Packing The Truck

 

Tips to Pack the Truck

First, congratulations! You’ve made it this far in the moving process. You’re packed and ready to load everything into the moving truck to head off to new beginnings. If you’re actually not quite there yet, though, no worries. Start with our handy A-Z Moving Guide to help you plan, pack, move, and learn some helpful tips along the way.

When you are ready to load up, we’re on hand with steps to get you on the road faster. Check out our tips below, then get going!

 

Choosing a Truck

When you store with StorAmerica, you get access to a FREE rental truck. Our 14-foot moving trucks, filled to the top, can carry up to approximately five rooms of furniture. But most people can’t pack their trucks to the very top, and the amount of items in each room will also impact those numbers. Keep in mind that you may have to make more than one trip. For all the info on our free moving trucks, visit our Truck Rental page or call your local facility.

If you choose to rent your own truck, the very general rule of thumb is three cubic-feet of truck space can accommodate up to one room. This will help you in deciding what size you need to rent in order to get it all in one trip.

 

Tools You’ll Need

When you are loading up a big truck with heavy items and boxes, there are several tools that will contribute to a smooth move.

  • Dollies and carts to haul heavy items up stairs
  • Forearm furniture lifts to help carry awkward and heavy furniture
  • Rope or bungee cords to tie items down once inside the moving truck
  • Rubber bands to wrap around cabinet door and drawer handles to they stay shut
  • Furniture pads to keep your furniture from being damaged or damaging any floors
  • Furniture covers to protect your furniture, especially when stacking items on top
  • Lots of water and patience during the moving process!

 

Truck Packing Tips

  • Figure out what is going to go into storage prior to packing the truck. Since you can keep those items in the truck until you are just about to return it, it should be packed first.
  • Start with the heavy stuff, for two reasons. One, because the heavy stuff needs to go in the back of the truck towards the cab to keep the truck stable. Second, because your arms are fresh in the beginning and will be less likely to cause injury.
  • Stack from the start. Once you start limiting your access to the back of the truck, you will have a much harder time trying to stack later on.
  • Stack from heavy to light. Heavy items on the bottom, light items on top.
  • If you’re not using a professional mover, don’t stack higher than your shoulder, as trying to get to items even slightly out of reach can cause mistakes to happen.
  • Each section you pack and stack needs to be secured down with ropes or bungee cords, using the truck’s tie-down rings.
  • Reserve boxes and generally lighter items for stacking.
  • Try to keep fragile and breakable items lower down in the stack so if they were to fall over, they have less chance of breaking.
  • Pack light items and oddly-shaped pieces at the end, closest to the truck bay door. 

More than anything, take your time. When you try to rush through it all, you are more likely to forget something, hurt yourself, and generally frustrate the process. And make sure that you get your storage unit from the start, so you can settle into your new place in your own time without the added clutter. Find a nearby facility now!

 

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