ipad 2 Contest: Post 1: How to Load your Truck on Moving Day

(This is the first post for Bailey's Moving and Storage ipad 2 Giveaway.  Click here to learn more about the contest.)

Not everybody likes to move; in fact, very few people do.  It seems to be  a universal stressor common to all man.  Whether you're moving to be closer to family, start a new job, or to build your dream house, everyone moves.  Coming from the wife of a professional mover (and along with his help), here are life saving instructions on packing your moving truck in the mst efficient way:

These poor guys!  Don't let this be you...pack efficiently!

1. Pick the right sized truck!  I cannot stress this point enough.  When Paul and I made the move from Idaho to Colorado, we were able to fit all of our possessions (which filled a 1200 sq ft home), AND a car into the back of our moving truck.  You want to be as effiecient with your space as you can.  So here's how you do it:  Measure your largest piece of furniture (legth-wize).  This will usually be your couch.  For space reasons, it works best to load your couch first, and standing up on it's side.  One arm rest should be on the ground while the other should be at the ceiling of the truck.  If, when you measure the couch, it will be too tall for the truck you're renting, you want a bigger truck.  Now, you also need to know how long the truck has to be to accomodate all of your belongings.  The best way to do this, as a non pro, is to contact your moving truck company.  Most likely, they will ask you how many rooms you are packing up and will give you an estimate as to how big of truck you will need.  Some companies have this information convienently located on their websites.  Having a truck that is too small will KILL your move, but a truck that is too big will kill your wallet.  Make sure you get the right size!
2. Have a game plan.  You know... a good one.  Professional movers aren't accidentally good at finding ways to fit everything in.  They are organized.  They have a system, a plan, and they stick to it.  In order to load like the pros do, you need to know the following terms---they will seriously save you time, money, and, oh yeah, a whole lot of time.   Ha.  Terms:  
1. Base:  The heaviest and strongest items you have.  This should be made up of things that you cannot take apart or condense.  Your couches, entertainment center, or dressers make a great base.  Leave out things like tables and bed frames.  They seem big, but once you take them apart, they are easily condesnable and are packed later on.  
2. Mid-load:  This is made up of things that weigh less than your base.  Small bookshelves, boxes,  and chairs.
3. Top-load:  Your top-load should be made up of lighter boxes (i.e your box of bedsheets, not books or canned goods).  This would also include laundry baskets, yard tools, and lamps, etc.
4. Tier:  One tier is made up of a row of Base, Mid-load, and Top-load and should go from the floor of your truck to the cieling.  
3. Build your Base.  Load your most awkward item first--usually your couch.  Fill in around the couch to keep the tier even.  Remember to keep an eye on the tier you are building.  Paul imagines he's building a brick wall; he doesn't want any of the bricks sticking out past any of the others.  
4. Add your Mid-load.  Don't try to use just boxes in the beginning tiers.  Use more of your awkward mid-load items, and then as you run out of those, use your boxes.  This will help to
1. ensure you fit your awkward sized possessions in, and
2. keep your load snug.
5. Layer your Top-load:  Find anything in the house that is light and layer it to the top of the ceiling. 
6. Lather, Rinse, REPEAT:  That was tier one people.  Continue to load your truck in a similar fashion, remembering to load the most awkward items first. 
7. That was AWKWARD:  Once you run out of those awkward items, just use boxes.  They are easy to load and will stay tight together in the truck.  This will actually help to protect your awkward items from being damaged.
8. Lastly:  Once EVERYTHING is loaded, use your matress and box spring as a type of bulk head.  This will, again, keep everything tight and take up some unused space.  

Shut that door and go have yourself a break--you just loaded your truck like a pro!