Load a moving truck

About this project

So you've decided to save money by renting and loading your own moving truck and moving all your worldly possessions yourself.  You might be surprised at how quickly your household goods fill that big truck. To spare you the agony of having to unload and start over, here's a guide to making the most of the space — it's a lot like putting together a puzzle. We also share tips for making the move easier and safer, from telling the kids to guarding your valuables.

Level of difficulty
2 of out 5

You might need to have a little bit of tool savvy or home improvement skills, but if you prefer you can hire a pro.hire a pro.

What you need for this project


Bungee cords
Dolly
GPS
Packing tape
Padlock
Permanent marker
Plastic garbage bags
Quilted blankets
Screwdriver set
Work boots
Work gloves
Wrench set
Zippable food storage bags

Get it done - step by step:

  • Step 1: Rent the moving truck and supplies

    To ensure a moving truck is available, reserve the truck as soon as you know your moving date. Include quilted moving blankets for padding as well as carrying harnesses and straps to secure furniture — they’re well worth the slight extra expense. Rent a heavy-duty dolly if you don't have one. Most moving trucks include a ramp, but if yours doesn't, rent one as well.

    When you pick up the moving truck, do a safety inspection before you leave the rental company. Test the turn signals, horn, brakes and parking brake, examine the tire tread, and note any dents and scratches on the truck. Ask the company representative to check the tire pressure and to inflate the tires if they need air.

  • Step 2: Make a plan

    Every loading job differs, depending on what you own, but use these principles to plan the most logical loading sequence for your belongings:

    • Think of the moving truck bed as being in three sections, from the front near the cab to the back at the rear doors. Fill every cranny in a section before starting to the next one.
    • The heaviest pieces go on first, because having the most weight near the cab makes the truck more stable.
    • Rectangular pieces such as dressers and large boxes go on the bottom; medium boxes and somewhat irregularly shaped items such as chairs go on top of them, and small boxes and loose items go on the very top. Pack all the way to the ceiling.
    • Tuck small and odd-shaped items into every available space that remains between larger pieces; it's the most efficient use of space, and it makes the load tight so it doesn't shift.

  • Step 3: Load appliances

    Disconnect major appliances you’re taking with you, such as the refrigerator, washing machine and dryer. Prepare them as needed: for example, empty and clean the refrigerator, and put the water supply hoses into the washer and tape it shut. Wrap quilted blankets around each appliance and tightly strap the blankets into place.

    Use a dolly to roll each appliance up the ramp into the moving truck; you might find it easiest to walk backwards and pull the dolly, rather than push it. Place appliances against the front wall of the truck — the one closest to the cab — near the center. Throw a padding blanket over each one so items you'll pack on top won't scratch them, and then scoot them snuggly against each other, with padding between. 


  • Step 4: Load bulky and heavy furniture

    Prepare large pieces:

    • Remove cushions from sofas and upholstered chairs. Put them in plastic garbage bags to keep them clean; you can use the bagged cushions as padding between wooden furniture to prevent dings.
    • Remove dresser drawers for now, to make the dresser lighter.
    • Leave mattress covers on the mattresses to keep the mattress clean.

    Spread an old sheet or padded blanket in the front corner of the moving truck and set the sofa upright on it — standing up on end — with the sofa back against the front wall and the feet against the side wall. If you have another sofa, load it the same way in the other front corner.

    In the space that remains on the front wall, load large boxy pieces such as armoires, entertainment centers and dressers.

    Load mattresses and box springs on their sides — not on end — against the wall, touching the sofas.

  • Step 5: Load disassembled pieces

    Now that there's more room to work in the house, take apart bed frames, remove legs from tables and dismantle any furniture that’s easier to move in pieces. Bind together long, narrow parts from the same piece — such as table legs — and wrap them in blankets if they can be scratched. Put any bolts, washers and nuts you removed into a heavy-weight zippable plastic bag, label the bag with the name of the piece of furniture, and firmly tape the bag to the piece.

    Load table tops and headboards against the mattresses and box springs. Slide bundles of table legs, bed frames, slats and the like under and between pieces you already loaded, taking care not to scratch them.

  • Step 6: Fill in

    To finish loading the first section of the moving truck, fill in gaps next to and above the sofa, appliances and boxy pieces. Here are some options:

    • Stack lightweight boxes in the vertical "L" between the sofa's back and seat.
    • Lay smaller upholstered chairs on their back or sides on top of dressers.
    • Set dining room chairs and other light chairs upside down on boxes or flat pieces of furniture and tuck small items into the space between the chair legs.
    • Roll up area rugs and secure them with tape, then either slide them under a piece or set them on end between two pieces as padding.

  • Step 7: Load the middle section

    Load the next section, putting heavy boxes on the bottom and lighter boxes above them. Fill in the gaps with small items.

  • Step 8: Load the end last section

    Load the final section with remaining boxes and unusually shaped items such as the lawn mower, trash cans, bicycles and the like.

  • Step 9: Close it up

    Place the dolly and ramp in their storage areas under the floor of the truck bed. Close the rear door and secure it with a padlock.

Get what you need

Maintenance Tasks

1. Maintain your washer and dryer

Your washer and dryer are among your most frequently used appliances, so keep them in top shape.

Time
1 hour
Difficulty
Easy
Frequency
Twice a year, or as recommended in your owner's manual
Where
All US
Overview

Using your washer and dryer every week means that many cycles of dirt, detergent, water and heat pass through it — not to mention a lot of wear and tear. Here's how to make your washer and dryer cleaner, safer and more efficient.

Task Steps
  1. Clean your washer. First, remove germs and detergent buildup by running an empty load with hot water and two cups of chlorine bleach or white vinegar (see your owner's manual for recommendations for your washer). In the middle of the wash cycle, add 1/2 cup of detergent. Let the load run the full cycle.
  2. Remove any stains on the washer drum with a soft abrasive cleanser and a sponge.
  3. Clean your dryer vent hose — doing so regularly helps prevent fires. Just unhook the clamps, dryer vent hose or ductwork from the back of the machine and the wall vent. Vacuum out both ends and inside the hose, then reattach the hose firmly to the machine and the wall vent. Use aluminum tape to reattach the ductwork joints.
  4. Check the interior dryer drum for stains:
    • To remove gum, let the dryer tumble on the hot setting for 10 minutes. When it stops, soak a dryer sheet in a clothing stain remover and wipe the gum with the dryer sheet.
    • To get out crayon, ink or fabric-dye stains, spray inside the dryer drum with a non-flammable household cleaner. Dampen a clean rag with water and wipe the inside of the drum. Throw clean old towels in the dryer and run in Air Dry for 10 minutes to remove residue.