How Do You Pack a House Removal Van? A Guide

Quick answer: Load the largest and heaviest items first, against the front wall of the van, then fill in with medium and lighter items and keep fragile boxes on top. Stand sofas, tables and headboards upright where you can, and spread the weight evenly from side to side.

Moving house without the help of a professional moving crew may seem cheap, but it comes with its own hurdle. Efficiently packing items in a removal van can be a daunting task for many. A simple mistake can be your very undoing.

And so, to avoid damaging your items, how do you pack a house removal van? To help you answer this question, we've put together seven strategies to help you pack effectively and maximise the storage space.

Load Large and Heavy Items First

The first step to loading a van is to pack heavy and large items. Things like empty wardrobes, fridges and freezers, bed frames, tabletops, washers and dryers, chairs and mattresses should be packed first. Take your time to ensure all these items are well balanced.

Given their size and weight, they should be packed at the bottom of the truck, towards the front. You don't want to reach your destination only to find your boxes squeezed or torn. So, ensure you secure them properly to not loosen on transit and cause damage.

Place Tables, Couches and Headboards in an Upright Position

Given their sizes, these items take up space. So, you'll want to load them upright along the walls. This will leave space in the middle of the truck to load other items. Use blankets and plastic wrap to properly pack things like an upholstered couch or chair. Otherwise, they risk damage.

Furniture takes a lot of space per cubic foot. So, if you pack them horizontally, there are high chances they'll take up half of the van. For that reason, you want to disassemble them first. Take out each piece and pack the fasteners in a labelled container. This will make it easy to put together the furniture in your new house. From there, you'll pack the disassembled pieces individually.

In disassembling, the rule of thumb is to only disassemble furniture you've put together yourself. You can also disassemble those whose manual you have. Otherwise, you risk spending days on end wondering how to put a piece of furniture together.

Suppose you need the help of a removal company, you'll have to part with extra cash. Disassembling and assembling usually have their own rates, not included in the house removal cost.

Roll up Rugs

Rugs should be rolled with the top side facing out. From there, pack your rug in plastic wrap. It's important to clean your rugs before the moving day. This is to avoid bad smells after the transit since the rugs will be wrapped.

Load Medium Weight and Light Items Last

On top of the heavy items, load medium weight items. These items will include moving boxes, small furniture, and appliances. Stack items as high as the truck’s ceiling. Ensure they are tightly packed. Packing items loosely will cause havoc as soon as the van moves.

Use blankets to wrap pictures, mirrors and the television. Ensure they are well cushioned to avoid damages. Put the mattress in the mattress bag to avoid getting dusty during the journey. Kitchen appliances should be packed in their original boxes for ease of identification. Things like collectables, jewellery and other valuable items should be in their boxes. Further, important documents should be well-packed.

When it comes to the lighter items, pack them on top of the appliances and furniture. The moving day essentials should be in an easy to reach spot in the truck. You can also have them with you in the car.

Load Fragile Items Cautiously

Mirrors, antiques and cutlery are some of the items that you want to take caution with when packing. So, don’t take chances; a small packing error can lead to a whole Chinese set breaking.

Pack these delicate items with care. They should be well cushioned. You don’t have to load them in the van. You should secure them in the boot of your car. If that’s not possible, someone can carry them on their lap during the transit.

Suppose these two options are not possible. Then you have to put them underneath furniture in tight spaces. The goal is to ensure these items don’t move. If there’s any movement at all, it should be as little as possible.

Distribute Weight Evenly

This is a very crucial aspect of packing a removal van. As we’ve discussed, distributing the weight evenly starts with packing heavy items at the back of the removal van. These items should be evenly distributed such that they are balanced. The next step is to load medium size before loading light items.

When items are evenly distributed, it helps to control the vehicle while in transit. Additionally, it makes loading and unloading easier. You won’t find boxes falling over because of instability.

Secure Items with Moving Straps

Secure everything with moving straps to ensure items don’t move back and forth. This is best done in layers. To secure your items effectively, secure every section individually. Once you’ve loaded the heavy items, secure them with straps. When you load medium weight items, strap them over the heavy items. And lastly, the light items should also be strapped over the medium and heavy items. Ensure all the moving boxes are strapped so that nothing shifts while in transit.

Ready to Move?

We’ve breakdown the key elements of packing a removal van. We hope this guide will help you load your van with ease on your next move. But suppose you decide to hire a man and van services. We will be more than delighted to help.

1 Van 1 Man Removals have been in the industry for over a decade. We have what it takes to meticulously load your items and transport them to the next destination. Get in touch with us for all house removal services.