How to Pack a Moving Van

Packing a moving van is like piecing together a giant three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. The goal is to get as much as possible into the moving van without damaging anything. This requires both planning and cunning.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Moving Truck
• Dolly
• Packing Blankets
• Rope

1. Triage the items you are moving. Divide everything into three categories: heavy, medium and light. Keep objects from all three groups available throughout your move. You will need them all.

2. Load the heaviest items first. Big things like furniture form the base of your moving space. Load them onto the moving van while there is room to move them around to the most secure location. Be sure to protect everything with packing blankets.

3. Pile medium sized objects on top of the heavy objects. Boxes and other uniformly shaped items stack nicely on top of furniture. Try to get the piles as close to the ceiling of the moving van as their weight will allow.

4. Fill the spaces with light and small things. Movers call this stuff "chowder." It ensures that there is no wasted space and protects everything from moving around. Since it is light and small it wont damage items below.

5. Repeat this process as you move from the end of the moving van back toward the door. If you are doing it right you wont be able to see how deep the moving van is. You should only see the most recent wall of packed items.

6. Secure fragile items. If anything can move inside the van assume that it will move. Tie down anything that is loose. If something is fragile place it between soft items. Glass fits nicely between two mattresses.

Tips & Warnings

• When a moving van is packed full and tight the items inside do not budge. If there is empty space objects come crashing down as the van drives to its destination. Always pack the moving van as full as possible to avoid shifting. If there is extra space be sure loose items are tied down.
• Be sure items are secure when you are packing them into the moving van. Loose object can fall on you. Items can break and you could get hurt. Always get help when moving heavy things and use proper lifting technique.

[dan6305]

on 2/10/2009 Hey! Great tips on packing. I did packing for U-Haul customers for a while and we learned that nothing is uglier than a load shift. You'll know that your packing job has shifted when you try to open the rear roll-up door and it's hard to lift. Avalanche ahead!
If people would only put the heavy stuff at the front, like you are saying, things would go so much smoother.
Thanks!