking the furniture apart into manageable pieces. Of course, not every piece of furniture can be disassembled, but taking apart the ones that can be will make a big difference.

You can take apart your bed frame, take out the drawers from your dressers and filing cabinets, and remove table legs. If you remove any screws from the furniture make sure you keep everything in a bag so that you don’t lose them. Note: remove the bulbs from your lamps; you don’t want glass shattered all over the place.

Loading strategy

It helps to have a strategy when it comes to the puzzle of loading everything into the moving truck. If you want to be extra prepared, you can do a walkthrough of you house and make some notes when it comes to the order in which the items will be loaded. This can help make the process smoother and also faster.

The largest and heaviest items should be loaded first. This means any appliances you might have (such as your refrigerator, washing machine, dishwasher, etc.), as well as tables, chairs, couches, bed frames, etc.

The size of those items dictates the fact that they should be at the bottom of the pile so that you don’t risk crushing lighter items. Additionally, keep them the closest to the wall of the cab, and make sure you balance the truck by placing heavy items on both sides. If you want to save space, it’s ideal to place large furniture items upright.

The lightest items should be loaded last. After you placed all the heaviest and longest items in the moving truck, it’s time to figure out the smaller and lighter objects, or the ones that have different shapes.

The list of lighter items can include mirrors, pictures, TVs, or small furniture items. Smaller items should be placed in their original boxes so that it will be easier for you to keep track of them. Lighter items should be placed on top of appliances and furniture.

Top