The overall cost is based on a number of factors, but the primary ones are: the size of the moving truck, how full it needs to be loaded, and the number of oversized items. It typically costs around $500 – $600 to load a 26 foot truck, $400 – $500 to load a 20 foot truck and $300 – $400 to load a 16 foot truck. These prices do not include packing boxes, truck rental costs, moving blankets or shrink wrap.

It really depends on factors such as: the number of heavy items, the number of stairs up or down, hallway length, distance from residence to truck, elevator availability, and how prepared the customer is with packed boxes. But in general, it’ll take 6-7 hours for 2 movers to load a 26 foot truck, 4-5 hours for 2 movers to load a 20 foot truck and 3-4 hours for 2 movers to load a 16 foot truck.

It depends on the size of your dresser. If it’s a small and light dresser, then you can keep your clothes inside. If it’s a big and heavy dresser, then you should take them out. The main reason movers like having dresser drawers empty is to reduce the overall weight. You should also tape the dresser drawers shut so they don’t fall out. If you don’t, the movers may simply take out the drawers, but that would take up more space in the moving truck.

When you are packing boxes, you should try to group them according to what rooms the items will need to go in. You should have a permanent marker handy so you can label each box based on what room they will be unpacked. Designate a specific number or color for each room and label all boxes accordingly. In order to do this, you will need to make sure you know what each room at your new residence will be used for.

As a general rule of thumb, you should keep all the heavy items like dressers, desks and couches on the bottom. This will function as a secure base and prevent damage to bigger items. Then you can stack all the lighter items like bags of clothes, boxes, and pillows on top of them. This will help you fill the space toward the top of the moving truck. Be sure to use moving blankets to cover items that could be damaged or scratched like wood or glass.

Try to save the most awkwardly shaped items for last. Examples include items like lawn mowers, treadmills and bar stools. These items need to be on the floor surface of the truck because they are relatively heavy, but their top has a weird shape that keeps smaller items from being stacked on top. Awkwardly shaped items hog up a lot of truck space by preventing boxes from going on top so they should go in last.

Your belongings can shift during transportation, especially long distance moves, so it adds an extra layer of protection to tie down your items in the moving truck. The best choice for this is ratchet straps, but you could also use bungee cords or ropes. Every 5 feet of packing items should be tied down in a cross shape. It’s essential to tighten the strap because if it’s loose then it’s not going to help secure the items.

You should ask for a ballpark estimate on the total cost to hire movers to load a truck. Be ready to send pictures of your heavier items and share about the number of bedrooms as well as the number of stairs at each location. Ask the truck loading company how long they’ve been doing it and what their process is like. Google their company name to make sure they have good reviews online. Click here to get a free estimate for truck loading from His Workmanship.