Many people rent trucks and ask friends to come and help with the loading to help them move on a budget. While it seems easy, packing your own truck can be quite challenging, not only because of the heavy lifting, but also because of space maximization. If wrongly done, you may find the truck full and lots of stuff yet to be packed, and you could also risk damaging valuable items during transit. The following guide can help you to pack your rental truck efficiently:
1. Start early
Begin by going through your home and deciding the order in which your stuff should be packed and loaded. You can get a list online to guide you with packing fragile or irregularly sized items and disassembling furniture. Start packing in advance: collect your boxes and put together stuff from the same room, labelling each box and sealing as you go. For furniture being taken apart, tape small pieces together so they don't get lost in transit. Put fragile boxes together and arrange boxes from smallest to largest.
2. Heavy goes first
Load heavy appliances and machinery first. This gets them out of your way, and also places them close to the curb to increase stability when driving. Spread out the heavy stuff in the truck so that one side isn't heavier than the other, and use padding and covers to protect corners of appliances from chipping. Secure doors and drawers with tape to prevent movement in transit.
3. Load large but light items
Next, find room for large, light and irregularly-shaped items like box springs, carpets, full-length mirrors or ladders to ensure that there is space for them. Keep long flat items vertical on the side of the truck to minimize space consumption. Ensure your mirrors are padded properly so they don't break. Do not place them where they may be knocked around during transportation.
4. Load heavy boxes
Heavy boxes containing non-fragile items should be loaded close to the back of the truck for better stability. Take advantage of the negative space around things that are already loaded, such as chairs, desks, bookshelves etc.
5. Load light boxes
Ensure that the lightest boxes are placed on top. Use some small boxes that can fit into spaces provided by your larger furniture to minimize unusable space. Place the smaller lighter boxes on the big boxes, being thrifty with your space usage.
6. Load fragile items
Fragile items like kitchenware, liquid items etc. should be loaded in a place where they won't be knocked against other items in the truck. Smaller items can be loaded in the truck cab – behind or under the seat – if you're not carrying passengers. Each item should have been packed individually wrapped in newspaper, with padding in the boxes to prevent movement.
7. Strap everything
Use pillows, blankets and sofa cushions (you can wrap them in large garbage bags so they don't get dirty) to fill up remaining spaces between boxes and furniture. Use rope to secure everything in place, especially when the truck is not fully packed. Drive carefully to minimize movement and subsequent damage.
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