Multiple trips from your old home to your new house are not a fun prospect. You’ll likely want to minimize this as much as you can. This can be done by packing as much as possible into your moving van.
This is partly due to a good sense of spatial awareness, creativity, and a Tetris habit. But there are many other best practices and safety measures that you should know. We’ve put together a list of essentials to remember when packing a moving truck in auckland.
What type of moving truck do I need?
Three sizes are available for self-hire moving trucks: 4.2m by 2.1m (1.9 m3 boxes), 6.4m by 2.3m (34m 3boxes), and 7.3m by 2.4m (45.3m3 boxes). The smallest van can be driven by anyone with a valid Australian driving licence, but for the larger two vehicles, you will need a Medium Rigid license. It’s not worth it to get your MR license unless you are moving a lot of heavy stuff. In that case, a two-day class, normally costing around $1200, will help you obtain one.
Failure to plan is planning to fail.
You should keep a few points in mind when packing for your move. You can use your containers, boxes, and other packing materials to maximize the space in your moving truck.
Try to find boxes and containers with tessellation – that is, they will fit together as tightly as possible. You’d like to have everything neatly packed into square containers.
You’ll want to sort your belongings into rooms but also try to create three different categories of boxes – heavy, light, and fragile. Mark the boxes with their weight and contents so that you do not get them mixed up. When it comes time to load the truck, you’ll want the heavy boxes to be on the bottom and the lighter, fragile boxes to be at the top.
Disassembling furniture before you move is another way to maximize space in your vehicle. This may seem like a tedious task, but it will save you time and make it easier for you to get through the doors. After you’ve taken everything apart, measure each component and determine the largest, heaviest, and longest pieces. They will be the most difficult to count on your “Tetris” truck. We’ll put them down first.
When preparing for your moving day, make sure you have the proper equipment. When you rent a truck, ask for the option of renting a trolley. You can also add a hydraulic lift to the back. Both of these options are worth the extra money. A trolley is a must if you are planning to move large, awkward items like washing machines, dishwashers, or fridges. You may also need to ensure you have enough straps for your load. These may be included in the truck rental. Be sure that everyone moving heavy, large items has a pair of good gloves. Also, collect as many blankets and towels as you can to protect your stuff from bumps and scratches while it is jostling in the back.
First, the heavy stuff.
It’s now time to move! First, we need to load our heaviest and largest items – coffee tables. fridges. Dismantled beds, tv cabinets, mattresses, washers, etc. These items should be loaded at the back of the truck, against the cab where the driver is seated. You’ll want to use your “Tetris” brain to visualize how the pieces will fit in the truck and the shape that will result. Don’t worry if things don’t fit together perfectly or if there are gaps in between the table legs. We’ll use this space later to cram smaller items. Cover surfaces that are easily damaged, like wood and upholstery, with old blankets or towels.
We can then start to pack around the heavy furniture and other items. Roll up your carpets, rugs, blankets, and towels. They are great for filling in awkward spaces or securing things into place.
Weight distribution.
Remember how we divided our boxes into heavy, lightweight, and fragile? All that hard work pays off. You want to avoid concentrating too much weight in one place, as this can cause the truck’s balance to be thrown off. We place heavy furniture in the back of the truck because it is the strongest support and suspension. But we will need to be careful about how we distribute the weight of the boxes.
If you follow our advice, it will be relatively easy. Start with the heaviest items and boxes at the bottom, and then work up to fill as much space as you can. Then, start a new level and work backwards. We’ll need your fragile boxes at the end. They should be on the final layer of boxes, before the truck door, with no boxes above them.
Be sure to use good lifting techniques (straight back and bend at the knees), ensure that all your helpers have enough water, and move things safely. You don’t want to end up in the emergency room on your moving day.
Get everything secure.
You’ll want to secure your items and furniture after you have finished the first stage of packing. The inside of most moving trucks has bars that allow you to hook moving straps. Wrap the straps around important parts of each item to make sure they stay in place. Tighten them well.
It is easier to strap up your boxes. If you have enough straps, it can be a great idea to tie sections of boxes together as you add layers. The main thing to do is make sure that the middle and upper layers of the boxes are tightly tied so they won’t come apart in transit.
You should have no problem getting the most space out of your truck if you follow these guidelines. Don’t compromise on space or be lazy. Try different arrangements and stack boxes where possible on top of the furniture.