Whether you are moving across town, or hauling your stuff across the country, it is important to properly pack a moving truck in order to maximize space, reduce the size of the truck required and limit the number of “trips” you’ll have to make to get the job done. Since preparation is half the job, we’ll start out with tips on how to prepare for a move, the materials you’ll need and the things you need to know to get started. Once everything is ready, you can begin packing your Penske Truck rental in Fall River and get ready to make your move.
What You’ll Need:
To get started you need to get all of your materials together. The goal is to pack your belongings safely and efficiently, allowing for both heavy and valuable items to be properly loaded and transported to your destination. Most moving supply stores will have these materials available to help you get everything ready for your move.
- Packing Tape – There are many different types of tape now available for moving. Some tape is more economic and is designed for short across town moves, while other tape is more sturdy and is designed for bigger, longer moves. Choose the proper tape for your needs. This is not something you want to “go cheap” on.
- Padding – An assortment of furniture pads, plastic stretch wrap and paper padding is available to help protect furniture and other larger items during your move. If you have antiques or other expensive pieces, you’ll want to use this regardless of how far you are moving. For longer moves, padding will be essential to protect even casual furniture from damage.
- Moving Equipment – A handcart, appliance dolly and possibly a flat dolly might all be required, depending on the items you will be moving. This can help to reduce back pain and strain from lifting heavy boxes multiple times to load and unload your truck. Ask about renting a dolly when you rent a moving truck in Fall River.
- Moving Straps – Also known as “tie downs,” you will want to use these to strap your furniture, mattresses and other items to the sides of the truck to prevent shifting and movement when the truck is moving down the road.
- Blankets and Tarps – Large plastic tarps, blankets and wraps and be used to protect upholstered furniture and mattresses during the move from getting dusty or dirty. Tarps can be wrapped around items or placed on the floor of the truck to protect your things from becoming damaged.
Things to Bring:
In addition to all of the equipment and materials you’ll need to load and pack a moving truck, you’ll also want to bring along some extra items in the cab of the truck so you’ll have easy access to them when you reach your destination. After you rent a moving truck in Fall River, inspect the cab of the truck to see how much room you’ll have for overnight items in the case of a long move, or for fragile or other special items that you want to protect.
- Valuable Items – Expensive collectibles that are fragile or just extremely important to you. This can include coin collections, jewelry, anything made of glass or ceramic or other items of fragile or valuable importance.
- Electronic Items – If there’s room, many people opt to pack computers and small electronic items in the cab of the truck to ensure they don’t get broken or damaged during the move. In the case of laptop computers, they may also be carried in the cab for access throughout the move.
- Overnight Items – Toiletry items that will be needed throughout the trip, medications and any other things that are essential during the move should be packed inside the cab. Make a list prior to your trip to make sure you don’t leave out anything important.
Things to Do Before You Move:
In order to maximize space and protect your belongings, you will want to do a few things before you move. This will help you to properly plan the use of your Penske Truck rental in Fall River, to ensure that everything reaches your final destination in one piece.
- Remove Cushions and Pillows – Removing all of the cushions and pillows from your couch, sofa, chairs and other furniture and then placing them inside garbage bags or packing boxes can help to protect them from getting squished or smashed during your move.
- Take Apart the Furniture – Any furniture that you have that can be taken apart should be taken apart, especially when making a big move. Not only will your furniture be lighter and easier to move, but it will be more manageable during packing. Keep all screws and hardware in a plastic bag and tape it to the table or other piece of furniture that it goes to for easy reassembly.
- Remove the Bulbs – Take the light bulbs out of all your lamps and put them in a separate bag, box or protected container. This will prevent the glass from breaking during your move, requiring you to replace expensive light bulbs.
- Take Out the Drawers – Remove the drawers from dressers and file cabinets to carry them out individually to your moving truck. You can put the drawers back in the dressers during the move, but removing them will make the furniture lighter and easier to move.
- Keep Beds Together – Tape disassembled bed frames and hardware together and mark them for each bedroom. This will make getting ready for bed on your first night in a new place much more pleasant. Consider putting bedding for each bedroom in a separate box and labeling it as well, so you won’t have to hunt for sheets and pillows either.
- Defrost the Freezer – It is important to unplug and defrost your refrigerator and freezer at least 1-2 days prior to your move. Check all other appliances to ensure they don’t contain water, which could spill out and damage your belongings during the move.
Packing the Rental Truck
There’s a right way and a wrong way to pack a moving truck. This guide will help you to properly pack your Penske rental truck to ensure that everything moves safely and efficiently from Point A to Point B.
- Heavy Items First – The heaviest items should always be loaded on the Penske Rental Truck in Fall River first. This includes furniture, appliances, pianos and other weighty items. Keeping these items at the front will prevent the truck from dragging or pulling during your drive, increasing safety for both you and your belongings.
- Distribute the Weight Evenly – Pack all appliances in their normal, upright positions. Distribute the heavy items evenly along the back of the truck. For example, position a washing machine on the right side and a dryer on the left side for equal or nearly equal weight balance.
- Size Matters – Always pack from the floor to the ceiling, remembering to put heavy items on the bottom, medium weight items in the middle and lightweight items on top. Choose boxes that are similar in size to prevent shifting. Once you complete a stack, wrap a packing strap around your boxes to keep them together.
- Long Items on the Side Walls – Put really long items, such as sofas and mattresses on the long side of the truck. Cushioned items will also help to protect other furniture and boxes during the move. One idea is to face dresser drawers against mattresses or sofas so they will be cushioned if they move during transportation.
- Pack It Tight – Make sure to pack a moving truck as tight as you can, squeezing items together carefully to ensure things to not get crushed. Put it all together like a big puzzle so everything fits snugly and fills up the truck.
- Get the Right Size Truck – If you aren’t sure how much space you’ll need, speak to the representatives at the Penske Truck rental in Fall River for tips. You don’t want a truck that is bigger than you need. Too much extra space leftover can cause items to move around and damage your belongings.
Where to Get a Penske Truck Rental in Fall River
If you need to rent a moving truck in Fall River, contact the folks at Affordable Storage. They have a wide variety of moving trucks and vans that can be used for local and cross country moves one-way or round-trip. Affordable Storage is a Penske Truck Rental authorized dealer and has been serving customers throughout the Southeastern Massachusetts area for over 20 years. Give them a call today at 508-675-1177 for more information or to make a truck rental reservation.