Moving! It’s always a hectic thing to do. You are reading this article, and this means you are going to move on your own. It’s cheaper to move without a professional mover but a bit harder as well. You will have to hire a good truck from the best and cheapest moving truck rental, pack things, unload things, and much more. It does not mean it’s impossible. It’s completely achievable, and with little help, you too can do it.
Using the below tips will ensure you a smooth move. Let’s check them all!
Take a Deep Dive While Researching
You must spend a good amount of time researching different companies. It will help you get the best truck deal and at the best rate. The trick here is not to bargain with truck rental companies but to research as many as possible. The more companies you research, the more chances of landing on a good deal.
When you do good research, you can also take into account the booms. A boom in the moving industry is a period when a large number of people are moving. For example, the month’s first and last date, after student holidays (late summers), after graduation (late spring), etc. If you have not pre-booked, the probability is high that you will not get a truck.
Take Insurance for the Truck
Do you think that your 18-wheeler truck is invincible? Which vehicle on the road can damage a moving truck? You are not wrong, but casualties can happen anywhere, anytime, and even with trucks. You can take our words for this- Your truck gets damaged and does not have insurance. This situation is one of the worst things you can expect during a move.
The four most common types of truck rental insurance are Damage Waivers, Supplemental Liability Insurance, Personal Accident and Cargo Protection, Auto Tow Protection. It’s important to research each type and take the insurance which suits you the best.
Efficient Loading of Your Truck
The loading done for a short journey and move is completely different. Therefore, it isn’t easy and requires knowledge to do it right. You might have no experience as a professional mover, but these tips will help you for sure.
- Start loading from back to front.
- You must disassemble all the large items you can.
- Put larger items like refrigerators, couches, etc., first.
- Group longer items like floor lamps, bed frames, etc., and put them in the truck’s interior.
- Put smaller items on top of larger items.
- Put things as much as you can in an upright position.
- Make sure smaller items are well wrapped and cushioned to avoid damage.
While moving, every space of the truck is to be used effectively. Otherwise, it will not be able to accommodate all your belongings. Therefore, it’s important to follow the above instructions otherwise.
Decide the Route before Commencing the Move
The first thing to do is to always check the route you are going to take is not under construction. It will also help you avoid delays and stay confident.
You must also plan out your stopping points. You are with an 18-wheel truck, and you can’t park it anywhere you want. Therefore, it is important. In addition, it would help if you did not forget to plan parking for unloading so that you can avoid unnecessary disagreements with your neighbors.
It happens many times people change their route because of traffic. You must change your route only if you are familiar with the other route thoroughly. If you don’t know the other route, don’t even think of changing the route. It will take more time and miles than you expect.
Take A Test Drive of Rental Truck
Undoubtedly, taking a test drive is one of the most important things. You may be one of the finest car drivers but driving a truck is another level thing. The truck is much heavier and bigger. These qualities make it harder to control the truck while driving. It may sound rude, but it’s not a joke to ride a truck.
If you have doubts during the test drive, it’s better to hire a professional mover for this. There will definitely be some plans which will suit your budget. Let’s suppose you cannot control the truck and have an accident (We wish it never happens). It’s something very serious as your life is at stake here.
Pack & load the truck efficiently:
The way you pack your items and load it onto the moving truck determines the efficiency of the entire process. It is advised to pack your items well to secure them for the long commute, items like mirrors, fragile items, antiques, scriptures, and more must be packed in the designed crates. Using a lot of bubble wrap is also advised. Moreover, once these items are packed, you must load them in the truck with the help of the moving labor.
Put heavy and large-sized boxes at the bottom and move towards the top in a declining weight and size manner. This will ensure a balance of the items at the back of the moving truck and hence prevent damage.
Also, do not overload the truck as a lot of items at the back of the truck means that you will have a slower speed and performance of the truck. Make sure to get the weight capacity of the truck from the company and load it as per the information only. The better you pack and load, the more you can enjoy the benefits of the efficiency of the moving truck.
Conclusion
The biggest thing to understand is you cannot do it alone, and you will need assistance for sure. We can bet on this thing. So, it would be best if you can ask your friends, family, relatives, or acquaintances to help you out with the packing and other moving-related tasks. However, you can also hire some paid workers while moving. This will eventually help you throughout the moving process.