Efficiently Packing a Moving Truck

Efficiently Pack a Moving Truck

It’s moving day! How do you know? Because a large moving truck is parked outside ready to transport your belongings across town, or perhaps across the country. If you’re packing it yourself, you’ll need a strategic plan for getting everything in there; otherwise you could end up wasting a lot of time, or worse, damaging some of your belongings.

After boxing up your belongings, and safely wrapping the furniture and television set in padding and plastic wrap, the next step is getting all of that into a moving truck. Whether you are planning to load a moving truck yourself or having the trusted professionals of Max Movers Inc. do the job, understanding the techniques for safely and efficiently packing a truck will save you time and spare your belongings from damage.

First Things First

An oft-forgotten step is checking with the city to determine whether or not you will need a parking permit for the moving truck. Make sure the moving truck will be able to park as close as possible to your home or office. This isn’t a big deal in residential areas, but it can be tricky in urban areas with lots of traffic.

Keep the route from your door to the truck free of items that can trip a person carrying a heavy item. Uneven sidewalks may require pads or even boards to be laid down to make it safer to walk and push a dolly to and from the truck. During loading, one or two people should remain inside the trailer to stack and load items (as well as to prevent items from being stolen). Consider covering the floor of the truck’s trailer with padding or paper to cut down on dirt and dust, and to provide some traction for the loaded items.

Loading and Packing a Moving Truck

Our trusted employees are experts in loading and packing. If you plan to do the loading yourself, keep the following tips in mind:

  • Load your items working from the front of the trailer (near the cab of the truck) to the back.
  • Load heavy items first, such as heavy furniture and appliances, and place them against the walls of the truck.
  • Stack medium to smaller sized items and boxes in a single tier across the width of the truck and up to the ceiling, with the heaviest items on the bottom, the lightest on top.
  • Make sure everything is packed as tightly as possible. Furniture pads, rugs and linens can be used to fill in empty spaces and provide additional protection once the truck starts moving.
  • Use ratchet straps and bungee cords to tie down and secure loaded items and prevent shifting.
  • Paintings, large photos and most definitely mirrors should be packed upright between mattresses.
  • Secure desk, cabinet and dresser drawers with stretch wrap, which only sticks to itself and protects the surfaces of your furniture.
  • Lawn mowers, motorcycles, ATVs and any other gas-operated items need to be drained of flammable fluids before they can be moved. Use extra strong moving straps and, if necessary, moving blocks, to secure such items.
  • Fragile or especially valuable items, such as antiques, computer and medical equipment, and fine art objects may require specialty moving services.

 

Protect Yourself

Your belongings aren’t the only things you have to protect during moving; the process can take a physical toll on your body as well. Using a dolly to move heavier items is helpful, as is remembering to always, always lift with your legs, not with your back. Some other helpful things to remember when loading and packing a moving van include:

  • Wear leather gloves and sturdy, supportive footwear.
  • When carrying items, keep your back as straight as possible.
  • Make sure your feet are firmly placed, with one foot slightly ahead of the other, before picking up heavier items.
  • If you have to strain to lift an item, it’s too heavy. Get a second (or third) person to help you.
  • Take breaks and drink water, especially when moving a large number of items over the course of several hours.

The trusted employees at Max Movers Inc. can help you load and pack your belongings safely and efficiently. Contact us today to learn more about our moving, packing and unpacking and interior design services.

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